Christian Tamondong can be found painting while everyone else is sleeping in the wee hours of the morning. Instead of treating his insomnia as a debility, he finds that being awake late---too late---at night is not as terrible as most people might think. He finds that the lack of sleep gets his creative juices flowing, which means that he functions better at night. As a result, PAJAMA PARTY, a peek into an insomniac's restless mind, was born
When one hears the word “insomniac”, mental pictures of wide-awake eyes with bags underneath, rumpled sheets from tossing and turning, and a pale face exhausted from the day's work are usually imagined. The connotation is more often than not dark and depressing. However, in Tamondong's newest collection, we see bright, vivid colors and equally cheerful characters brought to life on canvas with acrylic. He paints certain objects which are indispensable to him as an insomniac: a pillow, a blanket, a cup of strong coffee, and street food.
In “Pillow Fight” (5' x 4'; Acrylic on canvas), he gives us a visually stimulating rendition of how our ideas battle it out in our heads. “Jack & Company” (5' x 4'; Acrylic on canvas) depicts a childhood security blanket not only as a friend and witness to many miserable nights alone but as a source of inspiration and strength for the morning ahead. On the other hand, “Super Strong” (30” x 36”; Acrylic on canvas) is the embodiment of an insomniac's energy drink (ironically enough) as he craves for the aroma and taste of strong coffee. Finally, “Hi. My Name is Tuki” (18 x 24”; Acrylic on canvas) is the artist's interpretation of his favorite street food tukneneng--- a constant companion to endless, sleepless nights.
PAJAMA PARTY gives us a fresh angle on the insomniac's nightly dilemma. The artist tells us that it can be more than just a sleeping disorder; if we can't get rid of it, we might as well do something and learn from it. Likewise, if we treat our weaknesses in that same and painfully simple way, we might get more out of life. We might eventually see it differently and realize that it's not actually as bad as we think ---it's only bad when we think it is.
“PAJAMA PARTY” opens on July 12 at 6pm and will run until July 31. Please visit Blanc at 2E Crown Tower 107 H.V. De La Costa Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. For inquiries, please contact tel. 02.7520032, mobile 0920.9276436, email info@blanc.ph or visit the website at www.blanc.ph
