Writer, Flight of Freedom: 93 Bird Cages Soar at the Museum MACAN, review for Plural Art Mag, Singapore

Filipino artists Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan's exhibition, Somewhere, Elsewhere, Nowhere, at Jakarta's Museum MACAN showcased their collaborative journey since the late 1990s, focusing on themes of displacement, migration, and identity. The duo transforms everyday objects into art, reflecting shared human experiences and prompting viewers to reflect on their own journeys.

“As one moves from one section of the show to another, they will discover familiar objects surrounding them: toothbrushes, flip-flops, cardboard boxes, blankets, and many other household items. Isabel and Alfredo view everyday materials as important elements in their practice. The objects that they use carry a sense of familiarity and shared experiences.“ 

– Excerpt from Flight of Freedom: 93 Bird Cages Soar at the Museum MACAN by Amanda Ariawan, 2023.

Read Amanda’s full review on Plural Art Mag: pluralartmag.com/isabel-alfredo-aquilizans-flight-of-freedom-93-birdcages-soar-at-the-museum-macan

About Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan

Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan (b. 1965 and 1962, Philippines) work together as a couple, parents and artists. Along with their individual artistic vocations, their long-term collaborations combine the perspectives from the lens of their personal experiences of global movement in relation to family and home. Their work heavily draws on themes of identity, migration, journey, displacement, and memory. 

About Plural Art Mag

Plural Art Mag started out as a student blog founded by Pauline Gan, Luke Chua and Usha Chandradas, three friends who met in art school while pursuing Master’s degrees in Asian Art Histories in Singapore. Art historians might recognise “plurality” as a term that’s bandied around liberally in essays. Here, it encapsulates their founding members’ initials (PLUral) and their outlook on art writing – embracing difference and individuality. United by nothing more than a deep love of the arts, a wicked sense of humour and a burning desire to simplify the language of art academia, they started blogging as a way to reach out to people who want a deeper understanding of Southeast Asian art, but don’t care to be mired in technical gobbledygook. (pluralartmag.com)