Pineapple Lab presents Romantic Browns, an exhibition featuring the photography of Dar San Agustin. With Romantic Browns, Dar captures the languid sensuality present in traditional Filipiniana culture through boudoir photography and through photographic processes that lend the images a deep, distinctive brown hue.
Romantic Browns is an exploration of the idea of Filipiniana Boudoir existing in a time when conservation and restraint were commonplace – free, unrestrained bodies contrasting the confines of their traditional homes and the era that it represents. We can imagine that photography was a luxury back in the day and to spend on such endeavors might not have been in the best interest of the women at that time. Still, the allure of exploring this “what if” scenario is hard to resist. The injection of modern elements can not only be seen visually, but is also projected in works that explore the subversion of certain customs and gender roles.
Dar took this idea a step further and incorporated it not only in the process of setting up and shooting the images, but also in developing them. All photographs are shot using modern, digital technology but are printed through traditional alternative processing techniques. For this purpose, she used the Van Dyke technique to create a specific, romantic kind of brown that is reminiscent of the photographs of that time.
Romantic Browns opens September 28, 2018 at 6 PM. We'll be having performances from French Manilla, Izzy Salinel, Triprunner, Fede Fourcade, and Joyen! Works will be available for viewing starting September 28, 2018 to October 20, 2018. Pineapple Lab Gallery at 6053 R. Palma Street, Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. Operating hours are 11am to 6pm from Tuesdays through Sundays.
About the Artist
Dar’s journey through the world of photography can be described in the adage “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” While other shooters start fast and blazed through, only to leave their cameras somewhere along the road, or tunnel-vision into a single path and never look back, Dar takes her time to explore her craft, try out new things, gather experience, and discover what she loves shooting the most, with the goal of eventually completing her own unique style.
This can be seen through the seemingly dual-life that she leads as a photographer. As a professional, she’s a capable shooter with extensive work experience in popular fields such as portraiture, lifestyle, event, and product photography. A graduate from the College of Saint Benilde’s esteemed photography course, she proceeded to work in the highly-competitive world of weddings under the tutelage of some of the masters in the industry. From there. she shifted her sights to her current day job as a lifestyle, and baby photographer. She also took other shooting jobs in her spare hours, and even became a part-time faculty of her Alma Mater where she teaches the art that she loves the most.
Creative works constitute the other half of Dar’s photography. In a seemingly 180-degree turn, these images are a reflection of the inner workings of her mind and heart as an artist. Abstract concepts, vivid colors, experimental techniques, and provoking imagery characterize these photographs, and some of them have found their way into gallery exhibits both in and out of Manila (going as far as being shown in Long Island, New York). Along the way, she found people who share her vision that she loves working with, and ever since, they’ve been collaborating together to create one visual treat after another.
At present, Dar continues her photography journey while tirelessly honing her craft. She also still teaches the art at the College of Saint Benilde, inspiring students from different courses term after term to try out and experience the beauty of life from behind the lens.
And of course, she never stops creating images.
You can find most of her works at her Instagram (@photographsbydar) and get updates at her Facebook page (facebook.com/photographsbydar).