Dexter Sy, Brand New Day, 2023, mixed media on canvas, 61 × 91.5 cm

A Patchwork of Identities
An essay on the work of Dexter Sy
by Ryan Francis Reyes

The Chinese diaspora has resulted in the formation of distinct identities as a vibrant cultural exchange took place between the Chinese migrants and the various local communities where they settled. In Southeast Asia which is home to the largest overseas Chinese population in the world, the encounter blossomed into ethnicities such as the Peranakans – characterized by a hybrid of ancient Chinese and local cultures of the Nusantara region, further layered with Western influences brought by the region’s colonial history. In the Philippines, they are colloquially known today as the Tsinoys. Though far less in number than people with Chinese ancestry in Malaysia, this group has nevertheless contributed significantly to the shaping of the country’s social, cultural, and economic life.

The intersection of Chinese and Filipino heritage lies at the heart of Dexter Sy’s art practice. Born to a Chinese father and Filipino mother, the artist constructs his self-identity along these two different cultures. His works on the one hand pay homage to and celebrate the rich legacies of his Chinese and Filipino lineages – acquiring values, traditions, and lifeways from two distinct sources, hence experiencing a diverse upbringing. On the other, he also expresses the difficulties of growing up in a family with a mixed cultural background, at times confronted by a crisis of identity and grappling with a sense of belonging on both sides. As part of a distinct ethnic community, he often deals with expectations, misconceptions, and stereotyping of Chinese-Filipinos, which include being affluent, traditional, and conservative, to name but a few. He challenges these assumptions by juxtaposing Chinese and Filipino symbols and imagery with those drawn from pop culture and other facets of his personality which are seemingly incongruous with the local perception of Tsinoys.

In this exhibition, Sy revisits his affair with identity crisis and interprets the experience of navigating between two different worlds in a collection of intermedia works. In two-dimensional pieces, he recreates some old portraits – a foremost medium used in recording, idealizing, and immortalizing identities. Faces of individuals and couples dressed in traditional Chinese garb are transformed into highly stylized paintings layered generously with meticulous pen and ink drawings and accentuated by patches of carpets and strands of red threads. In this intervention, individual identities are blurred, and they morph seamlessly into dreamlike, flat compositions in vibrant palette. They become unrecognizable and are woven into tapestries with a sumptuous gathering of visual elements that embodies the pastiche of influences defining the artist’s personal identity. Catholic iconography and Philippine folklore represented by the recurring imagery of the Sacred Heart, Eye of Providence, and monster-like creatures are laid out in an overall composition reminiscent of Chinese folk paintings and a predominantly red color scheme evoking an auspicious symbol in Chinese tradition.

Sections of these intricate and detailed drawings reappear as large patches in nude figures covered with a constellation of lines, dots, and Chinese texts. These networks indicate meridians in the human body, a key concept in Chinese medicine. While these sculptures give another nod to the artist’s Chinese roots, they can also be symbolic of the confluence of Chinese and Filipino identities in what can be regarded as the ultimate site of identity expression – the body. In these forms, we see the body marked and analyzed according to Chinese knowledge system. At the same time, it is embellished with configurations similar to body paint or tattoos that blend harmoniously with the plotted meridian points and easily turn into nodal regions of the entire anatomy.

Exhibition dates: 15 – 31 March 2024
Opening reception: Saturday, 16 March from 3 pm – 7 pm

About the Artist

Dexter Sy (b. 1979, Manila, the Philippines) graduated with a degree in Fine Arts with a major in Advertising from the Far Eastern University in Manila, where he also currently teaches as a special lecturer. Sy mostly works in two-dimensional media, often combining painting with pen and ink drawing. Characteristics of his work include colourful figures that are rendered and stylised with minute details, such as lines, textures, and patterns drawn from diverse cultural references including pop culture, Philippine folk mythology, and Christian iconography. Through his art, he explores the complexities of identity, memory, kinship, and belonging.

Sy has had numerous solo exhibitions since 2008, in the Philippines at Kaida Contemporary, UP Vargas Museum, Ayala Museum, West Gallery, Boston Gallery, 1335 Mabini, Artcube Gallery, and Bencab Museum, and internationally at Haslla Art World Museum in South Korea and Centre Intermondes at La Rochelle, France. He has received the Philip Morris Philippine Art Award several times, securing the Jurors’ Choice in 2010 and 2012 and the Grand Prize in 2016.