In case you haven’t heard, Cinco de Mayhem Music Festival (CDM) is shaping up to be a summer event like no other. Just recently, this historic first is proud to forge its creative partnership with visual artist Leeroy New—staying true to its promise of bringing a unique twist to the music festival scene. New’s vision and craftsmanship is set to help build the Mexican utopia specially-designed to mold an unforgettable experience at the Vista Mall Daang Hari Open Grounds, this coming Cinco de Mayo weekend, May 4, 2019, Saturday.
Read: James Reid, Nadine Lustre and Kiana Valenciano Headline CDM
Born in General Santos City, the contemporary artist and young visionary has dabbled into different platforms to harness his craft: from film, theater, product design, and fashion. While he was originally trained as a sculptor but his innate knack for transforming otherworldly ideas into thought-provoking and eye-catching pieces led him to try various mediums from production design for film, wearable art for known fashion designers and muses, including Lady Gaga, down to 3D mock ups for commercial purposes. This resulted to a comprehensive body of work that is celebrated both locally and internationally.
New’s work has been showcased at the Singapore Biennale in 2008 and the Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale in 2009. Just this year, Pinto International, headquartered in New York, proudly headlined their quarterly exhibition series with his “Aliens of Manila: New York Colony”, a collection of sculptures crafted from found materials like flexible conduit, food covers, cable ties, and fiberglass. This stems from the 2014-born series, “Aliens of Manila”, which he has completed with friends dressed in absurd costumes thrust in urban Manila, inspired New York street-style photography.
But it was his larger-than-life public installations that have gotten his work and his unique vision a second look from the arts scene and the public eye. From his Balete series crafted from industrial pipes woven together using cable ties, his post-apocalyptic sculpture park highlighted by a giant bamboo spaceship at the Paoay Sand Dunes, to the floating performance garden at the Pasig River made in collaboration with the Burning Man Global Arts grant, New has since etched a mark that is distinctly his.
In collaboration with fellow conceptual artist Georjanno Abenoja, New is expected to mount his large-scale art crafted from bamboo, neon lights, mesh, rope lights, and conduit as centerpiece to this mecca of music, food, drinks, and visual arts. Abenoja is a young painter, concept artist, character designer, and illustrator whose aesthetic was nurtured by his inclinations for surrealist images of mutants, monsters, and cyborg babies. Abenoja has been New’s constant collaborator in various exhibitions like the Pasig City mural, the Kult Gallery, and even the alternate universe they have created for local series Bagani. “I am excited to bring my perspective and vision to build this fascinating world brought by Cinco de Mayhem. It’s not everyday that you get to be part of something as grand and unique as this,” New shares.
Presented by premiere events producers ProMedia Productions, CDM promises a unique musical experience bringing together top local artists and DJs in a vibrant and festive celebration of music, youthful spirit, community, and of life. With New’s art centerpieces, along with a roster of fun activities brought exclusively by partners, there’s no doubt CDM will become a musical experience like no other. “We are definitely thrilled to bring game-changers who are making their mark not just in the music scene but also in the visual arts. Not to mention, we have generous partners who are one with us in setting the tone for this vibrant celebration,” shares festival creative director Alexander Diaz.
CDM will be headlined by local performers James Reid and Nadine Lustre, along with the rest of the Careless Music Manila crew: Astrokidd, Massiah, King WaW, and Curtismith, together with rising and legendary musicians and DJs from Quest, Kiana Valenciano, Divine Smith, DJ Euric, Deuce, and Nix Damn P. Spicing the lineup is the country’s first and only female MC Marga Bermudez, along with special performances from event partner, RedBull’s award-winning performers.
“We want Cinco de Mayhem to be fresh, young, and diverse to cater to a wide crowd that enjoys good food, good music, and a good experience. This will be an epic night that would spell how we mount many more Cinco de Mayhems to come, to cap off your summer,” said Lahaina Mae Mondonedo, Director of Operations.
Cinco De Mayhem Music Festival is presented by ProMedia Productions and Vista Mall, sponsored by Havaianas, Olmeca, and RedBull Philippines. Philip Morris is the event’s official cigarette partner, while Crystal Clear is its official hydration partner. CDM also thanks its official companero media partners, One Mega Group through Mega, Inside Showbiz, and Meg. Rank Magazine, Status Magazine, Garage Magazine supported by Manila Bulletin and MB Life, InqPOP, supported by Inquirer.net, and WhenInManila.com
Tickets are still available at P3,500 (VVIP), P2,000 (VIP), and P950 (Gen. Ad). For more information and for ticket inquiries, visit Cinco de Mayhem’s official website, www.cincodemayhem.com. Like and follow Cinco de Mayhem’s official social media pages on Facebook and Instagram @cincodemayhemph for real-time updates and upcoming promos.