Auckland based Filipino artist Louie Bretaña expands on the role of stars as guides to both navigation and to life with a series of new suspended sculptures. Based on the design of the parol, traditional Christmas lanterns from the Philippines, each work reassigns the object with an indigenous narrative dedicated to a diwata (deity) and embellishes it with contemporary visual narratives by Bretaña. Connecting the old with the new is also a reminder of what was always there – using the figurative and literal action tingala (to look up). Visitors are welcome to lie on mats to view the sculptures, and receive blessings from each celestial deity.
Bretaña holds a BFA from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts and a BFA(Hons) and MFA from the University of Auckland Elam School of Fine Arts. He is also exhibiting this summer at Objectspace in a collaborative exhibition with Filipino illustrator Marc Conaco titled Syokes, on until 21 February.