Image has origin, a point of genesis or a place of birth. The first cave drawings, the earliest human acts of visual translations were also the phenomenal contextual beginnings of man’s social and environmental awareness. Human visual representation not only depicts the subject or its idea, it also embodies the circumstance that a visual deposition is a confluence of thought, time and space. The possibility of a created image is a product of perception, conceived in a distinct location, in a specific moment or era.
Over the centuries, keenly perceived, well-thought and well-executed works have become the masterpieces representing period and place, and consequentially, country or nationality. Although the genius behind a great work can never be discounted, technical reference on location, and the time of creation are equally important elements of an artwork’s history that critically reinforces the academics of its archiving and magnifies its personal, social and even economic and political significance.
From the invention and evolution of the geographic coordinate system, and the adoption of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England as the zero-reference for longitude, to the advancements and innovations that the Global Position System (GPS) has technologically produced, location and position as information, has never been as inextricable and invaluable in contemporary life, science or culture. Almost anything now can be GeoTagged.
This creative series explores the connection of image and its location. Vernacular scenes, plants, landscapes or objects are drawn with the specific geographic coordinate where it was derived or conceived. A visual fusion of imagery and its corresponding numerical coordinates in longitude and latitude, as a playful graphic exercise to retrace position, reorient declination and relocate the bearings of meanings.
Babbu Wenceslao, a multi-talented artist with a career spanning three decades, is celebrated for his exceptional work in various mediums such as photography, painting, and music. Born and raised in Tagbilaran City, Bohol province, Babbu moved to Cebu at the age of seven. After spending some time in Ormoc City and completing his primary education at St. Peter’s College, he moved to Dumaguete to finish his high school years at Silliman University.
Following graduation from high school, Babbu returned to Cebu to study painting at the University of the Philippines Cebu College. He is currently a member of the Visayan band, Istorya Isla, where he showcases his musical talent as a guitarist and vocalist. In addition to his music career, he runs a restaurant and alternative art space with his wife, June Cleo Flores Wenceslao.
Babbu is a devoted family man and has three children named Felix Wynn, Wyanna Fiel, and Fynn Waquin. With his vast experience and expertise in different art forms, he continues to inspire and leave an indelible mark in the creative industry.
