A multimedia monograph?

So about a year since Celestina and I casually agreed to schedule an exhibit at the Cafe by the Ruins (Dua), Kelly Ramos’, curator, call came: she needed the title, poster design and write-up for the exhibit. I admit, when that call came, I had nothing yet.

Well, what it was going to be about, that I was sure of: Baguio.

At first I planned to do a straightforward photo exhibit. But when I started putting together the images that I thought merited a space on the wall, I couldn’t help but want to share the stories that went with the images so I started putting together pieces I’ve written in the last two decades or so. A couple of weeks before the scheduled opening, what I had was a collection of images, essays and song lyrics. Then, after listening to a previous recording of one of those songs, I thought of doing a recording of the rest and include that in the work.

What is it? Wikipedia defines a monograph as “a specialist work of writing on a single subject or an aspect of a subject, often by a single author, and usually on a scholarly subject.” That’s kinda close. But I had images and music that went with it so I thought that a “multimedia monograph” would be the closest I’d get to describing what Kafagway: Sa Saliw ng mga Gangsa was.

There’s a poem inspired by an invisible cañao that developed into a song; commentaries on the current state of the city; letters to two mentors who have been huge influences on my being an artist; a photo of a blessed tree that I chanced upon across a valley in Loakan, and another one in the rain at the top of Kennon Road; there’s an image of a man walking home at dusk; among other stories of the last 25 years.

Although this may be considered as my first solo exhibition, this wasn’t exactly a solo work. For the recording, I collaborated with local artists: Ethan Andrew Ventura arranged and did the instrumentation on four of the six songs in the compilation which featured Eu Arcilla Caburao, Roman Ordoña, Joselito Balleta (Jose Ball), Caesar Salcedo, Jeff Coronado and my sons Leon Karlos Altomonte and Aeneas Altomonte.

At the opening of the exhibit last October 31, 2018, we performed those songs live to a crowd of mostly fellow artists and Baguio lovers.

The limited edition of 25 monographs, individually signed and annotated, are currently available at Cafe By The Ruins Dua, Upper Session Road, Baguio City and the exhibit will run until the end of this year.