Art collectors are always challenged to find pieces that suit their taste. Looking for art pieces that are truly honest and unapologetic but fit that gap. A gap between their hobbies, interests, and story as a conversation starter. The Brixton Art Space fills in that gap.
The Brixton Art Space is a speakeasy place on a quiet street in Barangay Kapitolyo. It is the brainchild of a news broadcaster and motorcycle enthusiast, Jay Taruc. Other than this, he is also an art collector.
Filling In The Gap
Putting up this art space could eventually end the art collectors’ frustration. The Brixton Art Space is a stop-by shop that features emerging artists and unsaturated artworks. It displays art pieces that hit the collector’s vibe. Both blunt and affirming to collectors’ needs.
For two years, the Brixton Art Space has hidden in plain sight. A close community of artists and collectors celebrated its two years on July 25. Aligned with its anniversary is a four-man show. The show is called “Guns of Brixton.”
It is an inspiration to a song released by The Clash in 1979. The same song that predated the 1981 Brixton riot. Surprisingly, the art space itself is on Brixton Street in Pasig City, just above the Royal Field motorcycle store. And some of the artworks themselves can relate to similar conflict.
The Artist’s Gun Stories
The Guns of Brixton presents four emerging artists. The four amazing artists are Bernardo Pacquing, Juan Alcazaren, Nilo Ilarde, and Pete Jimenez. They exhibit six sets of artworks that can fit in a collector’s man cave. Each art piece has a unique story to tell.
Pete Jimenez exhibits two heavy art sets. His most aesthetic piece is the Lone Wolf. This piece is inspired by the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The fat revolver gun is 3D printed and rests on a velvet pillow sitting on top of a steel box.
Pete’s second art is the Sumpak Tumpak. It is a collection of 20 confiscated improvised rifles. He got these rifles confiscated from inmates of the New Bilibid Prison. The inmates creatively crafted these rifles from whatever materials they could grab while in prison. Some of these rifles most probably have been used in a prison riot.
Jiam Alcazaren displays two of his artworks. One of which he collected wine bottle corks used from a wedding. He uses them to make the Gatling gun’s bullet belt. His Gatling gun is distinctively made of a sports canister stainless bottle. He puts it together as the Gatling Gun Wedding sculpture.
Jiam’s next artwork is the Shot. It runs a digital reel of the rifle’s crosshair trying to hit its target. A silhouette of the bottle becomes its target. When the crosshair hits its mark, it shoots it into pieces. This art plays back for 4 minutes and 5 seconds with different shapes of the target.
Bernardo Pacquing used mixed media to create 18 pieces of gun sculptures. Pieces found in a construction site are used for each sculpture. Each of them echoes the struggles of hard-working Filipinos aiming for a comfortable life.
Nilo Ilarde‘s untitled pieces were inspired by the rakatak toy gun. A wooden toy gun that looks like a small hand held gatling gun. When cranked, it will produce a continuous firing sound. Instead of wood, Nilo’s art pieces are made of brass. The same material used for the bullet’s casing. Five of these brass rakataks hang on display.
The Show and Location
The artworks have a piece of a story to tell. For the male art collectors, it is a conversation starter and a piece in their man caves. Each of the artworks is five to six figures in Philippine Peso currency. The art show will run for a month.
You can connect with The Brixton Art Space on Instagram and Facebook. You can also visit them at No. 11 Brixton Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City. They are open from Monday to Saturday at 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
