Terroir and Tapestries curated by Stephanie Frondoso presented sculptural and functional works of Mikee Naval, each grounded in the lush and rich beauty of her Sorsogon landscape. The show, an impressive collection of pottery and fabrics, was on view at Aphro Living, Karrivin Plaza in Makati, Philippines in 2024.
Group Show
July 31—August 31, 2024
1.1 Two jars 'Blue Bayou' and 'Lola' displayed on two separate steps.
“Terroir” is the French term for a wine’s sense of place — distinct from its origins or make, inclusive of the seasons and climate at the time of planting and harvest, local to the plot of land. Clay is no different, in the hands of a potter, particularly in its foraging, blending, aging and final form. Terroir and Tapestries is a group exhibit by Pablo Capati III, Geraldine Javier, Paulo Lozano, Mikee Naval, and Jose Solon Perfecto, with works from various terroirs in the Philippines. - Aussy Perfecto
1.2 Three coiled and pinched vessels, alongside an anagama jar and bowl by Pablo Capati III and pitchers by Jose Solon Perfecto.
As part of this show, Naval presented thirty handbuilt ceramic vases and sculptures, including the largest works she has made to date. Made in the land that has given her her dream coastal life, the pieces were all coiled, with some bearing the pinches of her fingers: imprints of her meditations on the abundant nature in Sorsogon, the site of the works' creation.
1.3 Vases in ecru stoneware.
1.4 Single-stem vessels in various surface decorations, and one with abaca.
“I’ve grown familiar with the cycles of the land and the textures, colors, materials born out of them - from the rush of strong currents when surfing season rolls in, to the imprints of human feet, carabao hooves, and bird claws on marshy soil in the ensuing wet months, to the rhythmic lines of rice field planting and harvest in the summer. My work has always been about the pursuit of remembering: we are part of nature. It is a coming home to ourselves."
—Mikee Naval
1.5 A corner of Sorsogon landscape.