IT HAS been just over a year since the death of performance and visual artist, tour guide, and cultural activist Carlos Celdran. The efforts of his widow, Tesa Celdran, will at least let a part of him live on: his art.
The Living Room, a former art space established by the couple in 1999, will be resurrected by Ms. Celdran in an online platform by the beginning of 2021. Currently, Ms. Celdran is promoting the website and selling some artworks at the Mercatino Popup Series, held at the La Collina restaurant in Poblacion, Makati every weekend until Dec. 6.
The website will contain his artwork, then hers, and the work of several artists with whom they collaborated over the years. 鈥淐arlos was such a prolific artist,鈥 she told 大象传媒. 鈥淲hen he passed, I wanted to put up a little bit of an office so I can start working on his legacy. He has so much work; his body of work is so vast.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I think an archive is important. You really have to tell the backstory, then the current story, and then where you鈥檙e going to go,鈥 she said, speaking not just about their direction; but also of the other artists who have had collaborations with the couple.
Discussions about Mr. Celdran鈥檚 work being contained in the Museong Pambata (where Ms. Celdran serves as part of the Exhibitions Committee) had been frozen by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
It won鈥檛 be possible to set up the Living Room as it had been before, as Ms. Celdran has closed the apartment that had served as the actual living room (鈥淚t was like a salon鈥) and has moved to another building. The Living Room was originally set up at Carmen Apartments along Roxas Blvd., Manila before moving to the North Syquia Apartments nearby. As Mr. Celdran wrote听 three years ago, The Living Room 鈥渨as one of the first alternative art spaces in Manila along with the likes of Twisted Sun, Surrounded by Water, and Big Sky Mind.鈥
The experience of viewing a work online as opposed to real life is a challenge to Ms. Celdran. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my biggest quandary as of the moment. For those who have been to the Living Room, you will see what you鈥檝e seen before. There is more of a going back to what you felt, saw鈥 what you experienced,鈥 she said.
Describing the feel of what the Living Room would be like, she said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 really like a small living room gallery, but virtual. Everything you see there really reflects reality; that鈥檚 my big thing.鈥 It would be like 鈥渓ooking back to what you鈥檝e done before and see that familiarity, yet anticipating what鈥檚 going to be now or what鈥檚 in terms of expression.鈥
Aside from the artworks they had created together, Ms. Celdran is also putting up some of the late Mr. Celdran鈥檚 diaries. She described them as being filled with collages and drawings, and, of course, his own writing. 鈥淗is diaries are also wonderful works,鈥 she said.
It鈥檚 strange to lose someone who was both a public figure and someone who was just yours. 鈥淚 have to tell his story. His art legacy has to be shown,鈥 she said.
She adds that since there will be other names present in the website, 鈥淚t won鈥檛 be just about him. It will be part of our work together.鈥
鈥淚f you think about it now, now he鈥檚 part of my work.鈥 鈥 Joseph L. Garcia
