Huna-Huna

Abril Dominic Valdemoro’s Huna-huna invites us to delve into the spaces between thought and feeling, image-making and perception. The Masbateño title translates loosely to "what people think" or "something to think about," and captures the essence of contemplation tinged with uncertainty. It's like that sense of dwelling on an idea, not quite sure of its truth—as one may be thinking with the heart, but is unsure of the feeling.

Valdemoro’s intensely saturated artworks explore this ambiguity with a visceral intensity. Muscles, sinews, distorted faces, and wrinkled and stretch-marked skin form the core of his figures. Though their humanity is undeniable, these elements add rawness and depth to his pieces, making each both familiar and unsettling. The artist courageously departs from his past visual narratives, allowing space for exploration and opening his work to different interpretations, showing vulnerability yet never losing his grasp on the skilled portrayals of observations on human nature that his works are known for. From scathing social commentary to a wholly accepting, enveloping embrace of what makes us human, Valdemoro's lens has dug deep beyond setting, clothing, and personality, honing on the formation and atrophy of soft connecting tissue and cells that seemingly mold, meld, and melt into each other.

Utob is an unbreakable belief and a promise that cannot be undone. This piece delves into the complexities of relationships, love, and betrayal while hinting at a thirst for knowledge or an insatiable curiosity for the unknown. Lagataw is both a literal and metaphorical journey. It captures wandering, perhaps without a clear destination, but with the desire to move forward regardless. Winged beings cavort with figures with shoes on, with visible uprooting and blatant disregard for the origin of the world. Kugnot means hardness—of flesh, spirit, or mind. It shows stubbornness, distance, jealousy, lust, and the refusal to bend or follow, reflecting the darker sides of human nature. Tuod-tuod is a belief that is unsure or an unfounded conviction, questioning the faith we place in things without solid proof. Huslag represents the fallen, a being morphing between sin and humanity who explores the tension between good and evil, innocence and ignorance. Likaw is the cyclical act of wrapping a rope around your hand to untangle it. It speaks of repetition, moving in sequences, and the effort to bring order to chaos, even describing the convoluted twists and turns of the intestines that absorb nourishment for the body. Kugos portrays a nurturing father figure, or a faceless king—a protective presence that clings to us. This piece speaks to the weight of attachment, translating as to carry or embrace. Lambigit suggests connection. Whether caught accidentally or wilfully tangled together, the artist's interwoven figures signify moments of care, love, and sweetness, the slight touching of their hands showing deeper intimacy than any unraveling.

In Huna-huna, Valdemoro traverses the abyss between what we see and think, offering a profound reflection on the complexity of human thoughts, desires, and emotions. Each piece challenges the viewer to engage with their inner contradictions. The artist’s distorted, raw figures serve as mirrors of our uncertain humanity, reflecting our own beautiful ambiguity.