Felipe Pantone's manipulable works reflect the digital revolution at Tokyo's Common gallery -

Felipe Pantones exhibition ‘MANIPULABLE’ in the COMMON gallery

From June 3 to July 17, 2022, Tokyo-based Gallery Common will present Felipe Pantone’s Solo exhibition Manipulatablewith new kinetic works in one complete interactive installation Place. marking the Argentine-Spanish artist As the first major exhibition in Japan since 2014, the show reflects on themes of dynamism, transformation and digital revolution. All artworks were created to be touched and rearranged by the viewer.

“Manipulable” presents new kinetic works in a fully interactive installation space

all images courtesy of Gallery Common

interactive works respond to today’s world of self-curation

“Manipulatable” is a word that has its roots in the Latin manus (hand) and refers to “something that can be moved or operated with the hands; something that can be managed, controlled or shaped. Similarly, the exhibition features a series of interactive artworks that visitors can interact with and manipulate. In his work, Pantone, who has a background as a graffiti artist and a Fine Arts graduate, combines his street experience with his academic knowledge to create a vibrant, distinctive language. The works in the exhibition question the way we consume visual information, especially in our digital age.

“Everything can be manipulated these days – we don’t listen to the radio, we curate our own playlists; We don’t watch TV, we choose which shows are streamed. The Internet has made information itself configurable.’ the Artist shares. “Light, movement and color define everything I do and adding the element of touch brings everyone closer to the work. For the first time, all of my works for an exhibition are designed to be configured by the viewer. I think it’s very contemporary for an audience to be able to interact with what they’re consuming, and I wanted to create artworks that can respond to today’s world of self-curation.”

The show reflects on themes such as dynamism, transformation and the digital revolution

to close the gap between art and audience

As our awareness of interaction has evolved in recent years, Pantone has experimented with different methods and approaches to break through the barriers of communication, including touchless ways to interact with his work via VR and remote control apps. Now that there are more opportunities for face-to-face exchange, he explores how touch and physical interaction could bridge the gap between artists and audiences.

To commemorate the exhibition, Felipe Pantone has also created a limited edition print entitled “CDM32-P. The piece uses a UV printing process on a sheet of aluminum to create a print with a smooth, reflective texture that changes in the light. The 70.7 x 50 centimeter work appears in a limited edition of just 35 copies and is available exclusively from gallery until the end of the exhibition.

Pantone combines his experience on the road with his academic knowledge to create a vibrant, distinctive language