Gerome Soriano

view works here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o6xt_1fUU8

My dailies 2020-Gerome

1) How have you been spending the last few months? about life, family, artworks, anythingelse.

The Manila pandemic lockdown started in March and it’s like we are living in another world from before.

Because it was so lively in Arts Month February.

So many events and activities.

With Mark Salvatus, Mayumi Hirano (Load Na Dito) and Denver Garza, Neo Maestro (past residents of Artist in Residency - Hachinohe like me).

We did a very interactive project at the Art Fair Philippines.

There were many people participating - sharing ghost stories to Neo, sharing life stories to Denver.

People sitting on, lying down, gathering on the mattresses I installed.

It was fun, back then we think that the virus was a joke.

There was also Kamias Trienalle where artists from Canada and Mexico came.

And also another new art fair in Taguig "The ALT."

Lots of projects planned for 2020 too.

Like a group show in the Cultural Center of the Philippines in July.

But all that changed with COVID-19.

Now the Manila lockdown is more than 6 months.

It's more free now cases are still increasing but at a slower pace.

Slowly we are winning, I think.

But we still need to be careful.

Cause people I know already got infected neighbours, relatives and friends.

Wearing masks, face shields and trying to spend little time outside is a must!

At home, it's going a bit crazy.

Internet problems making it worse.

I have no internet at home now, so I’m using it from my phone.

People making small excuses to go outside even when not needed, even me.

But still trying best to be positive, productive and safe.

Trying to focus on art making. It's my self-care therapy.

It's my self-care therapy.

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2) What is impressive things when you think about your stay in Hachinohe now again?

It's great to think back of Hachinohe!

It's a very inspiring experience.

I enjoyed many things about it.

First time to do many things: go outside the Philippines... to see snow... to see Japan outside anime... to experience winter... to experience Onsen... to experience electric or colored bath... to experience many things.

I very much miss biking around Hachinohe.

Taking pictures of circle things for my project.

Talking to the people of Hachinohe

Yuhei, Rock, Terry, Takuma, people in the City Museum, university students and professors, families who believe in an emerging religion, the Filipino people we meet in the restaurant.

Also the drive through the Mountains!

To experience the Onsen there.

To go to Aomori City, visit the museum and ACAC.

And Akita, the University there, and meet former director of Japan Foundation Manila Yukie Mitomi there.

So many more!

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3) How do you think moving and being a stranger will change for you as an artist, after the situation of COVID-19?

Pandemic situation is tough.

But I'm lucky that I'm still able to find some work and art opportunities.

Like the Curatorial Workshop organized by Load na Dito, Philippine Contemporary Arts Network and Japan foundation.

I was able to listen to inspiring ideas and stories by different curators from Canada, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines.

Also with Load na Dito, I was able to participate along with Japanese and Filipino artists in an exhibition in Kyoto.

Organized by our friend Miro Kasama and her friends.

We had an online walk-through and talk of the exhibition and it's interesting how different the pandemic experience between Manila and Kyoto is.

Right now, I'm preparing for a solo exhibition in Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery opening October 16.

My works are like prayer so I hope it will work like magic in this pandemic situation.

And again with Load na Dito, preparing for a group show on December in Blanc Gallery.

By using a word game called "Flex" (which the artists in Kyoto also used) we got opportunity to talk about how we think and feel about this time.

I got to hear what the other artists are thinking about and experiencing.

Lately, there's also a number of art fundraisers.

Like the one's I participate for Jeepney drivers and for fire victims.

I submit work to raise awareness and funds.

It's tough but I've been lucky and trying to make best use of it.

Stay safe, wear a mask at least, wash your hands often, keep your distance and good luck to the whole humanity!

I wish better treatments come soon!

I wish the best vaccines are discovered!

I wish everyone a happy life!

https://www.air-h.info/posts/11326769?fbclid=IwAR0KbqYynjXczei3RRYqQzXgXYpkFdpi0RhWd6Lu5THQCxMgU4c067YErtI

"Daily Diaries / My Daiaries 2020-Cultural Activities of Corona

"Daily Diaries // My Daiaries 2020 Cultural Activities of Corona-The Philippines and Hachinohe's Art and Society-"

A talk event and video screening will be held with the above titles.

We have received the cooperation of the artists we have invited in the Port to Port program.

Please join us.

We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting a talk and video screening event focusing on the cultural situation under COCVID-19 in Hachinohe-Manila. Thank you very much to IKEDA Takuma, Shinohara Eri, Gerome Soriano, Denver Garza, Neo Maestro, Load na Dito, for your cooperation.

● Talk event

11/29 (Sun) 14: 00-17: 00　

Venue: Hachinohe Portal Museum Hachi Theater 1 (11-1 Mikkamachi, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture)

Panelist

Takuma Ikeda (Artist, Associate Professor, Hachinohe Gakuin University Junior College)

Eri Shinohara (Hachinohe City New Museum Construction Promotion Office Chief and Curator)

Yuhei Toho (AIR-H, artist, lecturer, Faculty of Kansei Design, Hachinohe Institute of Technology)

Kayo Hirai (Visiting Associate Professor, Research Support and Industry-Academia Collaboration Center, Iwate University)

Neo Maestro (Artist / Philippines)-Online

● Video screening

11/30 (Mon) -12/18 (Fri) Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 10: 00-17: 00

Venue: Hachinohe Machinaka Art Lab "Co Room (Kobeya)" (9 Diamond Building, Yokamachi, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture)

Video production

Takuma Ikeda (Artist, Associate Professor, Hachinohe Gakuin University Junior College)

Eri Shinohara (Hachinohe City New Museum Construction Promotion Office Chief and Curator)

Yuhei Toho (AIR-H, artist, lecturer, Faculty of Kansei Design, Hachinohe Institute of Technology)

Gerome Soriano (Artist / Philippines)

Denver Garza (Artist / Philippines)

Neo Maestro (Artist / Philippines)

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2020 was a year markedly characterized by the new coronavirus. The same is true for cultural and artistic activities. From a long-term perspective, the world up to now and the world after that may be seen as different things.

The situation of corona damage varies depending on the country, region, and time of year. The perception of viruses differs between Tokyo and Aomori, and even in Hachinohe, the impact differs depending on the type of business, occupation, and school. The situation of being swayed by policies such as the closure of educational institutions, subsidies and benefits is clearly manifested in such an emergency. In the Philippines, known for its presidential power policy, police have been cracking down on lockdowns for a long time. Among them, the number of infected people has increased, and it seems that it is not uncommon for family members, relatives, and friends to become infected. A general perspective is important, but in these situations it is culturally and historically meaningful to record and share events, including personal memories and emotions. Thinking that there was something, we planned a talk event and a video screening. It is intended to be an opportunity for us to actively grasp the current social situation and to reconfirm the ideal and significance of cultural activities from a bird's-eye view.

At the talk event, we will share the situation of each of the three people involved in cultural activities who live in Hachinohe City. Introducing examples of the cultural situation in Hachinohe, such as the cancellation or postponement of exhibitions and concerts, the cancellation of local festivals, the impact on education such as online classes, and individual artist activities. In addition, we will connect online with artists who continue to work in the Philippines of Corona, and hear the real situation about their current surroundings and feelings. After that, Mr. Kayo Hirai, who specializes in education and social issues in the Philippines, introduced the lives of people in poor areas of Cebu Slum and the support provided by NGOs, as well as the state and social background of the people living there. We will connect each situation and socialize the viewpoint.

In the video screening, in addition to the above three people, the daily life of Corona Sorrow produced by three Filipino artists who have stayed in Hachinohe and held exhibitions, workshops, talk events, etc. in the city The recorded video essay will be screened at the Hachinohe Machinaka Art Lab "Co Room (Kobeya)". In the artist-in-residence program Port to Port conducted by AIR-H from 2017, three artists from the Philippines, which has the port of Manila, which is a sister port of Hachinohe Port, have stayed in Hachinohe City for research. And have produced works. With the artist-in-residence where people outside the community and community visit and intervene as a stranger, what kind of relationship has society and art have built up to now, and coexistence with the new coronavirus Through this project, we will explore how that relationship will change in the future of society.

Organizer: AIR-H, Hachinohe Institute of Technology, Faculty of Kansei Design, Toho Laboratory

Co-sponsored by: Hachinohe City (New Museum Construction Promotion Office)

Cooperation: Hachinohe Institute of Technology International Exchange Center, H∞LGallery, Load na Dito

Design: Ayano Kaizuka

Hachinohe Institute of Technology Private University Research Branding Business

Things that are not supposed to work but do, Solo, Vinyl on Vinyl gallery

Mga bagay na di dapat gumagana pero gumagana

Things that are not suppose to work but do

When my sister got sick our late dog unburdened the sickness unto herself. She got so sick, we thought that we would die. Then I tried the compassion mantra I found online, coz the Medicine Buddha mantra I learned at the monastery didn't seem to work, but this one did! Our dog got her health back for like 3 months until it got back. It seemed like she decided to take on the sickness and waited for the perfect moment to say goodbye.

"Ion" bands got famous around 2010s. There were lots of imitations back then. You can see people walking around wearing them. My mother got her hands on some legit ones. I tried it and it worked! Eventually the fad died out. It was called a hoax. But I still have some and use it from time to time. It works for me, I feel it's power!

I found a random "spell" image, dunno why or how, but somehow facebook got to suggesting Anting-Anting facebook pages to me. Found this image - somehow made me feel lucky. I turned it into my desktop wallpaper. I experienced it increasing in my item drop luck in a RPG.

Lakshmi is one of my favourite Hindu deity. I had her mantra on repeat and her image as my phone background before. She always sees to it that I'm financially well.

Whenever I'm going out to fly kites, I take seeing butterflies on the way as a a sign of good winds.

There was a time in our previous apartment when Mom claimed to see ghosts. There was this creepy incident, where she was talking on the phone downstairs. Then someone lifted and talked on the phone upstairs. No one was up there. My Dad then called a local healer - who wrote strange letter combinations around the house and after that, it stopped.

Plus various stories from other people. My friend, artist Neo Maestro collected ghost stories during our installation in Load Na Dito's booth in Art Fair Philippines.

Our Ex-Seminary Theology professor in UST shared some strange stories during his classes.

Some people swear by their favourite Tarot card reader's forecasts coming true.

These strange but true events strike fear, fascination and hope. Invisible forces at work. We can explain through intuition and experience. But not with science and strict logic.

This exhibition is a collection of paintings that I have been doing since 2018 - coded messages, alternate histories, and automatic writings. With the recent addition of healing symbols, which I felt is suited for this pandemic we are currently living through. Things that work but are not supposed to.

How about you? What is your experience with these unusual experiences? I would very much to hear your stories. Message me at instagram @geromesoriaknow or in messenger geromesoriano.

Comapssion Mantra of Avalokiteshvara

namo ratna-trayāya

namaḥ ārya-jñāna-sāgara-vairocana-vyūha-rājāya

tathāgatāya arhate samyak-sambuddhaya

namaḥ sarva-tathāgatebyah arhatebyaḥ samyak-saṃbuddhebyaḥ

namaḥ ārya-avalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya

tad-yathā:

oṃ dhara dhara dhiri dhiri dhuru dhuru

iti vatte cale cale pracale pracale

kusume kusume vare ili mili citijvalamāpanāye

svāhā!

photos by patrick ang: