{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":21917,"auction_id":23,"set_id":42,"lot_number":"10","artist":"Ronson Culibrina (b. 1991)","title":"Maselang Bahaghari 2","starting_price":360000,"signed_dated":"signed and dated 2019 (lower right)","medium":"oil on canvas","size":"48\" x 48\" (122 cm x 122 cm)","property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":null,"exhibited":"Secret Fresh Gallery, Maselang Bahaghari, San Juan, October 20 - November 9, 2019","literature":null,"write_up":"Ronson Culibrina is usually known for his paintings that parodies the works of old masters, which he would superimpose with whimsical elements from contemporary pop culture to open up reflections on history, cultural influences, and diaspora. However, the past four years witnessed a paradigm shift in his imagery, refocusing his subject matter on exploring environmental themes and the ecological consequences of industrialization and rapid urbanization. In this context, Culibrina poses the question \"For whom,\" as he ponders on the issue of purported development in the name of socio-economic progress and who truly benefits from it. Since 2017, Culibrina has mounted exhibitions (Talim, 2017; Above Sea Level, 2018; and Salva Vida, 2019), inspired by his hometown in Talim Island on the shores of the Laguna de Bay.
\n\"I saw how my hometown transformed from a quiet, fishing town into a busy urban area—and it fueled my fascination with the clash between tradition and modernity, which I explore a lot in my art. The site, sights, and people also made their way into my art, so my formative years in my hometown still play a crucial role in my artistic process,\" Culibrina said of his inspiration for his current themes.
\nIn continuation of his pursuit, the Maselang Bahaghari series serves as a visual commentary on the consequences of the rapid deterioration of a once-thriving lakeside community to the socioeconomic disposition of its inhabitants and the area's biodiversity. Borrowing from the title of a 1999 song by the popular Filipino rock band, the Eraserheads, the series chronicles the colorful fields produced by plastic wastes dumped into bodies of water. In Culibrina's native Talim Island, gone are the glory days of its vibrant lakeside living. Toxic pollutants resulting from negligent industries and lack of proper sewage facilities are present in large quantities in and around its surrounding waters. Given these issues, Culibrina paints a poignant picture of a community's pressing environmental concerns. The artist prompts us to collectively raise our voices and mobilize against a systemic problem flamboyantly masquerading under the banner of progress.","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":"
Ronson Culibrina (b. 1991) Maselang Bahaghari 2 signed and dated 2019 (lower right) oil on canvas 48\" x 48\" (122 cm x 122 cm)