In Ko-Mix, Reynold dela Cruz muses on the self. “Ko,” which translates to “me” in English, refers both to the self as the artist and the common Filipino sense of identity.
“Ang serye ng mga piyesa sa exhibit na ito ay pagpapatuloy ng nakaraang solo show ko kung saan naging inspirasyon ko ang pop art na gawa ng mga kilalang artists sa ibang bansa. Dahil dito, nagkaroon ako ng mas malawak pang kaalaman at mas magaganda pang mga ideya sa mga bago kong ginagawa (The story of the pieces in this exhibit is a continuation of my past solo show where I drew inspiration from pop art created by renowned artists from other countries. Because of this, I gained a wider understanding and more prolific ideas for my new works),” he said.
Reminiscing on his childhood, he said, “Naalala ko na noon pala, nakakakita na ako sa mga komiks ng mga onomatopeya o mga word of sound and action, gaya ng ‘Bang!’, ‘Kaboom!’, ‘Pop!’, ‘Pow!’, o ‘Waaam!’ (I remembered before that I already used to see comics with onomatopoeia or the words of sound and action like ‘Bang!’, ‘Kaboom!’, ‘Pop!’, ‘Pow!’, or ‘Waaam!’).”
This oil-on-canvas collection started as an ode to Dela Cruz’s origins in the riles of Muntinlupa — a crossing of many things, people and places. Along the route during the 1980s, Dela Cruz’s mother used to sell komiks or Filipino comic books, a medium which until reflects the experiences of the everyday lives of Filipinos as we cross each other’s paths.
“Kaya naisip kong pagsamahin at paghaluin sa isang konsepto ang mga naiisip kong ideya na ito. Parang crossing ba. Isa sa mga nagbibigay ng nakakatuwa at masayang idea at inspirasyon sa akin ay ang mga title cover ng komiks sa Filipinas gaya ng Aliwan, Wakasan, Hiwaga, Espesyal, Funny, Happy, Pilipino Komiks at iba pa. Naglalarawan sila ng buhay ng mga Pilipino noon at ngayon (This is why I decided to blend and mix in one concept all the ideas I have thought of. It’s just like a crossroad. One of the things that have brought amusing and joyful ideas and inspirations to me are the title covers of the komiks in the Philippines such as Aliwan, Wakasan, Hiwaga, Espesyal, Funny, Happy, Pilipino Komiks, etc. These describe the life of the Filipinos before and today),” he related.
In Ko-Mix, the comic book becomes both the subject and the vessel of reflection and introspection. It is both a reflective mirror held up to see ourselves, and a see-through glass as windows to see the world. The frames of the comics, like railroad crossings, limit and divide us. Strangely enough, they also bridge us and allow us to meet. Seen and experienced in this shared setting, our collective “ko” becomes blurred as we navigate our mixed identities. Such is the paradox in the world of Ko-Mix.
It was an opportune time that the City Government of Muntinlupa and the Museo ng Muntinlupa had set their eyes on highlighting a homegrown talent. For Dela Cruz, it is an honor to be able to look back at his humble beginnings and exhibit his masterpieces in the city where it all started. He aims to prove that his journey as an artist is his triumph amidst countless challenges in the field of arts. His end goal is simply to showcase outstanding works that also speak the truth in reality, while offering inspiration to all its audience.
Ko-Mix is on view at the Changing Exhibition Room, third floor of the Museo ng Muntinlupa, from 30 May to 29 July. Museo ng Muntinlupa is located on Centennial Avenue, Tunasan, Muntinlupa City. For more information, follow @museomuntinlupa on Instagram. For more information on the artist, follow Reynold.y.delacruz on Facebook.