Conceptual artist Reg Yuson transforms space into an experience of reflection, discovery, and new perspectives.
His property in Alfonso, Cavite, is a testament to this vision. The driveway, nestled among natural surroundings, is easily missed due to the discreet address number. "There was a time when homes here had no numbers," Yuson says. "People in the neighborhood knew where everyone lived."
As we entered the property, our expectations of creative clutter were met with a different reality. The landscape is characterized by structures with a defined architectural sensibility, reflecting Yuson's early exposure to the disciplines of architecture and engineering.
The property is divided into modules, each assigning activities to particular spaces. A dining area is located near a studio apartment, and stone pads in the garden lead to an independent unit with bed and bath facilities and a window that transforms into a balcony.
The systematic layout spreads over an expansive space, respecting the natural world. A massive tree thrives among indigenous flowers, and a river formed by volcanic activity hundreds of years ago runs through the property.
Yuson has built ponds that reflect the skies, installed rainmakers beside chimes and hand drums, and created a fusion of art, architecture, and design. Space is treated as a primary material, and he expands the language of sculpture from the traditional into lived spaces, interaction, and perception.
The engagement makes a deliberate connection between everyday life and human experiences. Sculpture, industrial design, and urban planning come together with deliberateness and precision. Many of his iconic works are interactive, transforming everyday spaces into reflective, contemplative zones.
Yuson sees public art as a way to "stimulate intellectually, emotionally, and physically." His minimalist yet complex artworks can be ambiguous, extending an invitation to interpret rather than to be simply admired. They may appear to be disinterested in pleasing the eye and more intent on provoking thought.
His studio showcases some of his collections, including a camouflage relief sculpture from his Territories series. "The work is about identity and nationhood," he explains. "You never see a jigsaw puzzle as a singular piece but always a part of a bigger whole."
The works around the room and in the garden were quietly philosophical, exploring perception vs. reality, the relationship between people and space, the tension between nature and urban living, and the act of seeing and experiencing.
Throughout our time in this sanctuary, we lost words, incapable of capturing the sense of awe and amazement. What captured and held our hearts was a stunning table centerpiece, the Nimbus, created during the pandemic by elevating igneous rocks on polished steel rods.
The Nimbus was like rain descending from a cloud, deliberately playing with the laws of physics. It was a solid mass drifting effortlessly in mid-air, a gravity-defying sculpture that left us breathless and our pulses racing.
Yuson's greatest medium is not stone, steel, or polished surfaces but space itself and what it awakens within those who enter it. We left Alfonso with the rare feeling of having walked through a poem that needed no words.
