What 40 years have done to Charlie Co
It was quite obvious that one space was not sufficient to accommodate an accumulation of this artist’s prolific work of 40 years. Walking through the exhibitions was like going through an endless buffet of appetite-driven dishes rendering one as a glutton or better yet, a bottomless pit.
What meets the viewer’s eye in both exhibition spaces—the Negros Museum, Orange Project gallery, plus an impromptu visit to Charlie Co’s private studio—is an explosion of color, at first overwhelming, but as one gets curious and examines each painting, the hidden stories within a cacophony of figures allows one to make his or her private narrative… until the artist himself reveals his own inner vision. This is what makes Charlie Co’s body of work mesmerizing: It's kind to the viewer’s personal interpretation, allowing him or her to detect subjective layers after curious investigative pondering, “owning” the vision despite the artist’s own intent.
His color palette goes way beyond primary colors, creating unusually bright hues or haunting shadows that have come to represent situations, emotions, locations, time periods, and a myriad of other things he has dealt with, in tandem with his unique iconography that translates to his very own language: crows, horses, robotic figures, and others that he has assigned meaning to. In its true essence, Co’s work through his 40 years of being an artist more often than not stems from his innermost experiences, thoughts, and beliefs, whether spiritual or even political, and as curator Victoria “Boots” Herrera eloquently verbalizes, “poignant reflections of human experience, at times unsettling and melancholic, (establish) a visceral connection, drawing viewers into its narrative and evoking a palpable sense of presence.”
The symbol of an arch—seen in many of his works—underscores his persistence in remaining strong despite the ups and downs, trials, challenges, and triumphs that have colored his life’s journey so far, adding to the richness of his artistic vocabulary and symbolism.
Whimsical and perhaps childlike as Co’s paintings may seem, the underlying themes of his work can reflect deeper sentiments and experiences than what meets the eye. Specific are some of his works that document his journey through a dark period of his life after being diagnosed with diabetes, undergoing dialysis, and eventually a kidney transplant.
His health condition directly influenced his working medium, shifting from oil paints to safer water-based acrylic paints. Whatever medium he chooses, he never fails to experiment with it. Over the past 10 years, he has been using modeling paste in his work, leaving the textures more pronounced. “The stronger my subject is, the more intense my strokes become,” he says, laughingly adding later: “And no one can copy me because I use my hands!” In a review of his work for a group show in Australia, an art critic defined his work as expressionism, surrealism, and socio-realism, which he says “best describe his work.”
The reality of his health issues had an impact on his artistic journey. It is said that brokenness can lead one down a deep dark tunnel, or positive resilient transformation. In Charlie’s case, it is the latter, evidenced by the visual interpretations of his iconography as a significant highlight of his life: empty medicine bottles, clocks surrounding the figure representing himself, signifying his realistic grasp of the meaning and finiteness of life that has transformed Co’s perspective to purpose, inspiring him to go beyond himself by being instrumental in developing and mentoring young artists. His efforts have realized a full-blown art community in Negros Occidental. And even beyond that, an art district that caters not just to painting but other genres of visual art like film and media-based practices.
Despite the international recognition he has gained in various parts of the world—including an artist residency in Japan; representing the Philippines in Brazil’s 23rd Sao Paulo Biennale; the 2nd Asia Pacific Triennial in Australia; and numerous national awards and citations—his 40 solo exhibitions here and abroad are perhaps not coincidental with his celebration of his 40 years as an artist. And despite all that, he claims Bacolod as his home, focusing on dedicating his life to the one thing he is passionate about: nurturing the community he loves with what he does best, entitling his exhibit Tugyan sa Tawo: Apat Ka Dekada nga Obra ni Charlie Co, which, translated from Charlie’s own language, means Giving to People: Four Decades of Charlie Co’s Work.
And surely, there’s more to come.
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The exhibits run until Aug. 31 at the Negros Museum and the Orange Project Gallery in Bacolod.
