: Heritage Revisited | Almer Moneda

March 22 – April 2, 2024

Text by Mikai Francisco

Almer Moneda’s mini-exhibit “Heritage Revisited,” brilliantly showcases the artist’s signature elements of nostalgia expressed through archival pieces of Philippine history. Inspired by the allure of antiques and old photographs, his images of vintage vehicles, city streets, merchants, and elegant women clad in baro’t sayas allow the viewer a glimpse into the rhythms of daily life in old Manila. These scenes are an invitation to reflect upon the past and appreciate our cultural roots through his figurations of a bygone era. 

There is a palpable sense of nostalgia and sentimentality that undercuts Moneda’s oeuvre. His works pull from the yearning to return to a simpler time – the longing for a romanticized colonial past. He breathes life once more into the bustling streets from days of yore through his craft. Moneda superimposes his greyscale subjects, antiquated set pieces, and everyday Manileños, against backdrops of modern swathes of color. These bright warm hues brilliantly contrasted with cool blues and purples further elevate his pieces through the juxtaposition between the historical subjects and contemporary rendering style. 

“Heritage Revisited,” is Moneda’s invitation to the viewer to indulge in the longing for the glory days of Manila. However, accompanying the sentimental themes is the inherent bittersweet understanding that this period cannot be returned to. Poignantly, Moneda’s works are recreations of a past that grows more distant with each passing day — increasingly clouded by the inevitable passage of time. 

Nevertheless, the artist utilizes the lens of nostalgia to imbue his pieces with further profundity. Moneda’s works are not mere reflections of a bygone city but an expertly crafted collection of pieces that pull from a collective longing for the golden days of a city free from modern-day plight. Like the old photographs and antiques that inspired the artist, his works deeply evoke his audiences to reflect upon and appreciate history and cultural heritage with the catharsis of nostalgia as an avenue. 

Almer Moneda (b.1987) is a Filipino contemporary artist hailing from Paete, Laguna. He is no stranger to visual arts. His degree in drafting from Laguna State Polytechnic University has given him a superb eye for anatomy and an ability to intricately depict figures and silhouettes of Old Manila – a subject he favors the most. His expressive recollections of the early days greatly influence his oeuvre, elaborately remixing photographs from the past by intricately painting his subjects in serigraph style, then positioning them in bold and dynamic elements of color, lines, and shapes – bringing the subject forward as the focal point in hopes to suspend the viewer’s perception.

Aside from the typical mimetic oil-on-canvas depiction of vintage Leicas and Rolleis, Moneda also attaches the cameras to the heads of various figures—adults, children, and even pets like dogs and cats. The degree of complexity in the details is a unique technique that Moneda has developed and reflects his drafting skills. A winner of various art competitions in Laguna, Moneda’s practice relies on an understanding of the world he portrays. He is an avid photographer and likes to collect vintage cameras, giving him that first-person viewpoint for his subject.

“Heritage Revisited” by Almer Moneda will be on view at Galerie Joaquin Collective from March 22 - April 2, 2024. We are located at the 3rd Floor of Greenbelt 5, Legazpi St., Makati City. For inquires, contact or email us at galeriejoaquinonline@gmail.com.