greg halili filam artist
Renowl
Gregory Raymond Halili
By Stephanie Rosero
On a typically humid June afternoon, Arkipelago and guests were invited to an
intimate tour of homeland dreams and childhood memories with the miniature
watercolorist, Gregory Raymond Halili at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery. If he were
a writer instead of a painter, we would call his work memoir rather than
autobiographical. His show, "Nostalgia," is very near and dear to him; the
images represent an idyllic representation of the Philippines, the land of his
formative years.
Halili's exhibition is divided into two, one filled with blue and sepia
enriched evening scenes ranging in sizes from 1 x 1 inch to 10 x 12 inches and
the other filled with 120 miniature butterflies on elaborate backdrops. This is
his second "Butterfly Collection" to be shown at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery. In
comparison to the earlier show, Halili says this collection of butterflies
focuses more on the background rather than the butterflies themselves,
incorporating every strand of fabric or intricate batik pattern flawlessly
behind each tiny individual butterfly. His detail does not go unnoticed; the
gallery provides magnifying glasses to visitors so they can fully explore the
depth of detail in his miniatures. Their diminutive size draws the viewer into
his world, pulls them closer into the silky fabric, diaphanous lace, or woven
cloth backdrop, mystically transporting the viewer into his world of butterfly
dreams.
Viewing his work is like an invitation to a non-existent Eden, a tropical
paradise eroticized, aromatic with flowers and symmetrical dreams patterned in
immense precision and detail.
When asked about the degree of difficulty in technique and his choices for
favorite pieces, he is quick to take his visitors to the glittery butterfly
that caused him so much painstaking time. Excitedly, he then quickly brought
the group into the other room to showcase a larger, sepia toned painting which
is one of his favorites. "This one," he said with pride as he points to a dark
moonlit landscape behind a light golden parted screen, "took only a few layers
but went from dark to light, which is more difficult," then adds with a half
disappointed chuckle, "it's unsold still." The painting he was referring to was
one of only a handful in the room that remains unclaimed.
One tour member asked, "Why miniatures?" He responded by telling the story of
how he always enjoyed miniaturism since he was young. He continued his
miniature art at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where he was
very frustrated by being forced to paint large works. He appreciates the
frustration in retrospect, "you can't learn proper technique without first
doing it on a large scale."
He exhibits a whimsy in some of his art, masking butterflies amongst a
butterfly wallpaper background or by painting a tropical print shirt and
signing
"Halili" on the inside label. Only in his mid-twenties, it seems Halili is able
to capture a nostalgia that strikes admirers of many ages and different
geographical and ethnic backgrounds. His use of antiqued sepia tones
essentially freezes his subjects in time - a time that has no decade, era, or
any other specific time frame. "To some people, this could be any tropical
place, Hawaii, any island. I think that's why people like it so much." But can
it really be any tropical paradise?
One of the first comments during the tour was, "you've named this exhibit
nostalgia. Many people might say to you that this is not the Philippines that
they remember." Eagerly, Halili replied, admitting that this is the Philippines
of his dreams, the nostalgia memories. It is a mysticism that almost haunts
him, a utopia that can only be achieved in art. Viewing his work is like an
invitation to a non-existent Eden, a tropical paradise exoticized, aromatic
with flowers and symmetrical dreams patterned in immense precision and detail.
If Halili's mind's eye is mystical, surely none of it is misty or hazy, as each
centimeter seems meticulously ripe with color, contrast, and harmony.
To those who are familiar with Filipino culture, much of his nostalgia is
shared. Halili's images quickly transport viewers to a place so perfect; it can
only exist in dreams. Profiles of browned women with perfect siopao shaped
hair, shallow nose bridges, and butterfly sleeves symbolize the delicate nature
and culture of Halili's homeland. Tender dalagang Pilipinas that cause the
observer to wonder what exotic mysteries she may hold inside or if she will
ever sweep that one strand of hair away from her cheek. Each subject suggesting
veiled secrets of a warm graceful native night; the shapes of petals, butterfly
wings, curvy folds of fabric, and guitars all indicate a heated bloom alive in
the tropics. These idyllic images are reasons why the archipelago was perceived
as desirable to colonizers.
"Native" art seems to be popular nowadays within and outside of the Filipino
community. Though "Native" art can refer to arts and crafts that are made by
indigenous peoples, it also can refer to the kind of exotic art for tourists or
nostalgic and often misguided balikbayans. This yearning for a slower paced,
vacation-like culture that drives this demand for native subjects like Halili's
in writing as well as in fine arts. His images are akin to comfort food for the
eye; to many observers, his work reminds them of a time that is less
complicated, less demanding, filled with warm people, cool winds, and graceful
sexuality. In press releases, Halili's work is exoticized, citing a longing for
the warm people of the tropics and the laid back nature of his home country as
the interest in his art. Labeling Halili's art as exotic might not afford him
as much longevity.
Does his work merely provide outsiders with a glimpse into the paradise
colonists have systematically destroyed? The beauty in Halili's art lies truly
not in the exotic, but in the erotic and idealized nature of his subjects.
Halili's press releases are missing just that word–ideal. In his work, Halili
portrays an idealized view of the Philippines, his childhood memories and
mental photographs serve as a starting point and inspiration. To those outside
the Filipino community, his scenes are exotic and mystical - nothing like a
hardened impoverished Third World country polluted and spoiled by earlier
colonists. No, in the world this artist portrays, there are no deadlines, big
businesses, or corrupt political figures; there only exists romantic
butterflies, cool moonlit nights, warm women with fragrant flowers in their
hair, and the flora of the tropics.
One of Halili's notable accomplishments is the creation of a postal stamp for
the United Nations. He is currently commissioned to do a portrait of the
President of the United States, George W. Bush. Simultaneously, Halili is still
working on flowers as subjects, experimenting with an O'Keefian influenced
style. The twenty-something artist blushes slightly when probed about flowers
being a substitute for nudes in his paintings but doesn't deny the sexual
undertones of the plant anatomy. When asked if he would ever go back to live in
the Philippines, he mentioned it as a possibility but has no immediate plans to
settle in the land of his dreams.
Gallery:
Photographs by Heidi Gutierrez, Erna Hernandez
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