Costantino Zicarreli *

Valen Valero

 

 

Artwork, Encoded 

The Evolution of Valero

September 26, 2016

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

There is a delightfully mysterious twist that can be found in the art of Valen Valero. Within the visually arresting abstractions showcased in her oeuvre, she has stealthily hidden codes and messages. Camouflaged between the organized chaos of her geometric lines and silhouettes set off by her clever manipulation of muted colors, these cryptographs are composed of letters and numbers. Representative of her refreshing optimism, they exist to connect Valero to the viewers as she bares her soul and shares her journey. 

Her abstractions owe its dynamic quality to her contagious positivity, which she materialized by putting in verses and inspirational quotes. Carefully concealed from all except those with knowing eyes, these codes are an inspired addition to what already stands as an alluring visual piece. It adds a unique dimension to her artwork, as it serves to represent her underlying philosophical approach in life, as well as injecting form in what can otherwise be considered arbitrary figures; as a metaphor for meaning arising out of chaos. 

“My work is basically a reflection of thoughts, travels, and belief,” says Valero. “A product of the flow of time, experiences, and encounters. It is a personal map that links, present, past, and future destination.”

A native of San Fernando, La Union, Valero’s inclination for art revealed itself at the young age of seven, when she would consume the art materials her mother would bring home. Though she went on to study Food Technology, her passion eventually led her to continue her artistic development. She read books voraciously and immersed herself in beautiful sights and images throughout her travels which further added to her visual repertoire. 

Initially, she was drawn to the spontaneous and naïve style of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Vincent Van Gogh. As the fore runners of Cubism and Fauvism, their aesthetics greatly influenced her own artistic development, which is emphasized by her expressive use of color, evident throughout her evolution as an artist. But most importantly, it was their lives and a deep appreciation of their persistence that drove her to pave the way for her own artistic career. 

In 2001, Valero had her debut solo exhibition at Art Circle Gallery showcasing 50 Impressionist paintings, which were well-received by the public and proved to be successful, even being sold-out. This further prompted her to move away from her professional career as a businesswoman and explore her creativity by taking up fine arts courses at the Art Students League of New York in 2012. She has since had a number of solo and group exhibitions in the Philippines and abroad. 

“My maturity and challenges in life was a big factor that helped me to express my emotions and feeling through my paintings. For the past 16 years, I tried different mediums and styles. From freestyle drawing to pen and ink, acrylic, mixed media art, and now I am also into sculptures. To evolve, one needs to get lost to find his/her way.”

Being a full time artist for the past six years, Valero has worked resiliently and wholeheartedly on her craft and her progress is strongly reflected in her steady move towards more non-representational art. Every stage divulged a new aspect of Valero’s growth as a person and as an artist, showcasing and challenging a new set of aesthetic skills. As a result, her portfolio is a colorful cacophony of different styles and mediums cohabitating: “Every time I have a show, I need to add up new elements so others have something to look forward to. I believe that change is important. It means you are evolving as an artist. You have to explore new things, spice it all up and make new series.”

It was in 2006 that Valero shifted with certainty towards abstraction, finding that it best reflected her momentary mindfulness and moods, which she transferred through an evocative use of color. It became the vehicle for her to chronicle her advancement. It is for this reason that she was fascinated with the concept of development, destination, and direction. She has been unabashed with sharing all aspect of herself and her creative formation. Her early pieces, when she began to dabble into mixed media works, prominently feature elements of steel. These are in homage to her early childhood, and her family who work in the steel industry. Seeing the discarded steel parts, she began to incorporate them in her works in a display of spontaneity.

“Abstract is abstract—it has no boundaries,” she shares, “You are free to do whatever you want with no hesitation. Express your anger, your feelings, and your thoughts. Elements appear and disappear. Depends on how wild your imagination is. I find it more interesting because it makes you think and wonder.” 

In addition, Valen notes that she has always made a conscious effort to expose herself, “I am open to suggestions and opinions of others because it’s good to be open minded. Constructive criticism is normal, its part of your growth as an artist. At the end of the day it’s your own style that matters and it’s still your own creation anyway.”

In her latest exhibit, entitled, “Impulse,” at the Artologist Art Gallery, she showcases 12 mixed media works. Serving as a continuation of her big bang series, exhibited last March, this latest collection is bolder and more cathartic as the artist was straightforward and conscientious with regards to pouring out her emotions on the canvas. One piece, “Reflection,” features metal stainless sheets, bolts, irregularly shaped canvases, and her usual encoded writings. In its own way, it serves as the culmination of the many stages Valen had gone through to get to this point in her artistic career. 

As a whole, the collection speaks of Valero’s positivity and optimism which is fortified by her faith. In her creative attempt to express her gratitude and honest depiction of her own journey, she reinforces and celebrates the importance of respecting and enjoying the process, as opposed to being consumed with the destination. 

“IMPULSE” will be on display until Oct. 4, at the Artologist Gallery 81 Xavier residences unit 203, Greenhills, San Juan. www.theartologist.net

Norman Dreo

Norman Dreo: Microcosm of life

Text by Pam Brooke Casin

Painter Norman Dreo probably wouldn’t tell you how crucial the location of his studio is in the creation of his socially aware and politically-charged figurative repertoire, but then again he wouldn’t have to tell you once you’ve personally visited him in his workshop and seen and felt the pulse of his perpetually bustling jungle – a dense world vacillating from underdevelopment to industrialization. 

Dreo’s artworks are a product of the energy and spirit of his community tucked at the edge of the University of the Philippines’ Diliman campus. And he has masterfully translated the sights and sounds of his community into his canvases, allowing viewers to partake in a visual dialogue with his urbanized locality. 

While some tend to consciously get away from the immediate milieu he or she is in and opt to create pieces using only the maneuverings of his or her mind, Dreo does the exact opposite. He chooses to drown himself in his community, embracing its idiosyncrasies. 

As a result, the artist’s neighbors and the ordinary people he encounters every day as well as the scenes that pique his interest and resonate with him take center stage in his oil paintings. In this manner, however, Dreo is not only depicting the way of life of the people but is praising them as well in the sense that he lets onlookers witness life as he sees it. And his sheer capability to paint such is Dreo’s genius. 

According to Dreo, the subjects of his pieces may not be as socially conscious as they are now had he not grown up in his current neighborhood. People might as well expect a totally different repertoire from Dreo had he, say, transferred to a posh exclusive village where poverty and societal injustice and disparity wouldn’t be king. Somehow, that just would not seem quite right. In a way, Dreo is probably thankful he has seen all the struggles life could offer him, for ultimately, they are the fountainhead of his realistic works. 

However, while most people may deem Dreo’s artwork as “sharp social commentaries” according to Ateneo professor and art writer Ana Labrador, Dreo says he is just “painting from life.” What one may see from Dreo’s paintings is an inevitable “reconstruction” of pictorial elements that he sees aplenty in his environment. He rearranges these elements in a way where everything is interrelated, making his opuses cohesive and compact. There are no loose strings in Dreo’s paintings but rather conscious bits and pieces of representational elements charged with allusions and metaphors easily recognizable by even the uninitiated eye. This is the charm perhaps of a Dreo: Its way of being able to engage viewers by using a visual language that is readable. 

Labrador writes, “Those images that appear on his canvases are mostly a reconstruction of the things around him. He interprets his environment partly as a result of a technical challenge that affects talented painters like him. In Dreo’s case, what preoccupied him in the beginning is showing the patterns he sees around him. That is, finding a resolution to pictorial problems in terms of composition and realistic representation.” 

Being able to find a way around the limitations of a two-dimensional canvas is also one of Dreo’s outstanding gifts. It seems that he can easily create life-like paintings that are according to Labrador “akin to relief sculptures.” People may be deceived by his works and think they’re utterly three-dimensional, hence, characterizing his works as having sensitivity to detail. 

Noted opuses by Dreo include “Ipinako sa Krus,” a 1999 work by the artist portraying a boy trying to climb a wire fence. Dreo says the broken fence symbolizes the hardships and hindrances man has to go through in this chaotic life in order to achieve success and happiness. Chaos in the painting was depicted by the many odds and ends, trash, and scraps of paper and metal scattered heavily in the piece. Dreo notes that this painting ultimately represents how hard it is to climb up to the top, as in one could get scraped, bruised, and hurt while attempting it. 

Another worthy piece in Dreo’s repertoire is “Island in the Street.” It’s a piece highly charged with political overtones where workers try to clean up and rip off election bills and posters from a weak flyover. The flyover, one of the most prominent government projects at the time, represents the crumbling structure of the government. The workers thus portray how the government lacks in rigor to promote progress in the country, making its lowly subordinates do all the “dirty work.” 

Dreo admits, however, that his pieces can be a tad burdening and depressing. But the artist is quick to say that’s not what he is aiming for. He shares that his purpose is to enlighten his audiences on these pressing matters and issues and let them decide to finally do something about them. While there are some dismal pictorial devices present in Dreo’s works, there are also hopeful and optimistic things in them – a contagious smile plastered on a child’s face, a brightly colored palette, or a sincere gesture of a son to his father. 

Recently, Dreo is preoccupied with painting “microcosms” of his society. Here he embeds thriving communities, public spaces, and intersections into computer motherboards. These pieces he creates using a bird’s eyeview. Using this very much detailed and laborious technique, Dreo lets his viewers see how life has seemingly become much like the hectic (yet empty?) arrangement of these computer circuit boards. It’s as if Dreo here is assaulting his audiences with very essential questions by amalgamating human life into these devices: “Has technology dehumanized human beings?” and “Are we being controlled by technology?” 

At the end of the day though, Dreo, in his suite of artworks, asks us these: “What have we done to live a life as tragic and muddled like this?” “Why are we suffering still? “What can we do to make our lives better?” The answers, Dreo would probably say, lies not entirely in his paintings but in you.

Eugene Cubillo

Eugene Cubillo: Sweetness of Struggle

Text by Pam Brooke A. Casin

IF THERE’S ANYTHING ARTIST Eugene Cubillo has learned in his almost a decade in the art scene, it’s that there’s sweetness in struggle—also, that if you want something bad enough, all you have to do is go the extra mile to have it. And that if you are very cutthroat in pursuing your passions in life, there’s no way the world won’t let you have the best of them.

There have been no shortcuts to the success of Cubillo today. In fact, Cubillo has had his fair share of obstacles along the way that typical artists go through. Imagine the painter starting out with no easel to work with, only his lap and a bleak, sturdy wall as substitutes. Imagine him not being allowed to ride a bus just because he has a huge painting flapping like an enormous kite behind his back, seen as a nuisance in public transport. Imagine him still finding the time to paint at night after he gets home from his very demanding day job.

But the very things that Cubillo has had experiences and encounters with are the very same things that inspire him to paint. An alumnus of the Institute of Fine Arts and Design at the Philippine Women’s University, Cubillo gets his ideas from pure observation. Common subjects that may escape the naked eye and seen in everyday life are the artist’s forte, making his body of work teeming with his personal reflections and social commentary.

For Cubillo, creating pieces tinged with commentary and works that are socially relevant is the best way to get his messages across. “Imbis na pupunta ka sa kalsada para magpahayag ng saloobin mo, mas maganda ‘yung gumawa ka ng paraan para maipahayag sila sa isang malikhaing pamamaraan. Hindi ‘yung pupunta ka sa kalsada at sisigaw ka. Marami naman kasing pwedeng gawin para maipakita sa tao kung ano’ng klaseng panahon meron tayo ngayon (Instead of trooping to the streets to express what you feel, one should just find a more creative way to do it. It’s not just about going to the streets to protest. There are so many ways for artists to make people see what kind of reality we’re experiencing now),” Cubillo shares.

Of course Cubillo didn’t necessarily start as a social realist. He was more predisposed at first to paint subjects intimate to him. He would paint his wife when he misses her, for example. However, since it is but natural for artists to be sponges of the society he’s living in, there was no doubt that Cubillo would soon infuse slices of Juan dela Cruz’s life in his paintings. Goings-on in Cubillo’s oeuvre are insightful and, sometimes, grotesque yet true observations of an archetypal Pinoy life. His art boasts of a juxtaposition of metaphorical elements, making the artist’s pictorial language deep and puzzling in a sense.

In typical Cubillo fashion, paintings come out as bizarre and eerie. Some of his pieces are definitely not for the fainthearted. One can almost sense a feeling of impending doom in Cubillo’s repertoire represented by the painter’s use of earthy and somber pigments as well as grimy depictions of his subjects—perhaps offering viewers a gauche and seemingly debauched visual delineation of our immediate milieu and underlining our society’s need to pay more attention to the harsh realities of the world today.

Cubillo’s work today involves making a collection of drawings and collages on playing cards. Titled Barahang Ligaw, the mixed media pieces are Cubillo’s way of making a statement that the medium is indeed the message. By using playing cards, Cubillo has successfully said that life is without a doubt a gamble, and that “people both play fair and dirty to survive [in this world] depending on how they play or choose their roles in the society.” 

Made using oil, acrylic, transfer prints, and collaged images, the playing cards also serve as small yet valuable appendages of the artist, as extensions of the artist’s experiences and responses to his encounters in life. Cubillo says that, although his current works are smaller compared to his previous pieces, the work remains tedious as they are very graphic and detailed. He adds that he plans on doing this series on a few more decks of playing cards. So far, he says, he has finished prepping a deck or two.

Notable in Cubillo’s suite of playing cards include his “Uniform” series. These are pieces that expose a woman’s flesh. According to the artist, this is his commentary about women who dance in nightclubs and strip to their birthday suits just to be able to pay the bills. It’s a take on women becoming “meat” for everyone to feast upon. Instead of going to work to dress up, these women literally have to strip down to wear their “uniforms” for the night.

One that caught my attention in Cubillo’s finished deck is his piece called “Smiley.”The card features a deathly painting of a beaming skull. This work represents the classic Filipino way of being forever the optimist—even to the point where death might be imminent.. 

“Ang mga Pinoy, kahit maraming problema, nakukuha pa ring ngumiti. Kahit parang mamamatay ka na, masaya ka pa rin (Filipinos can still smile amidst their many problems. They can still plaster a smile on their faces and be merry even when they’re going to die),” Cubillo quips. 

The charm, perhaps, in Cubillo’s work is not only seen in his spot-on portrayals of society’s everyday struggle. The appeal of a Cubillo work is not only in the telling and the revealing/ It’s also in the technique in which he chooses not to be preachy. He just presents things as they are and adds a bit of his personal stamp on them. Ultimately, he lets the viewers discern the bad and the good in each of his work. The allure lies in Cubillo’s capability to raise awareness and concern among his viewers.

That’s probably the best satisfaction Cubillo gets from painting. He says, “Nakukumpleto ka kapag nakapagpipinta ka. Hindi ko maipaliwanag pero masaya ako kapag nakatatapos ako ng isang obra dahil makikita ng tao kung ano’ng gusto kong iparating sa kanila. Kung ano ‘yung naiisip ko, nalalaman nila (I feel complete when I paint. I can’t fully explain it but I really feel happy when I finish a piece because people can now see what I feel. What I think about, they can now know).”

Asked if he still struggles from time to time, Cubillo decisively says yes. “There are still struggles up to now. But you see, for me, you should treat art as a woman. You should be in love with it and give it time. When you do that, I’m sure art will love you back,” he ends. And the years of toiling? Well, Cubillo says that, in time, they will all be worth it. 

For more information about his works, contact the artist at eugeniocubillo@yahoo.com.

Alfred Galvez

Alfred Galvez : Bringing Legends to Life

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

The forest is alive. As it breathes, it pulses with vigor. Its gentle leaves tickling the breeze, its bosom heaving with the rhythm of the wind. The sound of tranquility resonates within the safety of its womb, the birthplace of elusive and stunningly beautiful women gleaming with stardust and manifesting the powerful energy of the universe. These are the women of the forests. Stripped bare, they are a pure and ever-present life force, a representative of ethereal magnificence and the unwavering guardians of our land. These are the captivating and entrancing diwatas of Alfred Galvez.

The diwata, the enchanted maiden of the forest, has always fascinated me,” says Alfred. “As a student at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), I believed that these fairies of local legend were just flitting about among the trees and flowers that grew so abundantly on Mt. Makiling. The diwata became my muse, igniting my imagination and filling my paintings over the years with untold stories.”

Alfred’s strikingly-rendered diwatas, as can be seen in his latest exhibit at the Rico Renzo Gallery, which opened last March 13. Entitled Kuwentong Diwata, the exhibit is fascinating not only as a subject layered with many meanings, but also for its treatment that categorizes it under classical realism.

Art would not be what it is today without the foundation laid down by the classical paintings. The renaissance period produced the best painters that the world has ever seen in the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci and Boticelli. As aesthetic geniuses, the artists of the classical period left a legacy of perfection within the canvas. A perfection that lends itself to the many dimensions of a broad imagination, tied together by a peculiar understanding of symmetry, composition, and color. When other art identities flooded the contemporary consciousness, a new artistic school of thought came about as modern artists yearned for the rigorous training and application of classical painters. Thus, classical realism came about. It is a style, in which contemporary subjects are rendered in line with traditional visual philosophies. Emerging in the early 2000s, it is a slowly emerging style that is gaining momentum with the widespread establishment of different ateliers all over the world and with the influences of atelier artists like Juliette Aristides, Scott Burdick, David Kassan, and Gregory Mortenson.

In the same way, Alfred’s serious call to creation came from an encounter with an empty space that promised to incubate his creative yearnings. “I saw this place and I so loved it,” says Alfred, as he sits with his excited and irresistible white dog named Picasso in his spacious studio and workshop he aptly named Artalyer, located at 11th Jamboree St. corner Scout Fuentebella, Quezon City. Established in July last year, Artalyer was made possible with fellow artists Paul Quiano and Sean Cassidy. Together, they promote the ideals of classical realism in students and apprentices, whose imaginations are sparked by the lively discussions and workshops in the atelier. It became a way to quench their dismay at the lack of discipline that often plagues youthful artists, some of whom “never even touched a pencil.” “We were thinking of going back to the classics. It’s not about going back to the past and drawing in a manner that makes it look old; it’s about the foundation and there is no other foundation than the classical method.”

Alfred’s own inclination for classical works may have been foreshadowed by his early exposure to the works of many great Filipino masters. Hailing from Davao, Alfred’s immense talent was noticeable early on as he became a government scholar at PHSA. At 17, he became an apprentice of Mariano Madarang, former dean of the College of Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University. Under his tutelage, Alfred was trained in the restoration and conservation of the paintings of Fernando Amorsolo and Juan Luna. “I saw the process, the colors and I saw the emotion.”

When he went on to study Fine Arts as a Visual Communications student of at the University of the Philippines–Diliman, Alfred’s love of classical works flourished as he continued to restore the works of old masters such as Botong Francisco, Hidalgo, and other masters of the 18th century. During this time, his skill was further refined, as he observed the master’s expert manipulation of light, color, and elements within the very paintings that he was tasked to restore. It was also at this time that he worked as a muralist for various commercial establishments as well as homes.

His business thrived, eventually becoming AG Murals in 2003.

Even with a successful business, his need to express his classical yearnings persisted. In 2007, Alfred enrolled in classes at the Bottegad’ Arte in Florence, Italy. Studying under Marco Cavallini, who was known for illusionistic wall decoration, conservation, and antique painting techniques, he studied an architectural illusion painting technique called “Quadraturismo,” which was used by Italian masters during the 16th century Baroque period, aside from the traditional Florentine decorative painting.

Establishing Artalyer last year, which also serves as the office for AG Murals, ignited his creative juices as he revisited the classical methods and poured his visions on the canvas. The result is a collection of paintings that he showed at his most recent solo exhibition. All expressed relevant and contemporary subjects in a stunning traditional treatment. “Classical painting has many characteristics,” says Alfred. “The three being harmony, beauty, and completeness. Every painting should be harmonious, it should look complete, and it should be beautiful.”

In observing the works of Alfred, one can see the characteristics of revered paintings of time past. They are a testament to his breadth of knowledge, which he applied in his haunting sceneries that seem to be either a dream or a memory. “If you notice in classical realism, there is the discipline of a limited palette,” says Alfred. “That’s the best practice before you go very colorful. Classical realism has muted plates. Balance is very important. Classical paintings often have grid patterns. Another thing about classical realism is the distribution of color temperatures. Even flesh tones should have cold and warm color temperatures.”

The diwata series is an enthralling narrative on industrialization’s encroachment on natural resources. As the diwatas escape the money hungry clutches of their captors, they flee from the very land they were ordained to protect. “That is how classical realism is. It’s poetry brought on by current issues,” says Alfred. “It’s about being captive in your own land. They take the life out of you, but keep you living. So you’re living but you’re not alive.”

Their delicate beauty is a suitable metaphor for the fragility of our land, its raw beauty, and struggle in the face of greed and artificiality. The story of the diwata, however, has not reached its end. It continues to live in the playful mind and restless hands of Alfred Galvez.

Kuwentong Diwata is ongoing until April 3.

Jane Ebarle

Jane Ebarle: Weaving the colors of indigenous cultures into the modern artistic landscape

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

“It provides me with a certain freedom to create without bias,” says Jane Ebarle, “Without following the rules of education, without limits in the choice of colors, shapes and forms. It is the opposite of structure. It neutralizes the mind. It pacifies the heart.” 

The ode of Jane Ebarle to abstraction overflows with feeling and emotion. Her long-standing love affair with this style of expression is understandable as it is the most fitting medium that will suit her wild spirit and unbridled curiosity. Although the privilege of utter abandonment drew her to abstractionism, her own distinctive style has evolved to accommodate her personal cultural advocacies lending her work with not only beauty but meaning and purpose as well. 

Ebarle has been known for her unique body of works collectively referred to as ‘Hibla,’ meaning ‘thread’ or ‘strand’ in allusion to its rich texture that echoes the beautiful aesthetics of a finely woven fabric. Her early works projected her stunning interpretations of Filipino ethnic designs which have always been a source of inspiration for the artist. In her first solo show which she entitled “Filipino Ethnicity,” she played around the tribal designs of Kalinga, Manobo, Tausug and Maranao.

Time, as well practice and experienced, has given Jane with the opportunity to produce more complex and sophisticated designs that are marked by her own evolution. Although her style can easily stand on its own merit for its technical nature and stunning aesthetics, Jane has always integrated her value for culture with her creative process. For Jane, art is not merely a product of contemplation; it is also a vehicle to bring about social enlightenment. 

“My art is akin to the weaves that the women weavers are doing,” says Jane “When I am able to work on my painting I remember the weavers who patiently take pains to be able to come up with something really magnificent. I am so awed at the creativity, resilience and the patience of these women. I hope that the future generations will still see this. I hope that this Filipino culture can never be forgotten in our history.” 

In recognition of her staunch efforts to promote ethnicity, the National Gallery worked closely with the Jane Ebarle for her latest exhibition which features 15 paintings that came as a result of the artist creative dialogue with noted ethno archeologist Dr. Jenny Cano. Entitled, “Threads on Canvas: Interweaving of Different Artistic Traditions,” the collection is on display at the National Museum of Anthropology.

According to Dr. Ana Labrador, Deputy Director of the National Museum, “Ebarle’s work is a tribute to every strand of those handloom fabrics. Her paintings are contemporary testimonials of Philippine traditional textiles transmitted through abstract art. She succeeded in connecting our past with the present.”

“Bringing the country’s art and culture to the forefront, this has been the battlecry of many countries, why not us?” asks Jane with a passion, “We have as equally beautiful culture with the rest of the Asian countries and this would be relevant to highlight. It is about time that we push our culture.”

Jane’s work with distinguished cultural institutions as well as her own artistic endeavors is made more impressive given that she is able to do so despite working full time with the Faber-Castel. In working for one of the leading global art supply brand she still manages to integrate her own passions by actively organizing programs under the Faber-Castell Academy to help teachers develop their artistic talents to facilitate and enhance children’s education. She has long hoped that the fulfillment that she derives from her work, despite whatever challenges it may bring, would serve as an inspiration for other women artists to pursue their passions and join the ranks of the expanding number of women artists making their mark in the local art scene. 

“It used to be that the Philippine art scene has been dominated by male artists for many years,” Jane shared, “less women join art group exhibits and even fewer women launched solo exhibits. These past few years however, saw the coming of many young women artists being active in the art scene and joining art groups. This is probably the rise of women empowerment in many areas such as in the workforce, in the government, in businesses. The fact that I have a dual role as a full time worker and artist should send a strong signal to women artists out there that what I can do, they can also do. And who knows, they can even do better.”

 

Jane’s eagerness to elevate the role of women artist has also fuelled her following series to be called ‘Babaeng Hibla,’ which will feature the juxtaposition of realism and abstraction as a changing the landscape  tackling the life stories of a woman whose emotions are imprinted in every layer of her garment. Looking to the future works yet to materialize she says, “It will be a wonderful confusion of hues and forms. The woman is very sensual yet tradition-bound. She is mystical yet aching to be discovered. It is about the power that emanates from her weakness.”

Threads on Canvas: Interweaving of Different Artistic Traditions,” is on display at the National Museum of Anthropology from August 26 to November 22, 2015.

Neil Pasilan

STUDENT OF LIFE 

How Neil Pasilan’s art is a product of everyday learning

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

May 20, 2019 C-3

Nature has an uncanny way of passing on its knowledge to the select students that have showcased a willingness to receive its wisdom. Visual artist Neil Pasilan is one such student. A native of Negros Occidental, Neil has fond memories of growing up in an idyllic, coastal town where the boundless sea was his playground. “It was a happy time,” he recals. “I learned how to fish and everyone from the barangay knew each other.” 

It was also during this time that Neil came to know that his older brother, cousin, and a good friend were dabbling in art. Camaraderie was sparked among the creative minds. “We would watch the sunset almost every day, rain or shine, and talk about nature and spirituality,” he says. Adulthood eventually came knocking. And when it came to finding a means to earn, Neil put his hands to work. 

“That’s when I learned how to make small sculptures from clay,” he says, adding that he would sell these sculptures to all the neighboring towns. “Every fiesta, I would bring everything I made: Small works, like drawings, sculptures, and necklaces made of clay. Clay was the only available material in our area that was free.

The self-taught artist dove headfirst into the creative life and has since continuously refined his work and explored different facets of his own aesthetic styles. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Neil shifts seamlessly between working on paintings and sculptures, pointing out that it’s never about the medium—the material is merely a vehicle for the message. It’s all about technique and the artist’s approach when it comes to handling the material. Admittedly, he adds, he has cycles where he favors particular colors and textures, and he is especially comfortable working with industrial paint.

When it comes to his process, Neil admits that the catharsis offered by creating sculptures varies greatly compared to painting. “With sculptures, you can walk around, play with it, and experiment with different mediums,” he says. Different, however, doesn’t mean he favors one over the other as he finds the act of painting immersive. 

As such, he bares his soul to each and every artwork he creates. “It’s good to draw from your own experiences,” he says, “because an artist is always going to be more comfortable with what he knows best. For example, if you are always watching sunsets, it will eventually find its way into your work. Your work is the diary of your heart and mind. Everything you have ever seen, ever memory you have ever made, will find its way to your work, even as you age.” For Neil, this is the essential beauty of the human experience.

As such the artist believes every moment presents itself as a learning experience. “For me, every person you encounter every day of your life is a mentor, because every person you encounter has one or two things to teach you, be it good or bad,” Neil explains. He stresses that it is important to find joy in one’s craft, and to complement playfulness with discipline so you can stand for what you do as an artist. He also says that the biggest challenge is to always maintain respect, not only for himself as an artist but also to extend this to his contemporaries. “If you have friends who are artists,” he adds, “it’s good to always talk and discuss about art.” Critical discussion and throwing ideas back-and-forth between like spirits is vital to a healthy and prolific creative life. “I think these art conversations are like vitamins for artists,” Neil points out. 

He admits that his works are deeply personal in nature, which is a reflection of his own creative philosophy. It is this earnestness, this candid demeanor and authentic approach, that Neil unconsciously weaves into his oeuvre, be it paintings or sculptures, so that each piece allows viewers to engage and interact with the artist’s psyche. 

This has come to fruition in his latest show, aptly named “Personal.” which is on display at Art Informal until May 25. Neil says that he is also in the process of preparing for an upcoming exhibit at the Pinto Museum on September, where he plans to experiment with a massive work that depicts urban life in black and white. For Neil, with life as his mentor, the universe as his teacher, and experience his biggest source of inspiration, art is a doorway to infinite possibilities.

Josephine Turalba

IMPERIALISM

Multidisciplinary artist Josephine Turalba on the looming geopolitical hegemony of China

By TERENCE REPLENTE

 February 24, 2020 / C-4

 In one of Josephine Turalba’s visits to her mother’s home in Parañaque, she recalls noticing an eerie growth of commercial establishments—small groceries and restaurants—that had Chinese characters in their signage. According to her, she has observed the same in Makati, where establishments that primarily cater to Chinese nation­als seem to be springing up, left and right, like mushrooms.

“As I inquired into my own con­flicted feelings, I began to do re­search on POGOs, Spratly controver­sy, and the BRI (Belt and Road Initia­tive) of China,” she says. Exploring this “feeling,” Josephine developed new sets of questions that stemmed from her observations related to the growing number of Chinese nation­als in the country: “Why is it that there are so many condominiums and homes rented out and sold to Chinese nationals? How do we feel about the President nurturing closer ties with China despite his nervous­ness over its expansionism in the West Philippine Sea?”

But is it all paranoia? She asks herself. The country has been home to Chinese nationals for many years, but why is it, all of a sudden, a phe­nomenon? These questions and ob­servations became the springboard for Josephine’s ongoing exhibition, “High Wire High Seas,” at the Galleria Duemila in Pasay City.

Following American political ana­lyst Robert D. Kaplan, the name of the exhibition describes the world’s current geopolitical condition. “‘High Wire’ refers to the tight rope of the circus. I also wanted it to refer to what Kaplan wrote in his book, The Return of Marco Polo’s World. He talks about how geopolitically, the world is more frag­ile, like in a taught string. If one part is plucked, the whole network vibrates,” she explains, adding that, on the other hand, “‘High Seas’ refer to the open waters that are considered not within any country’s jurisdiction.

Josephine’s space-assimilating exhibition offers a number of entry points for discourse. But one of the key elements of the show is the Visual Glossary of Expansionism and Easterniza­tion hanging at the center of the space. In the glossary, Josephine lists down negative and positive terms associated with the global expansion of China. The symbols that represent the terms are seen throughout the exhibition, most notably in the parachutes of the scattered shiny, red-painted Para­trooper pieces that swarm like locusts, occupying parts of the gallery space.

In most of the works, the artist makes use of toys as material. For her, these materials bring in the element of a child-like “game.” “I used toys (paratroopers, discarded toys on the nine collaged reefs) to make ‘light’ of the grave subject matter I am tack­ling,” Josephine says. “I use this device as a portal that would entice the viewer to digest deeper issues. Aside from that, viewers can engage at the lightest level by playing with the paratroopers. Plus, I love it when children can also enjoy the exhibition at a very whimsical and playful level. The reflections can come at a later time in their lives. I incor­porate layers into my works so that the viewer finds something at every turn and the meanings of the works go deeper as the viewer moves beyond the first engagement. I leave clues be­hind for them to navigate as my work unravels the sensitive topic.”

Salvaged from her previous project “DMZland,” the exhibit’s center­piece is a survival parachute repur­posed into a military encampment tent, with war paraphernalia and nautical maps of the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoals lying on the floor. Inside the tent, a video installation, Undercurrent, which, according to Josephine, anchors the whole exhibition, plays on loop. “The compilation of news footage from news agencies such as ABS-CBN, GMA 7, 60mins, Al Jazeera, and Channel News Asia intercut with political analysts who talk about the BRI,” she says. “This exhibition is a beginning of an ongoing research project. It intends to spark critical thought about what is happening globally. I invite viewers to question, investigate, and reflect.”

In general, “High Wire High Seas” tackles China’s thirst to overwhelm the Philippine economy with its ex­cess capital, its loans, grants, neolib­eral economic policies, with the goal to plunder and exploit the country’s labor and natural resources. More­over, the exhibition exposes China, which declares that it remains a socialist nation “with Chinese char­acteristics,” for what it truly is: an imperialist country.

Finally, the exhibit is, in a way, an assertion of national sovereignty. “As much as I do not advocate lecturing our leaders on how to handle inter­national relations, I do feel strongly nationalistic about the victory of the Philippines at the Arbitral Tribunal

regarding the Spratlys,” Josephine says. “I invite my audience to consider supporting the many possible ways to protect and preserve Philippine territorial and maritime sovereignty specifically in the West Philippine Sea. It is for the future of our nation.”

‘I incorporate layers into my works so that the viewer finds something at every turn and the meanings of the works go deeper as the viewer moves beyond the first engagement.’

Bob Feleo

Art springs from the revolt over wine

by Jasmine Agnes T. Cruz

Looking like they arose from myth, the human-shaped artworks are as tall as you. Some with seemingly hollow heads, some whose face is bursting into a sun, others with bright colored ethnic patterns, and those with a body of twigs and a head of fire. These aren't your typical homo sapiens, but they have come from our very history, a bloody one at that.

Their creator, artist Roberto Feleo, refuses to call the artworks as sculptures even if they are three dimensional in nature. He refers to them simply as "tao-tao (people)" and they are representations of the individuals that were involved in the Basi Revolt of 1807, an uprising in Ilocos Norte where Filipinos rebelled against the Spanish colonizers. The source of their anger? Basi or sugarcane wine.

So how did an insurgence start because of wine and why has this event inspired artists? This is something we learned when we visited the Vargas Museum, where they are currently showing Feleo's Mito ng Aklasang Basi along with Antipas Delotavo's Agos. Both exhibits tackle the Basi Revolt through Feleo's 14 pieces of "tao-tao" along with flora and fauna and Delotavo's diptych (a painting shown as two pieces), mural, and installation.   

Enduring interest

 

Feleo's pieces described above are not the first time the artist has exhibited artworks inspired by the Basi Revolt. Feleo has been fascinated about this historical period for decades. He remembers that a year after his high school graduation he read a magazine article written by Jack Pillar about a series of paintings by Esteban Villanueva. Those paintings, now considered National Cultural Treasures and are under the care of the National Museum, depicted the events of the revolt from its agitated beginnings to how the rebels' severed heads were displayed in birdcages.  

Apart from portraying a historical event, Villanueva's paintings appealed to Feleo because of its style. "It is very naive," he said. "I like artworks that look untrained." Feleo explained that this quality is often seen in folk art, and this type of art is "most reflective of the sentiments, language, and overall situation" of a locality. This is why he channels elements of folk art through his work. 

Inspired by Ilocos

Over the years, Feleo's interest grew and so did the size of his artworks, now produced on human scale. Feleo got to create such large artworks all because of the influence of the province from where the Basi Revolt happened. It was in 2012 when Feleo got a call from a well-known Ilocano, Imee Marcos. Ms. Marcos became aware of Feleo's art practice when she saw a 2007 exhibit in the National Museum featuring Feleo's works along with Villanueva's paintings. Ms. Marcos expressed her interest to commission Feleo to create new pieces. At first, Feleo didn't want to accept her offer as commissions usually meant that the client will dictate how the artworks will look like. Then Ms. Marcos surprised him by saying that he'll be given a free hand and agreed that her political inclinations will not be imbued in the work. 

Upon Ms. Marcos' invitation, Feleo visited several places in Ilocos Norte but was most struck by Piddig. "Hindi pa nila nakakalimutan ang nangyari. Galit sila (They haven't forgotten what happened. They are angry)," Feleo said. Basi was a beloved drink in Ilocos Norte, but in 1786 the Spaniards wanted to control the production of the wine. The Spaniards prohibited the locals from manufacturing Basi, thus forcing them to buy from stores operated by the Spanish government. The suppression eventually led to an 1807 revolt, but the Spaniards eventually won over the rebels and those involved in the mutiny were beheaded.

Obviously, none of the locals of Piddig were alive during the Basi Revolt, but they still talked as though they had a personal stake in it. "Bakit iyon ginawa sa amin? (Why was that done to us?)" is something they kept saying to Feleo. The local's strong sentiment over a historical event impressed Feleo. "Sana buong Pilipinas ganito rin, hindi nakakakalimot, hindi basta titiklop (I wish the whole Philippines was like this, we don't forget easily, we don't just back down)," he said.

Feleo's impact

Inspired by such a powerful history, Feleo created his pieces. Attesting to the strength of his creations, the first seven pieces of those at the Vargas show was featured as one of the special exhibits at the 2015 Art Fair Philippines. Co-organizer of the Art Fair Trickie Lopa said that Feleo is one of the underrated Filipino artists that deserve more recognition.

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University in 1982 and studied Art History at the University of the Philippines, Feleo has exhibited locally and internationally. He has been a fellow at the Virginia Center for Creative Art in 1988, a co-founder of Pinta Nueve, and the chief designer of Comite de Festejos.

Lopa also credited Feleo for his impact on young artists such as Rodel Tapaya, Kawayan de Guia, and Leeroy New. Feleo's influence on young artists is intertwined with the unique material that he used to make his "tao-tao" at Vargas. The pieces are not made of wood or clay, but of a mixture of materials that Feleo created himself. This blend is something that he discovered while he was teaching at the Philippine High School for the Arts in Makiling, Laguna. Aside from Makiling, Feleo also taught at the School of Fine Arts and Design at the Philippine Women’s University in Manila and he is currently a professor of visual arts at the College of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. 

 

While in Makiling, Feleo read about the developmental patterns of children and realized that to teach his first year and second year high school classes, he needed a material that was playful enough to interest children. Through trial and error, he eventually made his current material blend, which is made of sawdust and eggshells. Who would have known that materials that many of us just discard have educated countless of young artists? More than that, they have allowed Feleo to continue creating artworks that are painstakingly detailed and are imbued with a fervid history.

Agos

Along with Feleo's exhibit is Delotavo's Agos. Having studied at the Fine Arts from the Philippine Women’s University, Delotavo has been given the Thirteen Artists grant in 1990, Garbo sa Bisaya of the Viva ExCon in 2012, and the Araw ng Maynila Patnubay ng Sining sa Pintura of the City of Manila in 2005.

Though the social realist artist is known for his paintings, with Vargas Museum's curator Patrick Flores calling him "a great portraitist", we were most attracted to his installation Via Crucis. You experience it once you enter a darkened area at the Vargas exhibit. On both sides of a checkered path, you find what looks like human beings covered by blankets. Not seeing what lies underneath the blankets but knowing exactly what they are, the effect of that is chilling. Once you've walked the path, you would have passed 14 human-shaped pieces covered with Ilocano abel blankets and your journey ends with an oil painting entitled Paraiso, which is a painting of a room with an almost empty canvas except for a small butterfly. 

 

As to what led Delotavo to use of the image of covered bodies. He said that this is something that Filipinos often see in the news when the media reports about people who have been run over by cars or were murdered on the street. They are often covered by a blanket with a checkered pattern like the abel, often seen as the poor man's blanket.

The image of dead bodies also connect with the violence experienced in the Basi Revolt, but Delotavo said that he's also referring to the activists who died during Martial Law. "These activists are obviously not thrill seekers," he said in mixed English and Filipino. "But they are doing this because there is something more precious than life--freedom."

Mito ng Aklasang Basi and Agos runs until April 8. The museum's regular hours 9a.m. to 5p.m have been extended to 8a.m. to 6p.m. during the run of these exhibits. The museum's is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays but after holy week, the museum will be open during the two Mondays of the exhibit run.

For more information, please contact Vargas Museum at (+632) 928-1927 (direct line), (+632) 981-8500 loc. 4024 (UP trunkline), (+632) 928-1925 (fax) or send an e-mail to vargasmuseum@gmail.com. You may also check their website at http://vargasmuseum.upd.edu.ph or like them at http://www.facebook.com/vargasmuseum.upd and follow them @UPVargasMuseum.

Rafael Cusi

Painting Philosophies

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

In his humble studio in Pasay City, with walls decorated by the colors of his paintings and philosophies, Rafael Cusi awakes with the sun. At the crack of dawn, he unleashes classical music from his stereo. Accompanied by the likes of Bach and Mozart, the premiere water colorist of the country floats into a trance being transformed by the harmony and allowing himself to be dominated by the brush as it becomes a conduit from his heart to the canvas. A process capped off by a game of billiards, another of the famed painters passions, has become a daily routine for the artist, happy and peaceful in his craft. “Nabuhay tayo dito hindi para parusahan,” he says.

In Rafael Cusi, you see a free man. Currently being exhibited in London, Paris, Belgium and Vienna would arguably give you many opportunities, but such accomplishments are trivialities for a man, whose aim is to bring meaning into art, never settling for shallow images. Rafael Cusi is free in knowing his identity, free in a way that he doesn’t need all the choices in the world, because he has come to an understanding of self, that his life is led by a few fundamental choices that make him the man that he is, a man with a stand as a Filipino and as an artist, a rare combination one might argue in an artistic landscape that is easily littered by fleeting passions.

“Malapit na yung sunog, nagpipinta pa ako sa taas. Yun yung mga moments na talagang yun yung call ng pagpipinta, “ says Cusi, recounting a memory of the Pasay haven he has called home since the 60s,“Bakit ka nga ba nagiging artist? Just to fool people? Ang artist may moral responsibility sa saril. Dapat maplease ko sarili ko, bago iba.”

Born in the coastal towns of Oriental Mindoro, Rafael was the darling of his town as a young artistic prodigy. Influenced also by his father who enjoyed painting, his talent shone as he painted everything and anything that came his way, applying himself consistently. During the the latter part of his high school years, his fame reached a peace corps artist who was commissioned to do a mural that he couldn’t finish, he commissioned Rafael in seeing the young man’s talent. The friendship that was struck between the two, lead Rafael to Manila, where he eventually took up Painting in Philippines Women’s University.

  

The artistic movement and social climate at the time, proved to be the perfect environment to hone the skill and mind of the fiery young artist, who struggled against all odds. The first three years, his college nights were spent sleepless as he worked after school for a dyeing company called Allied Thread. All the while attracting his professors and fellow classmates by painting plates. He soon began joining art competitions. Winning the Art Association of the Philippines with his work battling those of National Artists was just the beginning for the student who was destined to share his mind and work with the world. What followed was a career that marked many accomplishments spanning not only Asia but also the United States and Europe. “I have nothing to prove, “ says the artist after having been sharpened by winning many competitions and awards during his time, and indeed one can see in his easy demeanor and steadfast opinions that he is a man that has settled into the pure joy of creation for no other reason except uninhibited personal expression. 

Known as a watercolorist, he has managed to elevate the medium, by entering and exhibiting massively intricate watercolor artworks both here and abroad, going against the trend of oil and acrylic. Admitting that his medium is unforgiving, he has painted a series on underwater life, bringing out the vibrancy and delicacy of the water and sea life making the water come alive and move with a one brush stroke method, the translucent effect of which can only be done by the artist’s expert movements. His love affair with watercolor however has not confined him to only that medium, experimenting and excelling in not only many mediums but also many subjects.

The philosophy of Rafael Cusi, is not only one of form or style, it extends to a manner of living in such a way that one is called to not only become an authentic artist, but also an authentic man. “Sinisigaw mo magaganda, totoo ka ba? Naintindihan mo ba ang plight ng tao? Ang masakit dito ang mga ginawang subject matter mga mahirap, sana iniimbita mo din sila sa exhibit mo. I’m a social realist in real life, gusto ko sila kasama at gusto ko sila nakikita. Can I not do beautiful paintings while sending the same message? Bakit kinakailangan pinapakita ko sira? Eh, Sirang sira na ang society natin. Why will I add more tears? Kung yan ang gusto niyong gawin its ok for me. But, Can’t we enjoy the positive side? If you go for the dark side of it always, ibinabaon mo na pati mga bata eh. Pinagaaralan ko tao, I try to sense everything, di nila alam paguwi ko sa studio pinipinta ko sila.”

Rafael, brings back the meaning of art as art, and not as a commodity, exchanged according to the fickle supply and demand of the market, and degraded to becoming a transaction. Admonishing the lack of what can really be called Filipino art, he challenges the artists to reflect, ”What are you trying to prove with your art? What are you trying to impart to the world? It’s not only art, its not only beauty o kapangitan. It’s a stand, within the context na tinatayuan mo. Ang art walang price, its not a question of the painting, it’s a question of personality. Its not a question kung magaling ka o hindi eh, it’s a question of society.”

His travels only served to widen his mind, not only in the beauty that the Philippines has to offer, both naturally and artistically but also in realizing all the more the need for an artist to truly see the differences and nuances in his surrounding to be a true painter, and for those that have relegated art in their short sightedness, he gives a reminder, “Is painting doing an assignment? Paintings come from the heart. “

For Rafael Cusi, his mind and his brush will remain an ever evolving entity, taking in the people and places around them, and rendering them in the most authentic and impressive work of art. 

Ronson Culibrina

Some Things Remain the Same 

Ronson Culibrina paints a longing for home 

September 17, 2018  / C-2

 Text by Hannah Jo Uy

“Some things remain the same, and some have changed,” says Ronson Culibrina, reminiscing about Talim Island, his hometown on Laguna De Bay. Located in Rizal prov­ince, the island embodies the stunning natural landscapes and quaint, idyllic scenes indigenous to the Philippines. “My life as a child on the island was simple,” he recalls. “You worried less about what was happening in your surroundings. It wasn’t complicated. The world seemed so small.”

 

Today, the world isn’t so small, even in Culibrino’s hometown. “Be­fore, there was enough fish for every­one,” he says, drawing a comparison. “Life on the island became more com­plicated and different. There are few­er fishermen. Many wanted out due to lack of opportunities, trying their luck elsewhere. But some have also stayed and tried to cope.” 

Reflections on the town’s efforts to keep up with the modern world became the catalyst for Culibrina’s latest solo show, “Above Sea Level” at the Yavuz Gallery in Singapore. The collection documented the daily struggles of a locale on Talim Island, from which the artist had been away for quite a long time. “When I decided to return, I no­ticed a lot of changes and I think that’s the main driving force—the mixed emotions upon seeing how different the place has become, memories of childhood and the years of longing for my home,” he muses. “These reflec­tions pushed me to create artworks inspired by my own community, and I have also tapped the potential of the materials, which became very useful in the art-making process.” 

As an artist, Culibrina is guided by his surroundings, deeply involving him­self in the present. Taking inspiration from both history and current events, he employs a methodical approach in developing art works that are both timely and historically relevant, by undertaking a rigorous process of re­search and experimentation to ensure a proper execution of his concept.

 

Culibrina was also influenced by his uncle, a painter who had sown the seeds of creativity in the artist early on. “Growing up, I would see him paint and I learned the basics from him,” he says. “He’s one of the reasons I became an artist.” Later, he joined The Working Animals Art Projects, a collaborative group that exposed him more broadly to the art world. Com­prised of young, talented, and emerg­ing artists from the Philippines, the group refined Culibrina’s attitude to­ward the creative life.

 “Before, I just wanted to paint,” he explains. “It was just a hobby. But the collective opened me up to a deeper purpose. It took me out of my comfort zone. I became a more mature person. The group also opened up doors and opportunities not just for me but for those who were starting up.” 

Now making waves in the art scene, both in the Philippines and abroad, Culibrino continues to be drawn to topics that are relatable and timely— whether in the form of environmental, political, or religious issues. Anything, he said, that can “initiate a good dia­logue with the viewer.” Remaining adaptable, the artist continues to ex­plore different mediums and materials in his artworks, eager to maximize the available materials and to always stay open to any new approach or possible mediums that capture his interest. 

His latest collection serves as a microcosm celebrating his evolution as a painter, where the artist delves into a subject matter that is intimate in nature in terms of providing scenes from places that hold great meaning, while also presenting vibrant scenes that underpin his personal environ­mental advocacy. 

Indeed, dialogue, is what Culibri­na’s evocative pieces hope to convey, as the artist expressed his desire for audiences looking at the collection to become aware on the effects of indus­trialization and globalization—posi­tive or negative. “I believe it is a good thing to ponder on,” he stresses.