The Ayala Museum has a wartime exhibit, dogs in war talks
The Philippines Heritage Library, with the support of the Toshiba International Foundation, will present Between Two Worlds: A Philippine Diary, 80 Years Ago — by Shinichi Komatsu from July 2 to Aug. 16 at the Ayala Museum as part of the 70thth a reminder of the Philippines-Japan political relationship. The show is focused Ryojin Nikki (A Prisoner’s Diary), an illustrated wartime journal of Japanese military engineer Shinichi Komatsu, who was sent to the Philippines in 1944 and later became a prisoner of war. Komatsu’s grandson, Shiko Komatsu, and Japanese scholar Dr. Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua, this exhibition explores the magnitude of war and human reconciliation through the use of first-hand narratives and historical materials. Admission is free, with public lectures on Philippine-Japanese history and cultural exchange scheduled for July 18 and Aug. 15. As an addition to the show, historian Ian Christopher Alfonso, PhD, will lead “Dogs in War Memories” on July 18, exploring the stories of two dogs during World War II. This lecture examines the writings of Shinichi Komatsu, who wrote about the life of his beloved Ainu dog Zema in a diary before becoming a prisoner of war in the Philippines, and the American worker Bill Wynne, whose Yorkshire Terrier Smokey became a famous war hero during the 1945 liberation campaign. The talk shows how personal stories of friendship, resilience, and hope endured amid the ravages of war, providing a unique lens into the shared Philippine-Japanese wartime history. To attend the course, register here: Ayala Museum is at the corner of Makati Ave. and De La Rosa St., Greenbelt Park, Makati.
Sculptural works can be seen at Gajah Gallery Manila
Gajah Gallery Manila will present Moving On: Productive Unknown from July 5 to Aug. 9, exhibits sculpture works developed through collaboration at Yogya Art Lab (YAL), a Yogyakarta-based foundry and production house. Featuring artists from across Southeast Asia and beyond, including Filipino National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, Mark Justiniani, Jigger Cruz, Marina Cruz, and Suzann Victor, the landmark exhibition works experimentally in materials such as bronze, aluminum, glass, and stainless steel. Bringing together established and emerging experts, the exhibition explores how artists push beyond conventional methods to find new creative possibilities, resulting in works that challenge perception, redefine everyday objects, and expand contemporary recording practice. The gallery is located at NBS Park, 125 Pioneer St., Brgy Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City.
West Gallery hosts 2 group exhibitions
The West Gallery is currently hosting two group exhibitions until July 18: Seryosong Usapan sa Madilim na Area again CONVERSATION. The original features works by visual artists Froilan Calayag, Joey Cobcobo, Dex Fernandez, Mark Andy Garcia, Ryan Jara, Lindslee, Raffy T. Napay, Lynyrd Paras, Neil Pasilan, and Ryan Rubio. Currently, CONVERSATION features a diverse group of artists including Poeleen Alvarez, Diana Aviado, Pandy Aviado, Luigi Azura, Jojo Barja, Plet Bolipata, Elmer Borlongan, Mars Bugaoan, Benjie Torrado Cabrera, Noëll El Farol, Don Kusuanco, Alynnah Hassan Macla-Tadeo, William Santos Tadeo, Matawa Tadeo, Angelos Tadeo, William Tadeo and Anton Villaruel. West Gallery is located at 48 West Ave., Quezon City. For questions, email [email protected].
Niña Sandejas releases her first book, The Greyhoundz
Veteran music photographer and founder of alt164 Press, Niña Sandejas travels to Northern Europe as she develops a long-term vision to preserve the images of Philippine music and cultural history. I recently launched a visual archive of 20 years of Filipino rock band Greyhoundz – the first release from his independent label – Ms. Sandejas visited institutions such as Fotografiska Stockholm, Abbey Road Studios, Oslo’s Deichman Bjørvika library, and Estonia’s Banned Book Countries and how to celebrate other countries’ Book Culture to study the museum. The trip comes as he works to build a dedicated Philippine music photography archive, preserving the images, stories, and memorabilia that often remain scattered across hard drives, shoe boxes, and personal collections. The Greyhoundz book, currently open for pre-orders, serves as the first installment of a planned trilogy chronicling the country’s underground music scene and laying the groundwork for a broader archival project. The book is available in multiple editions, including a limited signed edition. Orders can be made www.alt164.press. Ms. Sandejas’ work is evident ninasandejas.com.
