Manila’s Danny Sillada
The role of the artist in any culture is a complex one, but some places have a history that recognizes the importance of their contributions to local and world culture. If Manila is anything, it’s creative. The dense and vibrant city reads like a radical experiment in ideas. Some are moving in mad and furious directions, and others lap lightly at the edges of the soul, inspiring the receptive to tune into the urgent music of the moment.
Artists like Danny Sillada have a unique tuning instrument, that makes him able to listen to multiple channels at one time. He works in many directions at once, in each of the forms in which he’s proficient, and he often works in several forms at the same time. Whether it’s painting, video, music, or any number of performance experiments, visitors to the Manila hotels will have the chance to see interesting work.
There are many other artists in town worth looking at, and some work with the same blend of sacred intention and pop culture that Sillada plays with, but the artists and each of their works is as unique as a fingerprint. The fortunate visitors that might stay a little past their expected departure, holing up for another night or two in the hotel suites , may have more chances to see the work come to life. It’s a city that’s well worth knowing, and it’s impossible to see it all in one visit.