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| Astro-portrait of astrologer-artist Heber Bartolome by Juno Parungao |
The uniqueness of Parungao's astrological portraits has endeared many patrons-- among which include actor Jeffrey "Epi' Quizon, multi-awarded writer Lito Casaje, and maestro Fernando B. Sena.
Another luminary in the Manila art scene who has his own portrait by Parungao is musician and Astrological Friends member Heber Bartolome, who inaugurated Parungao's solo exhibit of astrological portraits in 2011.
The artist creates the portrait based on the individual's circumstances of birth, personal color preferences, and philosophical ruminations.
Astro-artist
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| Astro-portrait of artist Fernando Sena by Juno Parungao |
Parungao is a self-taught astrologer guided by a senior astrologer, Archie Corteza, in 2003. Parungao has been doing astrology consultations since 2006. Now she has merged horary practice with painting.
As an astro-artist, she merges wisdom of Western Astrology and Cartomancy in her philosophical visualisations.
Juno is known for non- objective painting such as the Astro-Portraits and crystal inspired paintings which have been around galleries since 2008. Guided by astrological charts the commissioned works capture each client's personality in distinctive colors, forms and textures.
Collaborating with Parungao is Kristian Jeff Agustin, an independent publisher and poet who recently returned from his studies in Westminster, London.
Agustin contemplates on how the skies may mean to mortals. For the exhibit, he uses video and performance with spoken word to give voice to celestial bodies or introspective personas.
On the other hand, Jean Pierre "Dyani" Lao proves that tattooing is an art form on skin worthy of recognition. Lao garnered the Gawad Dominador Castaneda Award in year 2000 for his thesis entitled "Ritwal" from the College of Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines Diliman.
His intricately rendered tattoos of mythical beings and celestial bodies are the results of his solid research on Filipino indigenous practices. These are then rendered in limited-edition prints and captured in photographs.
For guest curator Laya Boquiren, "As Yet Unwritten presents three contemporary artists' visual articulations of place-based myths and the residual elements of pre-colonial interactions. The artists and I are interested in how these may be juxtaposed with ancient myths that examine the influence of celestial bodies on both individuals and shifts within the history of humanity."
For the collaborators, the exhibition as a whole underscores how destinies that are as yet unwritten intersects with oral histories and narratives that have been passed on across time and places, as interpreted in images and the spoken word.
Hosted by the GSIS Museo ng Sining, the exhibit will be launched on February 20, 2014 at 6:00 pm and will run until March 12 in celebration of the Philippine National Arts Month.
For more information, see the exhibit page through Facebook.com/asyetunwrittenexhibit.
Juno Parungao paints the blueprint of your soul
LIVE FEED
By Bibsy M. Carballo
February 7, 2014
The Philippine Star
From: http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2014/02/07/1287519/juno-parungao-paints-blueprint-your-soul
We became aware of the name Juno Parungao first in relation to an exhibit at the Shangri-La Mall when she held an exhibit of Gem Stones together with Prof. Lito Casaje of La Consolacion College in 2009. She also told us that she appeared in a play of Casaje's Dramatis production, on the subject of possession.
Later, we saw her at the SMX Convention Center in 2012 and at another exhibit; then at the election of the Director's Guild of the Philippines officers at Sequioa Hotel; and more recently at the Solidaridad Bookstore honoring Prof. Casaje's writings.
It was obvious that Juno moved around in different circles - showbiz, theatrical, scientific and psychic. Her latest interest seemed to be the most interesting of the lot. It involved astro-portraiture with Juno as the astro-portraitist.
Together with a friend, we met with Juno and asked for a demonstration of her art. Instead of working the traditional way, Juno paints what she calls the blueprint of the soul. And how she comes up with this blueprint is as interesting as the final artwork itself.
Juno possesses psychic power but doesn't read minds, nor casts spells, or sees ghosts and other apparitions. Her powers come from reading astrological birth charts. All of her astro-portraits begin with a reading of her client's birth charts with a process known as charting.
"It's very scientific," she explained to us. "Companies abroad use charting for hiring. Its methods have been around for the longest time. Popes have been using charting; disputes and conflicts, even wars have been scheduled according to the stars."
Juno was introduced to charting by the owners of the Art Circle Gallery, after which she devised her own system of combining art and science. Through charting, Juno is able to address her subject's current struggles and issues.
"In the past, charting required lots of trigonometry," she claimed. "Today, it is simpler because of the new technology. Through charting, the location of certain heavenly bodies in the sky at the moment of birth, Juno discerns her client's predispositions and tendencies. "I use that as a springboard for my conceptualization and abstraction of the soul - as I call it."
After reading the chart, Juno would commune with her subject. "I get vibrations from the chart, calm myself and meditate. Then I sketch." This is where the art comes in. At first glance, Juno's portraits share a common element - circles. "Circles are sacred," Juno maintained, "They represent the wholeness of a person while the smaller circle represents the location of the sun in the birth chart." Each artwork has come out as varied and unique as are her clients.
Juno credited her astrologer friend Kitten Alcantara for giving her the idea to combine astrology with an art form. She helped Juno open her first exhibit at Art Circle Gallery. To date, Juno had done close to 50 astro-portraits, including various names from show business, the arts and business. Her next exhibit at the GSIS galleries will feature Prof. Casaje, Epi Quizon, Fernando Seña, Conrad Benitez, Heber Bartolome, Gavi Evangelista, among many others.
We viewed a CD of some astro-portraits and asked Juno for comments. One of Quizon's attracted us with its combination of bird, water and sun, with the colors green and blue. Juno said Epi is an Aquarian, therefore a bird (griffin) diving into the waters. The mythological creature has the body of a lion, and head and wings of an eagle. It is thought to be the King of all creatures. We thought, what a wonderful reading to combine strength in art.
Another astro-portrait was that of Juno's friend writer- novelist Casaje, who found him, born under the sign of Taurus the bull, to be firm, committed, dependable and many times stubborn.
Evangelista's astro-portrait attracted us because it appeared to be a tree that was dancing in the wind. Born under the sign of Sagittarius at 12 noon, Juno saw him to be full of enterprise and versatility (Evangelista owns a gym), ambition and optimism.
These works and all the rest will be on exhibit at GSIS Galleries beginning Feb. 20. For more information, visit www.arttempomanila.com.
E-mail your comments to bibsyfotos@yahoo.com, or text us at 0917-8991835.
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