Yul Servo transforms Manila streets into treasured works
Award-winning actor and politician John Marvin “Yul Servo” Cruz Nieto is once again mounting an exhibition showing his largely unknown artistic side.
Titled “Directions VII (Art Map Portfolio: Manila Artistic Representation),” Nieto’s exhibit is on view at the arrival area of Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.
It opened Feb. 25, the 39th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution. More than 10 of Nieto’s works are on show, spotlighting Manila’s built environment and the harmony-cacophony of its communities as seen from the perspective of a bird, drone, or an aircraft above.
He creates maps of Manila communities using found objects, mainly metal, to depict the veins and structures that comprise the urban make-up of the nation’s capital.
It is a laborious process, entailing extended time to create a piece that does not only represent a mapped area but also the history and heritage that go along with it.
The exhibited works represent key areas from Manila’s 16 suburbs or districts such as Intramuros, Tondo, Binondo, and San Miguel. Each piece is represented by a dominant color that best or closely represents the area such as green for Quiapo, after the same plant with scientific name Pistia stratiotes which the district was named after.
Binondo is obviously red as it aptly represents the color of the Chinoy community, while Paco was rendered mostly in yellow after the color of the amaryllis plant it was named after.
Intramuros is executed in a grayish tone to reflect the adobe used in its walls and historic structures.
Traveling exhibit
This scheme is Servo’s interpretative execution to show the general characteristic of each district. He titles his works based on the nature, identity, and layers of history of his chosen subject.
“Santa Ana,” for example, is imparted through its rich precolonial archaeology, while “San Miguel” is communicated as a place of might, being the home of Malacañan Palace.
In his artistic interpretation of actual maps, Servo channels the ancient art of cartography. He has said the exhibit is not a selling show since the artworks are going to be part of a traveling exhibit that will bring these pieces to different parts of the country and abroad.
Aside from maps, other works of art by Servo are also part of the month-long exhibition. There are his egg-shaped sculptural pieces resting on metal plates shaped like the map of Manila, and sculptures of the iconic Manila City Hall clock tower which is now a museum.
Servo’s map mosaics are visual representations of Manila and the current set up of its built-up areas as well as bodies of water such as the Manila Bay and the Pasig River. Creatively done, these artworks are not only art per se but references on the future of the state of Manila’s urban layout today.
In his works, Servo utilizes pieces of stainless metal and brass applied with automotive paint, enhancing the appearance and appeal as well as giving life to the rather monotonous material of metal.
As a young boy, Servo used to create art pieces using found objects and his imagination. Despite being rather new in the Philippine art scene, he has already mounted several solo exhibitions, starting with one at Pinto Museum in Antipolo in 2023.
“Directions VII” runs until March 25, near Gate 1 of Naia Terminal 3 Arrival Area.
