98B COLLABoratory (98B) mounts its second biennial exhibition entitled ESCAPE which runs from February 24 – March 3, 2018. Mainly situated at the ground and mezzanine floor of the First United Building in Escolta, Manila,with other activities happening along the street like PAN/// at the Panpisco Building, Syvel’swall along Burke Street and The Ruins (beside the Capitol Theater).
The ESCAPE 2018 edition’s theme revolves around the Filipino root word “SAKSI.” It focuses on specific organized/curated/self-initiated projects of groups/collectives/individuals that"witness" or "bear witness" through art forms, practices or forms of expression.
There are many different ways by which artists, curators and cultural workers experiencetheir immediate surroundings, societal ills, current practices and ways of living. ESCAPE2018: SAKSI aims to take stock of various issues by instigating dialogues and conversationsto examine these concerns; not specifically to arrive at solutions (although that would be apositive outcome) but to put forth possible steps to counteract threats, strengthen resolves,acknowledge matters or simply plan and take stock of what is current.
Installation view of "Huling Habilin Ni Lola" by Richard Jacob Dy (Philippines) at the HUB Make Lab
Installation view of "Vanishing In The Process" in Panpisco Organized by: Asia in Darwin 2017/18 Featuring: Amina McConvell (Australia), Elly Baldwin (Australia), Mark Valenzulela(Philippines/Australia), Anna O’Loughlin (Australia), Dito Yuwono (Indonesia), MiraAsriningtyas (Indonesia), Issay Rodriguez (Philippines), Gabriel Villegas (Philippines), EditaAtmaja (Indonesia), Sandi Kalifadani (Indonesia), Stephanie Martin (Australia)
SAKSI is an exhibition that compiles projects that deliberate concerns to provoke further discussions. SAKSI perceives, critiques and activates matters and spaces that are otherwise overlooked, suppressed or dismissed. SAKSI bears witness to contemporary questions and queries that 98B relates to.
Prior to its current form, ESCAPE began as ESC Projects, a parallel event with 98B’s monthly Saturday market in Escolta, Manila. Essentially, “ESCape Projects deal with spatial negotiations, transformations and interventions. It revolves around particular locations, contexts and renditions—whether as flights of the imagination or discharges of the creative spirit. ESCape artists are given the freedom to conceive and visualize new landscapes.” It is from this incubator that the notion evolved ESC Projects into ESCAPE, a biennial exhibition that runs for a week.
ESCAPE 2018: SAKSI features projects, participated in by local and international artists, curators and cultural workers that contemplate on the theme’s different layers. Aside from the exhibition, ESCAPE 2018: SAKSI will also have performances, workshops, screenings, talks and other activities to highlight the featured projects in its roster.
ESCAPE with us and be an involved SAKSI.
Installation view of "FRMWRK" by Micaela Benedicto (Philippines) and Isola Tong (Philippines), installed at 'The Ruins' beside Capitol Theatre.
