Joven Mansit
Published March 02, 2023
Filipino contemporary artist Joven Mansit has the perfect hindsight to augment his reflections on olden Philippine photographs and postcard memorabilia. With a hauntingly absurd yet nostalgic imagination, Mansit harnesses control over the recontexualization of preserved moments leaning further from the truth and branching off into fictional realms and alternate realities.
Many of Mansit’s paintings recast submissive, romanticized Filipino female subjects during the turn of the century as strange, captivating, and almost mythical creatures of a secret society. What makes it all so bewitching is how he stays devoted to the spirit and mood of the past Philippine epoch. He finishes them with realistic imperfections such as creases, tape, and stains as if they’ve genuinely aged over time.
Mansit’s body of work also includes various versions of Jose Rizal, culling them from Philippine history books and archives. According to him, his visual statements challenge the common representations of Rizal and debunk urban legends about him allowing for more dissenting views on the National hero.
Joven Mansit is a Filipino contemporary artist who is based in Antipolo, Rizal. He is known for his ingenious application of archival material in his work. He’s had numerous solos shows in notable galleries and museums across Metro Manila and participated in various group shows in the country, in Taipei, Copenhagen, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore among others. Mansit was shortlisted in the Ateneo Art Awards in 2013.
Photos: Pinto, ArtFairPH, ArtCube, Mutual Art
