A communication and creative writing professor’s art critique that explores faith and survival was published in a Hong Kong-based online literary journal.
Asst. Prof. Jose Mojica said his essay, titled “Assemblage of/as Faith: Max Balatbat Reimagines the Sacred in ‘Sampalataya,’” published by Cha: Asian Literary Journal on April 29, was a product of his fellowship in the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Art Criticism Workshop.
“I’m lucky enough to be in a position to choose exhibits that I would want to write about because I’m not employed by anyone, or I’m not forced by anyone to write on things,” Mojica told the Varsitarian.
Balatbat’s solo exhibition “Sampalataya” features an assemblage of materials, including wood and textiles, depicting how his views on faith were shaped by his upbringing in Caloocan, a place where, he said, people were often driven to moral compromise in their struggle to survive.
Mojica described the artwork as “transactional” with a higher being.
To challenge well-established beliefs surrounding religion and faith, Mojica said audiences should approach artworks with similar themes in seeking to understand an artist’s intentions while remaining open to having their assumptions questioned.
“I think we need to constantly rethink our positions, our values. The reason why art is important is that it allows us to understand these things on a more human level, on a more grounded level,” he said.
Mojica is a resident fellow at the UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies and a researcher at the UST Research Center for Culture, Arts, and Humanities.
Founded in 2007, Cha: Asian Literary Journal is the first English-language online journal in Hong Kong to publish works across various genres, including poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations, reviews, photography, and art. Charlize Ann D. Lavastida
