Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea is pleased to present WE OF THE EARTH, a group exhibition curated by Ambie Abaño featuring the work of Anjo Joaquin, Anton Villaruel, Diwa Abueva, ENim, Maria Francisca Juarez, Glenn Martinez, J Consunji, Joar Songcuya, Junyee, Justin Nuyda, Kenneth John Montegrande, Lei Manto, Lorebert “Maralita”, Mark Belicario, Nasser Zulueta, Orley Ypon, Othoniel Neri, Sam Feleo, Tom Russ, and Yas Doctor at the Altro Mondo Creative gallery (1159 Chino Roces Avenue, San Antonio Village, Makati City).

This month marks the second year of the onset of the phenomenon that shook the entire human race without warning. Amidst this, we are and have been for decades now, confronted with the serious crisis of global scale – climate change – with implications and threat to the viability of the entire Earth community of which the human species is a part of. We have been warned again and again.

How did we get here? How did we get to this point? “We of the Earth” invites us to pause and reflect on the condition we are in. To pay attention to the subtle voice that calls us to open our senses and allow ourselves to be perturbed by reality. It proposes that we bring ourselves to our fundamental grounding – our belongingness to Earth – we as belonging to Earth, rather than the Earth as belonging to us.

It is an invitation to ponder on our embeddedness to our only home from which our species was birthed and within which we thrive and evolve together with the rest of what constitute the entire – all living and non-living beings. To reflect on Earth’s faithfulness to us and to question our faithfulness to Earth.

The collection of works by the nineteen artists in the exhibition echo the voice of the Earth and the voice of humanity in union with the rest of the many voices all over the world calling each one to pay attention now. It hopes to prompt the viewer to pause, self-reflect and engage.