- The Chrysalis photo exhibit will feature works of the country’s 7 most notable photographers.
- Each photograph has its own style and perception of the “Perfect Woman.”
- Photos will be sold through a silent auction through bidding.
A photo exhibit called “The Chrysalis” will coincide with the showing of ‘M. Butterfly’ starting September 13 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater, BGC Arts Center, Bonifacio Global City.
You can see the “Perfect Woman” up close in the Chrysalis photo exhibit through the magical lenses of the “Magnificent 7”. Featuring the work of the country’s most notable photographers and marvelous costume pieces by Eric Pineda, the Chrysalis is a convergence among 7 prominent names in photography.
Each having their own style and perception of what a perfect woman is, these master photographers convey their interpretation of the perfect woman as embodied by M. Butterfly’s Song Liling.
The photos included in the Chrysalis exhibit bring much more than what meets the eye. At first glance, one will certainly be taken away with the exquisite beauty, mystery and enchantment that flows from each portrait. But as you look closer, you will realize that each photo, inspired by different lines from the play, shows us fragments of a spectacular tale of Love, Power and Deception.
Jun De Leon (Rhapsody in Blue)
In capturing Song Liling’s photo for the Chrysalis exhibit, De Leon takes us to his most favorite place in the world – underwater. He gives great regard to RS Francisco for the trust despite the latter’s fear of water and particularly cited, “RS is the perfect example of people that you would want to work with. He is a person with no qualms or boundaries.” De Leon emphasizes that this shoot was one big collaboration that couldn’t have been done alone and praises every single body who comprised the more than 20-man team on this “epic” day of June 2018. A dive master’s presence and necessary gear was also ensured for RS and the entire production’s safety. Submerged underwater in a Yutaka robe and held down by a 6-pound belt, a Song Liling who is serene in the presence of danger is revealed in De Leon’s photo. Through the joint effort of the team and a brilliant subject, Jun De Leon succeeds in conveying an ethereal, spiritual and bold depiction of the Chinese Peking opera star with the use of only 1 HMI Top side light, 2 strobe lights and his trusted Canon EOS M3 reinforced with a NAUTICAM housing.
Raymund Isaac (Ingénue)
The goal of Raymund Isaac’s interpretation was to expose the ingénue in Song Liling. As Isaac would say, “to make known the young butterfly before she became the spy.” Although the team had to arrive at one photo for the exhibit, which was far beyond a tough choice, they all got carried away and ended up shooting 6 different looks of Song Liling which convey the ‘Peking opera singer/ Chinese spy’s different faces and stages in life. In Isaac’s final photo – which incorporates bright colors, loosely worn hair, youthful skin and a make-up palette consisting of berry shades and peach undertones – we will appreciate a young, vibrant and carefree, yet at the same time seductive, interpretation of Song Liling. Like in all his other shoots, Raymund Isaac (who’s one of the rare few who chooses to stick by the 1 light source discipline) used only 1 light to capture the different moods of his exquisite subject. Shot in his own studio in August 2018, Isaac merits the beauty of his photo to the entire team who put this composition together. The proceeds from Raymund Isaac’s photographs of Song Liling during the Chrysalis exhibit will be donated to Home for Girls in Nueva Ecija .“It breaks my heart and infuriates me to see young girls as victims of abuse and violence. With this, I’ve chosen Home for Girls as my beneficiary, an organization that provides care, protection and rehabilitation for abused and exploited girls,” Isaac added.
Manny Librodo (Sweet Deception)
Creating the photo in a picturesque Chinese heritage center on a bright and sunny day in Bangkok last July 2018, Librodo and his team bring us a dramatic piece of art and beauty through the use of natural light and the lens of his trusted SONY A7R3. To capture the mystery and achieve a rare avant-garde depiction of Song Liling, Librodo worked in close collaboration with his make-up and styling team for their entry in the Chrysalis photo exhibit. A massive butterfly adorned head piece was custom-made to add extravagance to the shot while a pastel make-up palette was used on RS for a sweet and heavenly impression. The proceeds from Manny Librodo’s photographs of Song Liling will be donated to St. Joseph Parish in Lambunao, specifically for the improvement of their sound system. “I’ve been shooting for charity to raise money for the sound system of St. Joseph Parish in Lambunao and will pursue this quest until I gather enough funds for the sound system of this parish in my hometown. This project means a lot to me in continuing the charity works of my late brother Jose ‘Boboy’ Librodo who was also my mentor and an outstanding musician,” Librodo stated.
Mandy Navasero (The Way of All Flesh)
In her current interpretation for the Chrysalis exhibit, Mandy chose to reveal Song Liling in an intimate scene with her lover René Gallimard (now portrayed by French actor Olivier Borten). She transformed her studio into a bedroom adorned with delicate cherry blossoms, showing Song in only a pink robe and René in the nude. Shot in June 2018, Mandy captured the couple’s sweetest moments through cathedral lighting and with the sharpest crystal lens of her most trusted Nikon camera. The proceeds from Mandy Navasero’s photographs of Song Liling during the Chrysalis exhibit will be used for the continuing education of a student in Philippine Women’s University. As stated by Mandy, “Being an alumni of the Philippine Women’s University, I will offer the proceeds from my photos to the continuing education of a dear student in my Alma Mater. By doing so, I hope to make a positive influence in the life of another aspiring young professional, as I was once before.”
BJ Pascual (An Untitled Song)
A minor communication blunder first led BJ to believe that the Chrysalis exhibit will just be needing one of his existing photographs. Given the error was remedied less than a week before their shoot in August 2018, the young professional stepped up to the task and gave the project his full attention, researching about the play late into the night, and managing to submit a worthy concept by the break of dawn. For this master lensman, no photo shoot—big or small—would never receive his undivided thought and concentration.As part of his research on ‘M Butterfly,’ BJ watched the film adaptation starring Jeremy Irons and John Lone, and got inspired by the line about “the cruel white man and the submissive Oriental woman.” In this line, BJ saw a cunning woman in control of the situation, and used that to imagine a scene when Song Liling first arrives in Paris. With the help of set designer Princess Barretto, they re-created a rue on a foggy night, with the heroine of the show—channeling incognito-chic in Burberry and Hermes—illuminated by just the moon and lamp posts. Though the Wong Kar Wai flick In the Mood for Love was submitted as a peg for visual guide, the final outcome was far different—BJ and his team’s stamp of excellence clearly evident. The proceeds from BJ Pascual’s photographs during the Chrysalis exhibit will be donated to Home for the Golden Gays. “Our generation has come long a way in terms of acceptance and tolerance of the LGBT, but in order to keep moving forward, we must always look back at what our elders went through and what they have accomplished. I want to help make sure that the Home for the Golden Gays will continue to have shelter, food, and that they will always feel loved and appreciated,” BJ shared.
Wig Tysmans (The Chrysalis)
Wig Tysmans takes us to Madame Butterfly by conveying a story through the studio lights. With RS clad in an authentic Japanese kimono and wearing classic Kabuki make-up, Tysmans transforms the studio into a theater stage with a black room set-up created by the brilliant production team present that day. Shot in June 2018, Wig Tysmans gives us a phenomenal interpretation of Song Liling as Cio-Cio-San through his trusted Canon EOS 5ds camera and Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens. The proceeds from Wig Tysmans’ photographs of Song Liling during the Chrysalis exhibit will be donated to Child and Family Services Philippines, Inc. According to Wig, “I have chosen Child and Family Services Inc. to benefit from my auctioned photos. I believe that this organization provides thorough care and assistance for abused children and women and also gives them hope for a bright future.”
Patrick Uy (The Splendor of M)
In June 2018, Master Photographer Patrick Uy achieves a soft and feminine interpretation of Song Liling through his trusted Nikon camera. By using his precision Swiss & German lighting system, Uy was able to mimic the natural outdoor light into his studio and complement Song Liling’s delicate Oriental look. Fun Fact: The master photographer was able to preserve his high-quality Swiss and German equipment from years back when Photoshop was far from existence and photos had to be shot even more precisely to make it into a roll of film. The proceeds from Patrick Uy’s photographs of Song Liling during the Chrysalis exhibit will be donated to Chosen Children Village, Inc. “I strongly believe that everyone deserves a little love and care in this World. These sentiments have led me to be an advocate of the Chosen Children Village foundation which gives care to mostly physically and mentally challenged children who have been abandoned,” Patrick Said.
This photo exhibit is entitled Chrysalis as it is symbolic to how this re-staging of David Henry Hwang’s Tony Award winning ‘M. Butterfly’ has grown and transitioned. First staged in the Philippines in 1990, lead star RS Francisco spreads his vibrant wings, once again, to bring back this provocative masterpiece to the country. Yet, what started as a simple desire of RS to re-live his iconic performance gave birth to several benevolent projects which includes this Chrysalis.
Devised by Toots Tolentino, Jhett Tolentino and RS Francisco, 100% of the proceeds from auctioned photos in the exhibit (just like the play) will also go to charity – particularly to a chosen foundation of the photographer who captured the photo.
The Chrysalis photo exhibit will be ongoing at the main hall of Maybank Performing Arts Theater from September 12 – 30, 2018 (for the duration of ‘M. Butterfly’s’ staging) in which photos will be sold through a silent auction. With a starting bid of P50,000, only THREE LIMITED EDITION PRINTS of each Master photographer were produced for this exhibition.
Make that first impression last! Choose the portraits that catch your eye before these rare prints get sold out and be an instrument in helping our famous lensmen give back and make a difference.
In a world where everything is not what it seems, it is through the goodness of one’s heart and beauty of one’s soul that we can define the true meaning of beauty.
All participating buyers are requested to send their silent bids to either the following email address or mobile number: mbutterflymanila@gmail.com / 0917-623-3834
Kindly include the following information together with your bids:
Full Name
Home Address
Mobile Number
Deadline: Sept. 29 – 12 noon.
All emailed bids received after 12 noon will no longer be included.
The Chrysalis team will inform the winning bidder at 6 pm via email, phone call and SMS.
The winners can claim their chosen artwork on September 30 at the M. Butterfly Registry, G/F Maybank Performing Arts Theater on or before 8 pm upon settlement of payment.
For further inquiries regarding silent bidding, kindly please contact ISHA GERMENTIL at mobile number 0917-623-3834.
Check out ‘ CHRYSALIS ‘ at the following social media:
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