Michiganders who have flown through Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids have likely noticed the art in Concourse A. The artwork—titled Facets— is built through three suspended sculptures that might make travelers feel like they are suddenly a part of the piece — as though they are composed beneath hundreds of small colorful connected shapes all hanging overhead. Transit is highlighted beneath what the artist's father saw as a capiz chandelier. For travelers, and the artist himself, that sense of imagery is important - it speaks to a sense of home and a feeling of movement.
The artist, Jeffrey Augustine Songco, is the son of devout Filipino-Catholic parents. As a gay man, Jeffrey's art often works to recognize and understand - from what the artist saw as his connections to contradictions - the facets of his identity. Jeffrey arrived in Grand Rapids for the 2011 ArtPrize competition. His entry, the GayGayGay robe, combines a contemporary rainbow print with a form called the capirote, which is traditionally attributed to Spanish-Catholic holy week practices. Americans, however, are more familiar with the shape of the robe through the practices of the domestic hate group, the KKK.
Our conversation with Jeffrey engaged with his past as an actor, his work as an artist in San Francisco, moving and falling for Michigan, and the kaleidoscopic experiences that find their way into his work. To see Facets, listeners only need to visit the airport. For a snapshot of the facets that make up one of our most compelling artists, check the link to the episode below.
GUESTS ON THIS EPISODE:
Jeffrey Augustine Songco, portraiture and sculpture artist based in Allendale, MI
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