Cartographic Memory

Pianist and art collector Joshua Alexander Manalo ruminates on the concepts of connectivity and nationhood derived from a Lena Cobangbang art piece

Images and Words Joshua Alexander Manalo

Terratorial Piecing: MV and WPS, 40×54 inches, framed, natural varnish, mounted on acid-free sintra board, watercolor (Kuretake), and watercolor pencil on Hahnemühle bamboo mixed media paper, 2019. Lena Cobangbang for the Outlooke Pointe Foundation Collection

The Philippine map is something all Filipinos are exposed to from a young age. It might be argued that after the Philippine flag, our archipelagic map is the next memorable visual that we associate readily with our country.

For this commissioned work for the collection of Outlooke Pointe Foundation, artist Lena Cobangbang amplifies the Philippine map by juxtaposing, through watercolor, maps from various periods of Philippine history: the 18th century (Murillo-Velarde map), the early 20th century (American period), and that of our present-day territory.

The resulting artwork, Terratorial Piecing: MV and WPS, is not an exercise in cartographic accuracy. Lena’s painted map is theoretical instead of practical. For the uninitiated, a map might not even register at first glance; A close friend of mine has even amusingly compared the work to the kaleidoscopic aesthetic of tie-dye shirts. However, standing still and letting the artwork’s calculated chaos and harsh colors wash you over will reveal its magic. The work is an irresistible jump-off point to let your mind wander; images of ancient tapestries, indigenous crafts, or the stylized geometries of Islamic art fill my head. I do not just see an artwork or a map whenever I look at it from my piano beside it. Every glance offers the promise of a visual pilgrimage.

From Lay of the Land Series, 9×12 inches each, watercolor on Canson paper, 2012. Lena Cobangbang, Outlooke Pointe Foundation Collection

A student of firebrand artist Roberto Chabet, Lena has chosen a similar path as her revolutionary mentor, mastering a multidisciplinary and more conceptual approach to visual communication. She has used everything from embroidery, photography, food (rotten, leftovers, and edible), collage, alongside more traditional artistic mediums. That being said, it is her watercolors that draw me in the most. In her Lay of the Land series, watercolors depicting various food types initially delight, but upon further introspection, we are reminded of everyone’s love-hate relationship with food consumption. The series is a reminder that consumption enriches, inspires, and is a lot of fun. But excessive consumption is also a symptom of anxiety, addiction, irresponsibility, and a hindrance to learning new things and true growth.

Considering all the symbolic trappings and clever illusions Lena employs in her practice, I feel it is in her watercolors that she exemplifies what it is to be both a thinking and feeling artist. They are not too fantastical and instead are more like snippets of something underway. Watercolors are also extremely practical while still being a relatively underappreciated medium. This commissioned work was inspired by a world map watercolor she did as part of her Mo_Space, Terratorial Piecings show in early 2018. I figured at the time that it was only natural that Lena does a Philippine map. For a year, Lena and I had a continuous dialogue over our different passions, most notably cartography. It turns out both of us have always been obsessed with maps. What started as a commissioned piece out of curiosity led to a full-on “investigation”. I have been acquainted with Lena for quite some time now and it is always a great experience to commission works that start with a specific theme in mind, only to manifest into something much more, one with added layers, more depth, and other surprises masterminded by the artist.

Terratorial Piecing 001, 42×30.7 inches, watercolor on Hahnemühle bamboo mixed media paper, 2017. Lena Cobangbang, MO_Space

Terratorial Piecing: MV and WPS is no smoke and mirrors and goes beyond mere eye candy. There is no questioning the familiar subject here: the Philippine map. This comfort of familiarity that I am referring to is akin to the feeling we get when we are in the presence of something “classic”, an object given reverence due to its timelessness. Amidst the familiarity, however, is also the prospect of the shattering of the status quo as suggested by the shifting outlines and shapes of the overlaid maps. Lena’s map stimulates an awareness in me regarding certain nationwide concerns, yet it is alertness that is triggered in me rather than fear.

There are things that only time can tell. The next great geopolitical conflict of this century might have, as one of its major arenas, that familiar swathe of sea west of the Philippines. How will the country’s borders and coastlines develop over time? How can diplomacy stay relevant in our everyday life and in the circus that is Philippine society? Ours is a country of majestic natural beauty and resources yet how do we make sense of the massive inequalities and social problems that continue to pervade our land? Our land is a gift from God and sacred, given to us by our ancestors long before the term colonialism and all the other -isms were even a thing. How to be at peace without being complacent? Now what? I try to remind myself that there is more to life than art and all these ideas because otherwise, they can all get overwhelming. I should get back to work. Clean my room and fix my files. Get some rest.

Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Islas Filipinas or the Murillo-Velarde map (Wikipedia)

Looking at Lena’s watercolors, I never feel stuck. There are moments of calm and detachment as well. Fact or fiction, it doesn’t really matter. I am still very impressed with the “broken down” formless look that Lena achieves. She has clearly grasped the fundamentals of pictorial composition to be able to break it down this way. I get reminded of collages or spontaneous pixelated images. Depth is non-existent. Things have changed, are still changing, and many things still need to change. It’s not just throwing paint or ideas around but a conscious examining of things and desensitizing visual perceptions, in this case, the Philippine map. 

As I practice on my upright piano each morning, Lena’s map stares back at me (besides the sheet music right in front of me). Her work serves as a reminder that commissioning works are not merely transactional acts but a means of facilitating knowledge exchange and fostering connections, both with the artist, and the larger whole outside one’s self. •

Joshua Alexander “Joey” Manalo is a classically trained pianist having navigated through scores on his own from the age of six, eventually taking private lessons and graduating cum laude in 2009 at Rutgers University with a Minor in Music and a Major in Psychology. He was then taken under the wing of pianist Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz and had his orchestral debut in February 2011 in Insular Life Theater under the baton of conductor Marlon Daniel. Joey currently manages Outlooke Pointe Foundation’s projects and art collection. The non-profit organization was founded by his father, Jesulito Manalo in 2007 in a bid to support emerging artists and foster creative collaborations, “with the vision of utilizing art as a tool for nation-building.”

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2 Responses

  1. This was a wonderful piece Joey! It reminds me that works of art are more deeply appreciated when there is a resulting connection between artist and viewer. Each party to that relationship grows in wisdom and appreciation of the work itself because of this communion. Looking forward to more pieces that lead us deeper into the way you think and feel about art, gently inviting us to inspect our own relationship with it.

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