After the pork barrel protest, life went on, i tried coming out with more sketches or drawings on the Singapore Bienalle, yes, i was asked to submit my proposal way before when i get the Api scholarship & it went through quite late, it was confirmed late August when i'm here in the Philippines with other friend's artist like Chi Too & Sharon Chin, they're already famous as artists, as for me i'm just an freelance illustrator/artist who does a lot of commission work or freelance to get by, so my work usually is a mix up between freelance work for friends, NGOs & personal work.
Yesterday i went to UP(University of the Philippines) where my friend Naomi studies for a long time, now she's working on her master. There was a screening of 'Quick Change'. Here's teh fb page: https://www.facebook.com/QuickChangeTheMovieCinemalaya2013
A movie about transwomen life in the Philippines. I thought it was quite ok, its a good starter for people to talk about trans issues here in the Philippines. It reminded me a bit of 'Buka Api'(Bukak Api or "to open fire" is street lingo among sex-workers to mean "to have sex with a client"). Summary from IMDb here:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0269027/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
I can relate from watching Quick Change, i think that's the movie that will never be made in Malaysia as the community is closely connected with the people who do the silicone injection, i thnk nobody will step forward and tell that part of the story, Buka Api is more of transwomen sex worker community in KL. Now we need a new narrative.
Recent years transwomen / transmen issues has becoming a global issues. More and more people are talking about it, and more changes are made in law,constituitions,human rights, etc in different countries in the world, some are very positives and real change for trans people. In Malaysia i think we need a bigger picture, a positive one and empowered ones. I know in Malaysia, most transwomen are empowered besides having their own business and lives but i understand the need to be silent because we are economically challenged. It's a bit complicated.
Besides watching Quick Change i get to know an artist whos a friend of another friend that i know quite awhile, a Philippino gayman while he was working in KL and he attended Seksualiti Merdeka before, that's where i get to know him. His artist friend is Jason Moss. We went for a drink one night and i even get to attend his class last week when he was teaching drawing class at Ateneo uni. Ateneo is considered like expensive uni for the middle to upperclasss people here. Sometimes i get some subtle smirk from peope who went to UP(University of the Philippines) because they think UP is way better and older than Ateneo, oh well. But i went to these both uni and they both are awesome. What i love about UP is they have a lot more trees there, so everytime i'm there you can feel or breathe the clean air and the cooling atmosphere.
Jason will be having his exhibition soon next month in October, i hope he can make it, i was so amazed of his work, paintings,drawings and his sketchbook, i tooks some photos incase i have no mood to draw. He's a very nice guy, i think he's the first person who wants to offer me to rent out his room at his house but his brother has already occupied it but it was a nice gesture.
Last Sunday when Mark was introducing me to Jason that was my first time watching movie here in the Philippines, we're watching Elysium, it was really a great movie. i loved it. I Love Jason Bourne. ^^ We're watching at Gateway, a famous place here in Cubao where its like a center of North and the South, from here you practically can go everywhere from Mrt and Lrt nearby. And also near my hangout place Cubao X. Where there's a vegetarian friendly cafe where i do my work mostly. Sketching and drawings.
Tomorrow i'm going to meet Kate at Greenbelt Makati at around 11 to meet some transmen friends. I think they're under ATP group, so another opportunity to meet local transmen, which i havent met yet, so this is the first time. Still thinking how to do the interview, i should bring a recorder tomorrow.
Oh another person i'm looking forward to meet is Mayumi san. Mayumi is also doing Api fellowship in the Philippines like me and Joe, she's a curator from Japan and also a member of an artist group called 58B here in the Philippines.
We're meeting end of this month when she's back here and i really looking forward to it.
The photo below is at UP, Naomi introduce me to her most favourite actress Nora Aurora, from what i read about her and the fans that came that day, i can say she's equivalant to Malaysia's P.Ramlee if hes still around. She's in acting career since the 70s i think and a lot fo her fans was really fanning her when she's sweating because of the crowd pushing around wants to take picture together with her. I was so amazed of her and her fans as well. And the other photo of us me,Kate,Naomi and another Ganda girl Britney who's taking the photo.
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