If you can have a wish come true, what would it be?

Wishful audience

That’s a question this one of a kind exhibit is trying to answer when it opened its doors for three days in Suez+Zapote Gallery in Makati last December 13-15, the last of line-up composed of nine MMA exhibits for De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s second trimester.

I once thought 11:11 was pronounced a little something like a ratio, “Eleven is to Eleven“, but turns out it really does say “Eleven Eleven” like how you say the time when it hits 11:11 on the clock. But if you take a good look of the exhibit’s logo, it has an underlying word hidden that says “wish“. How are we brought about into doing wishes in the first place? It’s moments like looking up in the star-field night and looking down into a deep well among others that lead us into wishing for the better things that could hopefully benefit you and/or to others in ways we could only imagine.

The first time I went to to the exhibit, on its opening night, I couldn’t seem to comprehend initially what the idea was exactly for there was a lot going on. Didn’t help that I only stayed about half an hour but because I’m so curious to really dwell into what they’re trying to capture, I came back the following Sunday, the final day of its run. That’s where I had a better understanding and appreciation of their over-all concept.

Works made by 19 graduating students reflects the different and many ways of how we do wishes: From making 3 wishes from a Djinn‘s bottle to wishing using a wishbone to kneeling inside a Church and praying for a sign sent from God. There’s a lot that one can do to make a wish.

There are no special guests nor are there any particular bands to entertain people, it is pretty much a gathering of friends supporting friends, family supporting their blood, and art enthusiasts supporting raw talent. It may not be as extravagant as perhaps Prologue, Vernamics and Synesthesia but what counts over-all is how they are able to send the message behind their exhibit’s concept across to everyone.

There’s even this board pasted on the table as well as a “cartolina” placed on a long picnic table where guests may write out their hopes, dreams and wishes in whatever shape or form using colored chalks.

The ninth and final exhibit may be the last one to open but they really made sure to close out the term on a high and that’s what they’ve managed to achieve.

Simply put, 11:11 magnifies the mere fact that we all wish for something that could make life a little bit better for everyone. As much as we put our fate in God’s hands, it is still up to us to work hard into realising our hopes, dreams and wishes because “dreams really do come true if we believe“.

P. S. Can I just say how much of a bummer that I didn’t know there was a meteor shower on the first night of 11:11? Quite the timing, I must add.

Thanks by the way to Neil Arce for inviting me via Facebook. Sorry, hindi kita nabati kaagad noong nandoon ako. 😀