Our friend Victor Yambao was kind enough to answer some of our questions and show us his workspace. You can see his work in our next show, JUNKO REVIVAL.
How did you approach the theme of Junko Revival?
I went out looking for out for Art Supplies. Dumpster Diving basically. Ignore looking like a weirdo for a bit and walk around with a garbage bag excitedly looking through the neighbor's trash . I was collecting anything that looked interesting. Then I found a Banana Republic Bag full of wire hangers and I basically knew the direction of my work after that.
Are found objects/recycled materials typically part of your work?
My artist life started from collecting found objects and making them into something. This was something I've grown to love as a kid in Manila. This one time, I remember several houses burned down in my area, and after the family of those houses salvaged whatever survived in the fire, me and the kids would scavenge for toys or things we could make into toys. As an adult, it was art school that heightened this cheap collecting of discarded materials. Whenever I see a dumpster anywhere, curiosity tickles my brain and it takes a lot for me not to go diving in there.
Did the idea of a "green art show" make you think about using objects/Recycled Materials differently?
I think about a bit George Carlin did a while ago abut Environmentalism. He said, "The planet isn't going anywhere....We are." Basically talking about how the planet will always be beautiful with or without us or whatever we do to it. It will use whatever is left and incorporate it into its new ecosystem. Which kinda sucks for us, since I've grown to like it here. Anyways, my piece was kind of inspired by that. Destroying and manipulating the wire hangers and t-shirt and putting them back together into something beautiful. Beautiful, but as functional to us as the skull I modeled it after.
I think about a bit George Carlin did a while ago abut Environmentalism. He said, "The planet isn't going anywhere....We are." Basically talking about how the planet will always be beautiful with or without us or whatever we do to it. It will use whatever is left and incorporate it into its new ecosystem. Which kinda sucks for us, since I've grown to like it here. Anyways, my piece was kind of inspired by that. Destroying and manipulating the wire hangers and t-shirt and putting them back together into something beautiful. Beautiful, but as functional to us as the skull I modeled it after.
Liz is giggling a lot and wants me to ask you about your experiences growing up next to a shoe factory.
I never grew up next to a shoe factory, Liz! I was misquoted by AIB when I said there was a lot of discarded materials to be found because there was a flip flops and sandals manufacturing building nearby...Actually, it was more of a house than a building. It was one of the houses that burned down. I had a field day going through that rubble.
