Lirio Salvador’s works do not stand behind signs that impose: “Do Not Touch the Artwork.” Instead, his art entices the viewer to reach across the institutional wall that divides them just to pluck at the strings. Called ‘sculptural assemblages,’ Salvador’s works are products of an alchemist. Gold lies in his ingenious fuse of decorative art and functional art, as well as the transformation of ordinary objects into a whole new artifact. Gears, mixing bowls, utensils and door handles make up these string instruments. Yet, this is more than experimentation with art principles and elements. Salvador’s sculptural assemblages also combine visual and sound form. The degree of direct viewer encounter changes as Salvador explores and moves from sculptural sentiments to functional principles and finally to firsthand experience with a musical instrument. Art, as proven by this artist, is no longer constrained to a passive gaze and a mere nest for our bottoms. It has now been made into an occasion to produce/ re-produce art ad infinitum from a single art-object.
Read MoreLirio Salvador is an alchemist of object and sound. Also a member of the band Elemento, the artist is dedicated to producing/ re-producing experimental sound compositions. Elemento makes use of his sculptural assemblages and home-made synthesizers. Unlike many haphazard others whose techniques match his, he is the rare few who can ever achieve a refined finish. His fascination with possibility is childlike, but his production is sophisticated. The beauty of his works does not end here. Because they are made up of various materials and disciplines, they can never remain closed up. The ingenuity lies in the unfinished nature of his works. In their capacity to accommodate more objects, more creative fusion, there is more gold to be made.
