Alpha/Omega: the one between fire and water
There is an idea that our world was formed from oppositions, good and evil, important and trivial, strong and weak. These polar forces seem to keep things in balance; yet living in the space in-between is a work of art. It’s crucial to maintain and hold on to your position while keeping the equilibrium.
Rook Floro creates his four alter egos to represent his wide range of identities, which then act as an inspirational source for his artistic practice. Yet the most personal and intimate, the Alpha/Omega, the foundation of who he is, is the one he has explored last.
Artist: Rook Floro, Venue: WTF, Bangkok, Period: 28 November – 20 December 2020
There is an idea that our world was formed from oppositions, good and evil, important and trivial, strong and weak. These polar forces seem to keep things in balance; yet living in the space in-between is a work of art. It’s crucial to maintain and hold on to your position while keeping the equilibrium.
Rook Floro creates his four alter egos to represent his wide range of identities, which then act as an inspirational source for his artistic practice. Yet the most personal and intimate, the Alpha/Omega, the foundation of who he is, is the one he has explored last.
Growing up as a child of two worlds, Floro unconsciously absorbed two cultures, visiting a church one day and a Buddhist temple on the next. He speaks English to his dad and Thai to his mom, an automatic code switch in his brain that doesn’t just differentiate linguistics but is how his mind works, a double consciousness that has melted to form a person.
At 25 he returned to the Philippines, his father’s place of birth, for the first time since he was a baby. He found things felt familiar but unknown at the same time. Perplexed and fascinated, he started to question the idea of his own identity. Who would he be if he had grown up there instead?
Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. They represent the beginning and ending, but are as equally as important. They are the furthest apart and act as a border for the others. Like fire and water, they represent opposing forces, ferocious and tranquil, but acting together, they become the source of life and death.
News:
https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/2029343/searching-for-identity-through-art
https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/things-to-do/alpha/omega-the-one-between-fire-and-water