Frankfurt, September 25, 2025 – January 4, 2026, https://www.schirn.de
Filipino-Canadian artist, presenting a couple of video installations and some related object-based art merchandise. Thematically, it all seemed a bit like “in search of one’s own (Comilang’s) identity: The video works were anchored in interviews she conducted with people that were somehow like her, either a past version/ancestor/neighbor of her (people in Filipines/Malaysia/China busy making ends meet) or an alternative version of her (Filipino-Emirati K-Pop dancer with identity issues). This means, the content was, to a certain extent, honest and believable. It dealt with issues that the artist knew herself and thus could speak about well.
The different installations/films were all interrelated drawing from a similar array of resources. This made the show feel coherent, but it also gave it a bit of a more-of-the-same feeling.
In terms of form, the editing was quick and the sounds cheerful, all wrapped around in some touchy-feely karaoke performances by the main actors. A bit like a tiktok feed wrapped around a documentary interview. In other words, a dance-candy wrapped around the talking-head-stick. Smoking-hot contemporary style, making sure the smartphone withdrawal symptoms are suppressed for the time needed to watch the videos.
Technologically, these were well made hi quality hi res multichannel works with surround sound. Installation at Schirn was perfect too, with projections on pearl beads and semi/translucent mirrors.
So overall, nothing to complain about, really. The photos make it appear more boring than it actually was.
