Shared Light: Comuna is Isaiah Cacnio’s Next Canvas

Calculated chaos.

This is how multimedia engineer-turned-motion graphics artist Isaiah Cacnio described his oeuvre on the occasion of his show, Shared Coordinates, at RiseSpace Art Gallery at creative hub Comuna, Makati. While the abstract pieces emblazoned on steel plates within the gallery walls of the Canlas family of artists may seem carefree and aimless, with fractals, waves, and maelstroms in every conceivable color, Cacnio says nothing could be farther from the truth.

In a digital landscape increasingly saturated with the boon and bane of generative AI, Cacnio is an anomaly in that he is the algorithm. The artist reveals that each piece is conceived through rigorous mathematics; set formulas and calculations are fed into his circa 2008 Mandelbulb fractal software for rendering, a process that requires hours of RAM and processor power. But what surprises is that, far from being a cold exercise in numbers (something Cacnio is comfortable with, evidenced by his passionate explanations of the exact mathematical formulae), each piece is a portrait of emotion and sentiment. Cacnio reveals that every work starts with a vision from his mind’s eye (“I imagine rocky landscapes, or an endless sea…”) and is not an algorithmic accident.

Having spent the last three months at Comuna for the show, the first artist-building collaboration of its kind by the development, Cacnio shares that the process has felt like an artistic residency. “These pieces represent the various personalities and archetypes of people I’ve met working in Comuna; different as they may be, these variables share the coordinates of a single space that has brought us together.”

From the black-and-white renders of craggy planetary orbs that characterize The Listener, The Radiant, The Stalwart, The Welcomer, The Enigma, The Keeper, and The Seeker, Cacnio adds color and makes further interventions to cap off the pieces. These are then prepared for either his animated projection mapping or for printing on metal sheets abroad. His show in Comuna blesses visitors with an experience of both: the gallery walls that hold the physical art and a large-scale projection-mapping sequence that turns structure into canvas. The media preview last April 8 had all four floors of the development facing its lush courtyard dissolve into an explosion of light and color to the energetic beats of musician Raphael Daganzo, who composed two tracks for the installation. The light show will run nightly from 6 to 10 pm, from April 10 to 19 (except the 14^th).

A partnership between RiseSpace Art Gallery, Comuna, and projection sponsor Panasonic, with Maya Colayco, community manager of Comuna, reveals Shared Coordinates as a full week of programming in celebration of light, both sight-giving and life-giving. Cacnio is the banner act, but the support programming is just as luminous. On April 18, a projection-mapping workshop will see Cacnio reveal his process and techniques honed over more than a decade, teaching participants how to execute small-scale projection work without expensive equipment.

On April 12, an artist talk with Cacnio, Art Fair Philippines co-founder Trickie Lopa, muralists Jappy Agoncillo and BLIC, moderated by architect JJ Acuña of JJA Bespoke, will delve into the influence of art creation in public spaces and the vital roles it plays in the social fabric.

Finally, on April 19, the festival takes its bow with a Light and Music Festival, complete with projection mapping in the common areas of Comuna alongside a soon-to-be-announced musical lineup. Comuna’s F&B tenants are also in on the celebration, with special menu items from Ani Cafe, Palm Tree Abbey, Agni by Mantra, Guinto Creamery, and Goto Monster crafted specifically for the occasion.