STILL ON CCP...
The artworks from Nawong (Florence Cinco), Sanaysay (Isagani Fuentes), Framed Abstractions, Kalamay (Janos Dela Cruz) don’t reflect pakikipagkapwa that much compared to the artworks from the Museo ng Kalinangang Pilipino, but rather they reflect the pivotal interpersonal value of pakiramdam or shared inner perceptions, in which we try to perceive other people’s emotions as a guide in understanding the thoughts and emotions of the artists when they were making their artworks. Nonetheless, I think that Janos Dela Cruz’s Kalamay exhibit closely resembles kapwa in terms of entangled relationships.
Nawong (Florence Cinco) reinterprets native mythological characters using traditional and contemporary forms and materials. The artist attempts to reconnect traces of our precolonial past with elements in the present by using organic elements and scavenged industrial refuse.
Sanaysay (Isagani Fuentes) showcases images and icons from pre-colonial and traditional culture as subjects. It is a series of still life paintings including antique jars and the Bul’ul. For me, the exhibits of Cinco and Fuentes represent Filipino culture being influenced by colonial culture. They reflect our native self being shaped by Spanish and American colonizers, and our strong sense of nationalism and pagkakaisa in being free from the bonds of these colonizers. It is also interesting how, in Fuentes’ exhibit, there are two images of Bu’luls facing inwards at each end of the painting gallery, as if they’re in a dialogue with each other listening to stories of our nation’s cultural heritage.
Kalamay (Janos Dela Cruz) pictures entangled relationships in a series of oil paintings. According to the artist, Kalamay speaks about the duality of love as both a force of inspiration and of struggle. He equates both love and art making to “food”, one is physical and the other one is spiritual. For me, his paintings contextualizes kapwa in terms of entangled relationships, that there is still the sense of togetherness despite struggles and conflicts encountered, and that love [for each other] could be a force of inspiration to try to work out these struggles and conflicts. I also think that “Kalamay” symbolizes the force that keeps us close together and “tight” with each other (which is love), as how Kalamay is sticky and sweet, and could be seen in our relationships with our families, friends, and closed loved ones.
I think the gallery from Framed Abstractions sparked my interest the most, and I didn’t even expect it to because I don’t appreciate abstract paintings at all! That was before I went to the gallery. When I first came in, this was the painting that got my attention the most. It was made by Romulo Olazo (1934):
I think that in looking at these kinds of paintings, you don’t need to be able to understand what the abstract in an abstract painting really means, since this is the very essence of abstract: drawing from feeling or experience. Abstract paintings don’t exactly have recognizable subjects. In looking at these paintings, we try to perceive other people’s emotions by putting ourselves in their shoes as a guide in understanding the thoughts and emotions of the artists when they were making their artworks (pakikiramdam). We also try to look at the motivations of the artist in making these artworks.
Sometimes, we don’t need to put ourselves in the artists’ shoes just to appreciate their work. To me, I appreciate these paintings, like the painting that for me was the most striking, because I simply appreciate their aesthetic appeal. These paintings give me pleasure to the senses. When I look at these paintings, I feel as if beauty was also transferred to me (wow, so deep).
Sometimes, we don’t need to put ourselves in the artists’ shoes just to appreciate their work. To me, I appreciate these paintings, like the painting that for me was the most striking, because I simply appreciate their aesthetic appeal. These paintings give me pleasure to the senses. When I look at these paintings, I feel as if beauty was also transferred to me (wow, so deep).