JOEL FERRARIS' SCULPTURES at SM Sky Garden

        RAINBOW WATERFALLS (see more JOEL E. FERRARIS' sculptures here)

Sculptures are considered as 3-dimensional pieces of art. Having the opportunity to study architecture at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City allowed a door opened for me in the discipline of thinking concepts, designing, drawing plans hands-on, studies in mathematics and calculus plus engineering sciences. These experiences and lessons augmented my discipline as a studio painter and visual artist, a portrait artist, muralist, craftsman and struggling writer.

In my own point of view as an artist my dilemma in being a painter and a once-upon-a-time architecture student was given fruitful solution and outcome. Sculpture as a form of art lies between 2-dimensional art forms like painting and the 3-dimensional habitable structures that are products of architecture in the form of buildings.

Painting and all its forms and media used are mostly done by the artist without the aid of others for no one could mimic minute brush strokes exactly. In contrast, buildings as structures that fall under the category of architecture, are completed after undergoing a more intricate process with the aid of other experts in various disciplines from engineers, city officials, construction workers and other personnel. In short, there is an "army" of experts involved. Yet in the end the architect gains recognition because the original basic concept and design belongs to him/her. The same could be true in making films and in doing sculptures. The size, volume and time element involved requires a team of experts to make an idea drawn on paper "come to life."

Nowadays, with the introduction of the digital technology, some visual artists doing 2-dimensional forms of art require the use of other available means with the aid of other experts. Some examples are those who practice art using digital technology like professional photograpers.

I am happy that the designs and concepts I did for SM Sky Garden was made into a reality by a team of world class experts from Themebuilders Philippines Inc, a company responsible for various projects worldwide that includes Ocean Park in Hong Kong, The Dinosaur Project in the US  and the famous Corpus Experience Museum in the Netherlands to name a few. 

And you know what?! They are based in Pampanga, Philippines which is my country. It only shows how talented Filipinos are and because companies like Themebuilders Philippines Inc.  believe in the Filipino talent this mutual trust that allows jobs to be available to many must be maintained.

PAINTING SHADOWS AGAIN

By Joel E. Ferraris

After my successful solo art performance and exhibition titled TINY STUDIO at the Sara Sen Gallery in June 2008 which was featured in TimeOut Hong Kong (print and online) I once again found myself chasing, tracing and painting the shadows of people. 

It was a suspenseful short time before the event waiting for the guests to arrive. As I gazed at the blank canvases arranged on the wall I wondered what image would finally come out several hours later.

Unlike the previous project I had where the shadow of the entire human body was traced this time the focus was on people's hands as they tried to form animal-like shapes with the aid of a professional shadow artist who happens to be a Filipino-Chinese citizen of Hong Kong.

The one night event was so interesting as people took turns on standing in front of the spotlights to allow their hands to cast interesting shadows on the large modular canvas.

There were three of us in the team. I was assisted by my lovely wife Sally and beautiful young Karina Rivera-Curlewis. Young Karina also joined us in the Hong Kong Mural Society to paint the giant mural in Tsing Yi island in mid- 2000.

 

The mural is now in my studio as I continue to put some more elements to it. I plan to add some more exciting elements to surprise viewers later on.

On hindsight, as I recall how people, delegates from different countries, form shapes of animals out of their hands’ shadows during the events night, I reflect on the fact that and the irony of it all that it is mankind’s handiwork that contributed in the trend towards extinction of some species of living things.

Now the threat of global warming casts a dark and dangerous shadow in people’s lives.