Set against the toxic environs of a Manila landfill, Detritus unfolds like a drama equally surreal and real, with vignettes depicting corruption, consumerism, spiritual decay, environmental degradation, poverty and excessive lifestyle. Growing up during the post-Martial Law years and the surge of social realist art, the artist has been cognizant of the problems that recur in his homeland despite the dismantling of the old authoritarian regime. At the far left, pink neon words spell out “It is said: God is enough” in Tagalog. The phrase lays bare the conflicting sentiments of resignation, exasperation and hope felt by ordinary people caught up in Life's theatre and its greatest tragedy: that despite the seeming changes in the actors and props, it is a play destined for constant rerun, restaged time and again.Leslie de Chavezb. 1978, Manila, the PhilippinesLives and works in Lucban and Tayabas, the PhilippinesLeslie de Chavez graduated from the University of the Philippines, College of Fine Arts in 1999 and has held solo exhibitions in the Philippines, China, Korea and Switzerland. He has participated in the Beppu Asia Biennale (Japan, 2005), Pocheon Asia Biennale (South Korea, 2007), Nanjing Triennial (China, 2008) and Asian Art Biennale (Taiwan, 2011). In 2010 he received the Ateneo Art Award for emerging artists in the Philippines for his exhibition 'Buntong Hininga'. De Chavez has had residencies at the Asian Artists Fellowship Program at the IASK Goyang Art Studio (South Korea, 2005), the Neo-Emerging Artists Residency at Dangsan Studio (Seoul, 2006-2007) and the Leipzig International Art Programme (Germany, 2011). He is the director of the artist-run initiative, Project Space Pilipinas.
