Revaleka

"Bulao Period" occupies a significant role as the second album in Revaleka’s artistic journey following Memento. It not only marks a visual and thematic revolution but also reflects a period of naive and open-ended exploration, characterized by significant creative shifts. This album was later refined and recalibrated through the emergence of his third album, Cropped Chronicles, in the same year—an album that steered Revaleka back toward a focused and linear conceptual direction, particularly in his exploration of nostalgia and identity.

Amidst its strikingly deep and bold blue palette, Bulao Period unveils a window into the turbulence of adolescence, a period defined by the search for identity, rebellion, and unforgettable first experiences. While inspired by Picasso’s Blue Period and sharing similar tonalities, it offers a divergent narrative by delving deeper into the raw and unfiltered dynamics of youth.

Still anchored in vintage photographs as its visual starting point, each work in this album not only preserves moments but also probes the complexities of emotions and conflicts that arise during these formative years. Bulao Period distills the essence of adolescent mischief, ego, love, and sexuality in a way that transcends the personal, transforming intimate experiences into a universal language. It offers profound insights into how we, as a society, perceive this transitional stage often taboo, yet undeniably essential in shaping our identities.

This series stands out not only for its courage in addressing vulnerable and often avoided subjects within public discourse but also for Revaleka’s abstract approach to intertwining nostalgia with the inescapable realities of the present. Each piece in the album seems to record fleeting yet tumultuous moments in a dynamic and often contradictory life.

In a broader context, Bulao Period emerges as a transformative body of work, challenging societal narratives about how we visualize the turbulent, dramatic, yet critical adolescent years that shape the adult self. Through this album, Revaleka not only questions but seeks to expand the boundaries of visual storytelling about youth, digging deeper, seeking greater understanding, and celebrating the intricate complexities of what makes us who we are today.