Memories of the War:The Back of Affection

UP FC Galeria 1, October 9-13

“Back of Affection,” an installation by Midori Hirota, a Japanese artist based in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, will be exhibited at the University of the Philippines (UP) Faculty Center Galeria 1, from October 9-13. Gallery hours are from 8am – 6pm.

The idea for Hirota’s compelling work sprung from a visit to Fort Santiago in August 2005, which coincided with the anniversary of the end of WWII. “While my thoughts were not focused on WWII most of time I traveled in the Philippines, when I visited Fort Santiago and reflected on what the Japanese army had done there, I recalled that this day was the exact date of the anniversary as observed by the Japanese. Suddenly my eyes filled with tears as the Fort changed its color to orange with the sunset. This experience is my strongest memory of my first visit to the Philippines,” the artist writes in the catalogue notes.

The encounter with memories of the war at Fort Santiago sparked the idea for “Back of Affection,” which was first realized in the Philippines at Green Papaya Art Projects in August 2006. During the show, the artist displayed more than 1,000 figures, which the viewers exchanged with objects they brought with them. These exchanged goods/gifts were put on the cushion that the artist made from cloth from the three countries – Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines - and also exhibited at the gallery as “witness” of that exchange/communication.

The exhibit at FC Galeria 1 on October 9-13 will continue the exchange, as part of the artist’s goal to implement this project until all of these figures are traded away to gallery visitors in the Philippines.

Hirota has held fourteen solo shows in Japan and Indonesia and participated in numerous group shows, including the Bali and Jakarta Biennales. She works in oil, installation, and mixed media. Her visit to the Philippines is part of the project Pasar-Ichiba-Talipapa in connection with the Philippines-Japanese Friendship Year. Grounded on the metaphor of exchange that takes place in Indonesian, Japanese and Philippine markets, “Pasar-Ichiba-Talipapa isn’t just our project theme,” according to the artist, “but is also a key word for us as we search for new ways of being Asian artists.”

Pasar-Ichiba-Talipapa and its centerpiece “Back of Affection” was held under the auspices of the Japan Foundation Manila Office and the UP Department of Art Studies.

For more information, please contact Flaudette May V. Datuin, project leader, at (632)9270581.