A Group Exhibition of Filipino Artists Curated by Leslie de Chavez
Gajah Gallery Yogyakarta
20 June – 13 July 2025
Participating Artists
Alfredo Esquillo
Charlie Co
Elmer Borlongan
Joy Mallari
Leslie de Chavez
Manny Garibay
Mark Justiniani
Plet Bolipata
Renato Habulan
Yogyakarta, 10 May 2025 — Gajah Gallery is pleased to announce Libang/Hibang, a dynamic group exhibition showcasing a selection of influential voices in contemporary Filipino art, curated by artist-curator Leslie de Chavez. Taking place at the Gallery’s Yogyakarta space, the exhibition coincides with one of the most vibrant months in Indonesia’s contemporary art calendar—when artists, collectors, and curators from across the region and beyond converge in the city. It is a timely and powerful platform to champion Filipino artistic perspectives on a regional stage.
This presentation marks another significant step in Gajah Gallery’s ongoing commitment to showcasing Filipino contemporary art across Southeast Asia. Following exhibitions in Singapore (2023) and Jakarta (2024), Libang/Hibang in Yogyakarta continues this curatorial trajectory—deepening cross-cultural dialogue and fostering meaningful encounters between artistic communities.
In a world propelled by algorithmic noise, social fragmentation, and digital acceleration, Libang/Hibang proposes a radical act: to pause and pay attention. The exhibition’s title is drawn from two Filipino words—libang, meaning distraction or amusement, and hibang, evoking obsession or madness. Together, they encapsulate the delicate tension between being captivated and being consumed, between mindful presence and manic overstimulation.
This exhibition considers attention not simply as a theme, but as a potent force—one that shapes how we see, what we remember, and who is heard. The participating artists confront this idea head-on, using a range of mediums—including paintings and sculptures—to explore the complex relationship between visibility and silence, presence and absence, focus and fatigue.
In the age of infinite scrolling and fractured perception, to attend closely—to truly see—is increasingly rare. Here, each artwork becomes an invitation to resist distraction and engage fully. Some pieces turn toward the intimate and overlooked, illuminating daily rituals and quiet encounters. Others critique the spectacle-driven nature of modern life, questioning the cost of constant exposure and the ethics of seeing.
Rather than offering a single reading, Libang/Hibang presents a kaleidoscope of narratives: from personal histories and cultural memory to media distortion and systemic erasure. What unites these works is their quiet insistence—that giving attention is not a passive gesture, but a conscious, often political act. To witness is to care. To notice is to participate.
Set against the backdrop of Yogyakarta—a city revered for its rich artistic heritage and contemplative spirit—the exhibition creates a space for viewers to slow down and reorient. Within the gallery’s walls, attention is no longer splintered or weaponised, but reimagined as connection and care.
Libang/Hibang also marks a meaningful collaboration between Gajah Gallery and artists based in the Philippines. Together, this partnership reflects a shared vision to deepen regional dialogue and amplify Southeast Asia’s vibrant contemporary art ecosystems.
As we grapple with the demands of an attention economy and the omnipresence of image culture, this exhibition poses an urgent question: What happens when we truly look? And what is at stake when we choose not to?
Libang/Hibang ultimately reminds us that attention is not a commodity to be traded—it is a sacred gesture of presence. In offering it, we assume responsibility. And in doing so, we reclaim a sense of clarity, purpose, and power.
Join us for the opening on Friday, 20 June 2025, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The exhibition will be on view until Sunday, 13 July 2025.
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