ABOUT THE WORK

Irreverent yet undoubtedly substantial, acclaimed contemporary artist Kawayan de Guia is not afraid to tackle a number of socio-political and taboos in his complex and critical artistic practice. In this piece titled The Official Steal of America de Guia sets his sights on unarguably the world’s most influential superpower, the United States of America. Done in a tongue-andcheek and almost kitsch fashion, de Guia’s parody of the US’ coat of arms can be seen as a critique of the superpower’s unfettered reach on almost all aspects of contemporary life. Aside from the official seal, the work also features a number of iconic American brands and products rendered in such a way that reveals their propaganda-like qualities. De Guia’s subversion of a powerful and symbolic piece of contemporary culture effectively peels back its ideological layers in order to reveal its often overlooked essence. De Guia studied at the Philippine High School for the Arts and then pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines’ College of Fine Arts. He received the Ateneo Art Award in 2008 and 2011, and the Thirteen Artists Award from the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2009. Recent exhibitions he has participated in include Soil and Stones, Souls and Songs, Para Site, Hong Kong (2017), Behind Foreign Lands: Southeast Asian Contemporary Art, Soka Art Center, Beijing (2016), and Wasak! Filipino Art Today, Arndt, Singapore (2016). He was one of the curators of the Singapore Biennale in 2013.