In an unlikely underground bar in the outskirts of Geneva, as part of the Antigel festival last February, contemporary dancer and artist Eisa Jocson delivered Macho Dancer (2013), a solo performance based on her study of male dancers in gay bars in Manila. Trained as a visual artist and with a background in ballet, Jocson investigates representations of the body. ArtAsiaPacific sits down with the artist to discuss her views on exposing gender biases, the politics of seduction and what constitutes Filipino identity.
In February, the reclusive and gentle Gabriel Barredo (b. 1957) opened the doors to his studio south of Metro Manila to preview “Asphalt,” a 30-feet long installation that has occupied the days—and nights—of this artist in the months leading up to the inaugural Art Fair Philippines (2/7–10).