Isa Lorenzo, 004:Release
Opening Reception: Nov 18 (Wednesday) 6-9PM20SQUARE
Isa Lorenzo, 004: RELEASE
Largely a meditative reaction to her time as a recipient of the Japan Foundation Jenesys Program Creator-in-Residence at Tokyo Wonder Site, Isa Lorenzo’s ‘RELEASE’ explores the underside of the Japanese cultural identity – one that prioritizes homogeneity and conformity - and probes human expressions for “letting one’s hair down,” and “blowing off steam.”
Using the Philippines as her reference point, the artist observed that the assimilated group identity in Japan supersedes the individual’s identity. They have a saying: the nail that sticks out is hammered hardest. As a reaction to societal homogeneity, their “expressions for releasing control are extreme in Japan through subcultures—fetish, cosplay, and wota. As the title suggests, my work for this show takes off from this premise of releasing control,” says Lorenzo.
The photograms in RELEASE are from printed material ubiquitous to public spaces: tear sheets, exhibition flyers, performance advertising. They are layered aesthetically and printed correctly with the corresponding tonalities. Half of the pieces in ‘RELEASE, she leaves unaltered. They remain controlled. The other half, she disrupts the perfect layering and printing by using micro explosives - a release control from the darkroom.
Followers of Lorenzo’s work will notice that each piece is titled with a word or two – a marked departure from her pattern of leaving works numbered or dated. Lorenzo says, “the series is a set of traditional and universal symbols but are also personal talismans to move ahead in life”. ‘RELEASE’ is a collective set of accidents and mistakes, of images disrupted, of spontaneous signifiers.
Isa Lorenzo’s RELEASE will run from November 18 to December 12 at Slab’s 20Square and will be shown alongside Rachel Rillo’s ‘GRAIN’ at the Silverlens Gallery across the bridge.
For inquiries and more information on RELEASE, please contact Cathy Paras-Lara at communications@silverlensphoto.com or 816-0044.
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