DEX'S HEX

By Arnel Mirasol

There is a song whose line , "Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered", would precisely describe the state I`m in after viewing Dex Fernandez`s artworks (below). I`m also dazed and amazed by their originality. True, I suspect that his style is but an amalgam of various styles and techniques, but the way he fused his various influences into a coherent artwork would make this artwork his very own original creation.

Let`s take as an example his installations of robot-like sculptures, titled Hi (below). These robots are sculptures in-the-round, being three-dimensional and free-standing. But I would assert that they are also paintings. Dex told me that these robots were made of plywood which were then wrapped in canvas, and on which are painted images strongly evocative of anime, manga, graffiti and even Alfonso Ossorio`s iconography. If Robert Rauschenberg had what he called his "combine paintings", Dex Fernandez is now showing us his "combine sculptures". I propose to call these objects "tattooed sculptures"

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Which brings to mind Manuel Baldemor`s "paintures" and Angelo Baldemor`s painted still-life wood carvings. I`m not saying that Dex`s sculptures are similar to those by the Baldemors. They are not. Because, although also painted, the wood carvings by the Baldemors, are still basically sculptures, whereas Dex`s objects are sculptures and paintings rolled into one. And that`s the reason why I`m saying that Dex is doing original work. This is the first time that I see, in the Philippine art scene at least, sculptures of this kind.

I would also classify as a tattooed sculpture a similar work of his, the humongous though less robotic, I Feel Like Nausea (at left).This sculpture, which is more abstract in treatment, and twelve feet in height, was supposed to be shown at the Technological University of the Philippines`s (TUP) alumni art exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) last October 14. But since the CCP`s main gallery cannot accommodate artworks that high, it was decided not to include this sculpture in the exhibit anymore. A pity. It would have staggered many.

Now, where did Dex get the inspiration for such artworks? Which artist gave him the idea? I cannot place his art. I`m baffled, that`s why for now, I`ll say that like, Prudencio Lamarroza, Igan d`Bayan, Roberto Feleo and Gabby Barredo, Dex Fernandez belong to that exclusive class of Filipino artists whom I consider as true originals.

 Dex Fernandez is a graduate of TUP. He used to share a studio in Marikina with close friends Froilan Calayag and Mark Andy Garcia, who are also TUP graduates. He`s into serious art making full-time and also does on the side graphic works like designing posters and cd covers. The latter activity, which he deprecatingly called his raket, probably inspired him to create another type of artwork, which can be considered mixed-media paintings, being two-dimensional. I`m referring to the enlarged photographs, which he jazzed up with acrylics, pen and ink, serigraphed designs and even embroidery. The well-known artist duo, Gilbert and George, may have given him the idea of manipulating photographs for pure artistic ends, but Dex insisted that they have not. (below, sample artworks by Gilbert and George)

I believe him because as I have written before, it is entirely possible for artists from different parts of the world to come up with similar or even identical ideas. And besides, if we juxtaposed, an artwork by Dex with an artwork by Gilbert and George, we wouldn`t find any difficulty in pointing out the differences between them. Dex`s mixed-media painting, Team Bacterium , RTR (Ready to Riot), below,  would be a case in point.

This is an enlarged photograph, 4 X 3 feet, showing a rank of teen-age boys and a tattooed robot. To these photographed images were added doodles reminiscent of current pop iconography, cartoon-like images that would have been called graffiti art had they been painted instead on walls in public places. Gilbert and George is not into that. Staples of pop art, like cartoons, animes and mangas are not their concern. But that is Dex`s world. The very sub-title, Ready to Riot,  evokes a way of life that is apparently now, because those words would readily be associated with juvenile or frat culture, of which animation and tattoos are a big part of. By the way, I presume that there`s no need for me to explain the meaning of this painting. The title, I suppose, is clue enough. Dex said that he'd had one solo show, so far, at the Pablo Gallery. He`s still very young and I expect him to mount several solo shows in the near future. If the art works featured here are any indication, there is reason for me to believe that Dex`s future creations would still perplex me. And that`s a good thing. I would very much prefer to be baffled than be bored.

- November 8, 2010