GAX 2015: The Portrait

If you haven’t had a chance to visit GAX (Guam Art Exhibit) at the Agana Shopping Center, there’s still time to stop in to check out the creative works done by some of Guam’s ultra talented artists. This year was the first time we’ve ever attended GAX. GAX holds two events annually; a small teaser event mid-year followed by the big event at the end of the year. This mid-year’s theme is “The Portrait”.

As you walk around, you’ll catch a glimpse of works done by: Don Seery, Vic Consaga, Lindsay Kane, Joey Certeza, Opake, Nina Peck, Jon Bermudes, Canvas by Fawn, Yeon Sook Pak, Josh Agerstrand, Derek Mendell, Ubeng, Anoy Figuero, Katrina Unsay, Amber Word, and Nik O to name a few. From acrylic to charcoal, to metal sculptures, to sharpie work, there’s a wide variety of artful expressions for every art enthusiast to appreciate.

GAX opening night was filled with high energy and positive vibes all around. The one unique thing about every GAX event is seeing the community come together to show love and support for every artist. It also exposes and connects other artists to other types of art being created. As thriving artists, we can learn from one another, be open to try different techniques and collaborate with each other to improve our crafts.

We unveiled our first Art in Motion portrait, “Maga’lahi Gamson,” a key character from our original work, “Outsmarting Manet.” Initially we didn’t think we’d have enough time to get all the raw elements together for this interactive gem, but we knew this type of interactivity would get people excited and bring a renewed level of appreciation for the arts.

What would have taken us a month or two to put together a piece of this caliber, took us three weeks to complete. From full character development, to illustration and edits, audio and voice narration, production, audio editing, animation, to full on composite and app development for both iOS and Android; it was a solid push to get our first interactive character done and done right. And we’re happy to report that Maga’lahi Gamson was a hit. We even had a few requests to purchase the piece.

Though this is the first time the public has been introduced to Maga’lahi Gamson’s humble beginnings, this will not be the last you will see of him. At Kottura, we envision every story we create to build upon future stories. Like the interconnectedness of culture, our characters from each of our stories are all connected to each other. It’s fun creating character personas that allow us to build and develop more stories. We make it a point to push the limits of our imagination to make memorable characters that people can identify and connect with.

We knew Gamson’s character would be impactful so we also decided to create an Art in Motion tee that mimicked the same art experience from canvas to wearable fashion. As with all our Augmented Reality products, to see our animated character come to life, download the free Kottura ART app for Apple and Android devices. If you’d like to purchase your very own Maga’lahi Gamson Art in Motion tee, it is available for purchase in adult and youth sizes in our online store.

As for the future of Maga’lahi Gamson’s story? We have big plans for him, but we’re still envisioning how his story will pan out. Will he make a short voyage to Rota in search of a more powerful Maga’lahi to challenge? Maybe he’ll venture into the mystical waters of Sa’ipan to be reunited with his first true love, only to find she fled the shores of Guam because of a curse her mother cast on her. There are endless possibilities. Stay tuned as his story unfolds.

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