Philipp Ines

 

Resurrecting Heroes

November 26, 2018 / C-3 

By Hannah Jo Uy

Acts of heroism in the face of danger, the unconquerable spirit of mankind in the midst of warfare and the neverend­ing battle between good and evil taken up by the courageous few that want to serve their country—for artist Philipp Ines, the morals and values celebrated by epic poems that tell of such stories are more valuable today than ever be­fore, with the artist lamenting the fad­ing sense of nationalism among the Filipino people today. 

Through his works, Ines unravels the hidden treasures that have been buried in modern society’s assault of the senses to put the spotlight on stories that embody the cultural. His propensity to promote the beauty of shared consciousness is even more pronounced in his latest show, “Isto- Istorya,” currently being showcased at Art Verite. In his latest collection, Ines indulged in his deep fascination for Fil­ipino myths, legends, and folklore, div­ing into the rich tapestry of stories that emulate the collective beliefs of our people. “I feel that we have a rich oral tradition,” he said. “I want to introduce the visual version of those to today’s art audience because there are still so many things to discover.” 

Speaking on the biggest driv­ing force behind the collection, Ines pointed to Biagni Lam-ang, an epic poem close to the artist’s heart having grown up in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. Ines recalled being witness to the spirit of community in his town, hearing from elders speak of Lam-ang. “Because of that I became interested in creating visual representations of these epics so more people can know more about our heroes,” he said. Ines built upon his knowledge by reading up on similar stories such the Bicolano epic of Iba­lon and Maguindanao’s Indarapatra at Sulayman, which also highlight the value of heroism and community. “Be­cause of my knowledge of the values in these stories, I was able to compare the level of patriotism then to now. And it would seem that, little by little, our sense of nationality is fading away, we are becoming more concerned with our own selves,” he said.

 For Ines, creativity is the amalga­mation of life, with all the experiences gained and lessons learned. “As an art­ist, I take it upon myself to create my works out of what I see,” he said, “and what I imagine based on the things that are happening around me.” 

Ines’ keen eye for observation serves as his very education, and the seeds of his oeuvre. “I keep track of all my ideas,” he admitted. “I have studies, and plans on what to paint beforehand.” 

Speaking on his creative process, Ines shared that he always starts with a cup of coffee. Armed with a fresh brew, Ines steps into his work space, an in­timate womb that cultivates his latest visual creations. “I may have one piece on my easel that I am focusing on and other blank canvases which I can eas­ily reach, once I have a different idea of what to paint,” he shared.That being said, Ines manages to strike an essen­tial balance of having both a methodi­cal and a spontaneous approach. For the most part, the works of Ines reflect his personal concerns towards society, using art as a way to react to news and current events. This, for the artist, sig­nals his foray deeper into his craft. “I feel like I have evolved by dealing with serious issues ailing society, and I also managed to refine my painting tech­nique over the years,” he said. 

This ever-evolving technique is also deeply influenced by the intense and spirited approach of Jackson Pol­lock, Egon Schiele, and Claude Mo­net, which the artist credits as having had the biggest impact on his aes­thetic approach. The works of Ines echo the same vibrancy, pulsating with life, raw feelings, and emotions. It is almost of pro­found irony the medium tasked with bearing such passion is paper. It is through this medium, in all its humility, that Ines attempts to com­municate the inner workings of his mind, drawn to the flexibility that paper offers as it allows him to go as detailed as pos­sible with the work at hand.“Whether it’s an intermediate sort with the blue and red lines, or flattened cardboard that look like a box flattened out, I always use it as ground for my paint­ings,” he said, “be­cause I feel like this is an object that is uni­versal and recogniz­able to everyone.” 

Indeed, as a painter, Ines has tak­en it upon himself to resurrect heroes in the earnest desire to use his visual me­dium to underscore their importance in the formation of the Filipino conscious­ness, using epic narratives as a meta­phor to filter his message on the im­portance of bayanihan. 

“Isto-istorya” by Philipp Ines, is on display at Art Verite Galleryfrom Nov.17 to 29, 2018.