June 8, 2017

Qube Gallery's Ako si Sabel / Balay-Balay Art Exhibit

Venue: Qube Gallery
Location: Crossroads, Gov. M. Cuenco Ave, Cebu City
GPS waypoint: 10°19'41.8"N 123°54'34.1"E

Bicycle Commute
Since I now commute by bicycle across Cebu City, my dilemma is how to look fresh and presentable in an art opening exhibit upon arrival. Luckily, Qube Gallery isn't too far from Beverly Hills where I stayed. With Beverly's altitude, I cruised on down with minimum pedaling until I reached Qube with minimum sweat. I changed my bike shirt into a long sleeve white button-down shirt and I looked respectable again.

Lhee Isabel Taneo - "Ako si Sabel" Exhibition
From a distance, I thought it was a monochromatic painting. But up close, it was really a mosaic of tiny sea shells with its natural color sorted out to come up with the varying color gradients - much like the Jim Carrey movie poster for Truman. I met Lhee, the artist and was told that the sorting out of shell colors took as much time as making the art. The art was essentially a self-portrait. Lhee is young and could be mistaken for a student. There were a good number of artsy-types in the space - not unlike my Studio Art students back in the day when I was still a UP Fine Arts teacher (teaching web design).

Kidlat - Balay-Balay Exhibition
I'm not an art critic, so this is just my layman take. Kidlat's work comes across as slice of life in a barrio setting. The simplicity of barrio life was portrayed with minimalist form, color and characters, but stayed true to reality - wooden house, siblings, youth, pregnancy, etc. This is Kidlat's 3rd solo exhibition.

Jose
I got into an art conversation with a Spanish-racial stock guy named Jose. He looked every bit Caucasian (because he is), but born and raised in the Philippines. He's also an artist. When asked what he found most compelling in the exhibit, I was surprised to hear that he felt strongly about a series of 6 simple monochromatic paintings of a house. It looked very simple compared to the rest. He said the artist (Kidlat) fully extended himself in order to accomplish it.

This is what I like about talking to people more learned than I am - I get to see the world that is invisible to me, but apparent in theirs. When I later talked to Kidlat, he confirmed that the series took the most out of him. I tried to see the struggle, given the simplicity but it was beyond my simple mind's comprehension.

Ending Thoughts
I like Qube Gallery. Whenever in Cebu and there's an exhibition, I make it a point to be there. I'm lucky this time with a double feature. Is it the art? Yes, of course, but also equally about meeting new people in the art scene and getting a glimpse of their unique insight. Yeah, flowing wine helps too.

--- TheLoneRider

up close, you could see the tiny sea shells making up the self-portrait of artist Lhee

this scene takes me back to my teaching days in UP Fine Arts (Diliman)

chancing on Dan Climaco...yogi and art collector

kids having kids...Kidlat nailed this thing down

6-pc series that took a lot from the artist...you see it?

with artist Jose (can somebody tell me his full name?)

Cebu City, Philippines

tourist attractions

Tops - hilltop offering panoramic view of the city
Taoist Temple - temple on a hillslope in Lahug with panoramic view of the city

hotel

Hostel Seven Cebu - newly opened, resto/bar, central location, solo/group travellers
Juana Osmeña Street, Cebu City
S Hotel & Residences - new hotel, luxury rooms, central location
827 M. Velez corner Andres Abellana St.

resto / cafe / bar

Fujinoya - new and refreshing twists to Western style desserts using Japanese techniques
Wilson St., Lahug, Cebu City - tel. 888.6075
Bad Boys Wingz - Buffalo Wings, unique versions of sauces! Great service, accommodating staff, bad boys vibe
Kasambagan, Cebu City | (032) 415 4811

yoga

Love Yoga World - yoga studio
11/fl, Skyrise 2 Tower, IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City
Yoga Now - first Yoga and Wellness studio in Mactan offering daily Yoga Classes
at The Yacht Club Mactan

mountain biking

Cebu Mountain Bike Adventure - MTB tours, bike sales and repairs. Bed and Breakfast + Resto Cafe + wifi
1298-b V.Rama Ave, Guadalupe, Cebu City | 0942.959.7451

More Information about Cebu City

Cebu City to Camotes Island

via Poro - from Pier One in Cebu City, take the Ocean Jet for Poro, 2 hours, daily trip - 6am and 3pm (0936.823.8762 |0956.270.6610 | 0999.889.9999).
via Consuelo - from Cebu City, take the northbound bus passing through Danao and get off at the Danao Port. At the Port, take a Jomalia Shipping boat for Consuelo (San Francisco, Camotes), P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only).

Camotes Islands to Cebu City

Poro - Cebu City (fastest and most direct) - go to Poro and take the 8am or 5pm Ocean Jet to Pier One in Cebu City, P380/pax/aircon, 2 hours
Consuelo - Danao - Cebu City - go to Consuelo (San Francisco) and take the Jomalia Shipping boat to Danao, P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only). From Danao, take the Ceres Bus to Cebu City

Cebu City to Dumaguete, Negros Oriental by Boat

George and Peter Lines - Mon/Thur/Sat/Sun 10pm, (035)225.4337, 0922.557.1023
Oceanjet - via Tagbilaran, daily 6am, dumticketing@oceanjet.net, 0918.898.2188
Cokaliong - Mon/Tue/Wed/Thur/Fri/Sat 7pm, Sun 12pm, 6 hours, (035)225.3599

Cebu City to Dumaguete via Liloan

Cebu City South Terminal - take the southbound Ceres bus to Liloan, P200, 5 hours
Liloan - the bus drops you off at the Liloan Port where you board the Fastcraft to Sibulan, Negros Oriental, P62, 30 mins
Sibulan - at the Sibulan Port, the jeeps wait for Fastcraft passengers to take them to the public market in Dumaguete, P12, 30 mins.
Public Market - at the market, you can take any tricycle to your hotel, P8 for short trips

Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol

Weesam Express - Pier 4, departs 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM, 2 hours
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs 6-7-8-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-4:20-6:35PM, 2 hours
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300
SuperCat (2GO) - Pier 1, departs 08:15-13:30-15:10-18:00-19:40
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000
Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs daily 12:30pm, 10:00pm and 1:00pm (Mon, Wed, Sat)
Standard (Lying) Php 150, Tourist (Lying Aircon) Php 340
+63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
info@liteferries.com / www.liteferries.com

Currency Converter

Suggested Destinations in Cebu

Camotes Islands - caves, beaches
Cebu City - rich in culture and history, 2nd largest city in the Philippines
Moalboal - amazing coral reef system, sardine bowl, deep drop-off for freediving
Oslob - Butanding (whale shark) watching
Bantayan Island - long stretch of fine white sand beach, Virgin Island for snorkeling
Malapascua Island - divers' paradise for seeing the rare Thresher Shark
Cantabaco Cave - Toledo
Barile Waterfalls - Barile
Whale Shark Tour - Oslob
Carcar - chicharon and lechon in public market