“The Similitude of Activism”
Mixed media: Oil, graphite, ink, and news clippings
2021
In my work, I depicted a scene of juxtaposition where the past and present collide. Taking inspiration from the Diliman commune and the recent rallies conducted in UP, there are resemblances in both eras that are shown in the composition. From the colored print of the activists, to the black and white print of the oblation statue, and finally the drawing of a vintage car owned by the mathematics professor who once shot a rifle at his students. The compositions implies the two converging eras where academic freedom is being targeted.
I chose these certain topics due to their relevance in our current situation, such as the recent anti-terror bill which through its vagueness, activists can be labelled as terrorists due to how the law targets individuals who criticizes the government. Basically attacking the academic freedom of the people, especially the red-tagged universities and their students and faculty members, similar to the events that occurred 50 years ago.
Rexell Orencio is a Filipino artist from Antipolo city, Rizal. He is currently a 3rd year student under the Studio Arts department of Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines, Diliman . He is the 3rd generation of his family to take Fine arts, but unlike his predecessors (i.e Jim Orencio (his father) and Shannah Orencio (his sister) who took visual communication, Rexell has chosen to take up studio arts.
Orencio favours to use acrylic and oil paint for his works that are mostly surreal, depicting moods through his vibrantly colored palette and subject matter, which he mostly utilizes dead birds and speech bubbles in his compositions. He prefers to work with themes ranging from social issues, personal experiences, and emotions.