Koleksyon

Koleksyon shares with us Neil Pasilan’s personal compilation of his own works; an anthology of stories in the fringe of his grand narrative. Much like objects in a museum, they are likewise preserved, cared for, and revered. They represent fragments of his imagination and forms of expression. The pieces are remnants of pursued visions and completed endings since they were made of leftover paint and used palettes. We find meaning in the materiality beyond what was prescribed, complemented by the artist’s confidence in the dynamic behavior of color.

As a self-taught artist, artmaking for Pasilan has become an extension of his life when painting was organically integrated in his routine. Nevertheless, the mundane that is illustrated is not mediocre nor indifferent. There is a group of people rendered as black figures, certainly dim but not tragic. An angel is against a sea of blue, adorned with a single tree. There are a few lone characters who appear messianic with the light they bear. Some persons seem nomadic. The image and format of the landscape is disrupted in the collection: by a black and white textured portrait that is imposing with its puzzling wry face; and a collage work depicting a sword piercing a frame, the sharpest point at the end is held by an outreached hand. The familiar communities and characters reflect the consistency that was developed and nurtured in the artist’s practice. The crudeness of the edges of the picture plane implies there is more we can uncover; the artist paints and will paint some more. We might think that this is because of the persistence of excess, but in fact it is working within limitations that drives his creativity. Perhaps, this is a conscious diligence in creation–to fulfill his purpose of being.