Cover Installation view of Geloy Concepcion’s ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, featuring letters collected across the Philippines (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
Installation view of Geloy Concepcion’s ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, featuring letters collected across the Philippines (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
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What began as a digital lifeline for immigrant Geloy Concepcion when he was dealing with isolation and cultural adjustment has transformed into a profound physical sanctuary, inviting viewers to confront the words we never dared to speak
Things You Wanted To Say But Never Did began as a simple prompt on CCP Thirteen Artists Award recipient Geloy Concepcion’s personal social media account in 2019. Following a 2017 relocation from Manila to California, he endured a challenging three-year period without employment, further compounded by language barriers and a deep sense of alienation.
The onset of the global pandemic trapped him indoors, turning his personal estrangement into a collective reality. Concepcion notes that the project was a direct reaction to this confinement, explaining, “Kung pipicturean ko yung bahay namin, yung kung ano nangyayari sakin... para akong na sukol, kung anong... para akong na corner na parang... oh, ano nang gagawin mo? [If I take pictures of our house, of what is happening to me... it’s like I’m trapped, like what... it’s like I’m cornered... oh, what are you going to do now?]”
Above Geloy Concepcion (Photo: courtesy of the artist)
Geloy Concepcion (Photo: courtesy of the artist)
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Unable to capture grand historical events outside, he turned to the internet to connect, shifting his focus to documenting everyday “microstories”. He initially began inscribing the anonymous replies he received onto his own film photographs.
As thousands of responses flooded his inbox, he transitioned to using Google Forms to receive submissions. To accommodate the sheer volume, he began incorporating found photographs—particularly 1960s to 1980s colour slides—sourced from Californian flea markets.
To protect the vulnerability of the senders, Concepcion maintains a strict rule of “not showing faces on the artworks”. He occasionally substitutes images of mountains or clouds when a confession lacks a direct visual counterpart.
Read more: Geloy Concepcion photography exhibition with Tarzeer Pictures
Above Geloy Concepcion, from the series ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, 2019-present, set of 150 photographs printed on Old Mill Bianco, collection of the artist (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
Geloy Concepcion, from the series ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, 2019-present, set of 150 photographs printed on Old Mill Bianco, collection of the artist (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
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Bringing this vast digital archive to the Ateneo Art Gallery required an intimate understanding of the artist’s language. Concepcion entrusted the translation of his six-year project to his long-time friend and curator, Dennese Victoria.
Having worked together as interns and eventually camera operators for the television documentary Storyline in 2011, their shared history allowed for a profound level of creative trust. When Concepcion brought the project to Victoria, he simply stated he needed help, later telling her and the gallery team, “I-figure out niyo nalang ako [Just figure me out]” and “Ikaw na bahala [I trust in you]”.
Above Geloy Concepcion, from the series ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, 2019-present, cut photograph, paper and text, set of 7 photographs, collection of the artist (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
Geloy Concepcion, from the series ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, 2019-present, cut photograph, paper and text, set of 7 photographs, collection of the artist (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
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Tasked with parsing 1,831 files, Victoria described the overwhelming experience as being overexposed to need, it felt like being engulfed.
"I wasn’t looking at this work as photography. I was always looking at the desire to hold... How do you hold the ocean with just your hands? Whose sadness, whose house, whose grief over another?” Victoria shared in her curator’s notes.
Working meticulously, she selected letters she simply could not let go of, deliberately grouping together confessions from men detailing sexual abuse. She also ensured the inclusion of notes wishing for deceased loved ones to appear in dreams.
Early concerns from gallery staff that the exhibition might feel too dark were met with Victoria’s firm belief in making space for the “fullness of people”. She noted that “it is the darkest parts of ourselves that most need to be held with care, or even simply looked at, faced.”
Above Geloy Concepcion, from the series ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, 2019-present, video, 48:05 mins loop, collection of the artist (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
Geloy Concepcion, from the series ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’, 2019-present, video, 48:05 mins loop, collection of the artist (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
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The resulting exhibition unfolds across two distinct spaces at the Wilson L Sy Prints & Drawings Gallery. It beautifully marries international digital submissions with local letters gathered nationwide by community volunteers.
Inside the gallery, Victoria enhanced the delicate intimacy through thoughtful installation choices, such as projecting images onto fabric rather than using hard surfaces. This specific decision aimed to evoke the warmth of a home, prompting Concepcion to exclaim how beautiful the project had become.
Above Installation view of ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’ on view until July 12 at the Ateneo Art Gallery (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
Installation view of ‘Things You Wanted to Say But Never Did’ on view until July 12 at the Ateneo Art Gallery (Photo: Reeltime Photography / courtesy of Ateneo Art Gallery)
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It is an environment carefully constructed to hold emotion, featuring poignant additions such as a table of books borrowed from Arabella Paner.
“When I think of someone who has survived the unimaginable, when I think of someone who was able to make it through, I think of her and her mum. Last August, we finally brought her mother to the sea, something we couldn’t afford to do when she was still alive. It was a ritual only three of us were there for, the photographs she took of her mother projected on the water,” written on the letters tucked in some of the books.
By providing a dedicated space for visitors to stay awhile and write their own untold stories, the exhibition extends the project’s vital relay of affect. Through this communal offering, Concepcion hopes to foster a genuine safe space, ensuring that anyone who leaves a piece of their heart on the gallery wall knows they are not alone.
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Franz writes about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Art Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright. But above all this, this Aether main spends more time in Teyvat than anywhere else.
