TABLE of CONTENTS
02
THE LIFE OF AN AVERAGE “ZONED OUT”
08
WHY LEARNING PRINCIPLES OF ART IS A GOOD IDEA
26
ABU JALAL SARIMON: THE CALL OF THE MIND
34
HOW TO ESTABLISH A MOOD FOR MORE IMPACT
FROM THE EDITOR 2019 may be nearing to a close but the Philippine art scene is still teeming with art events locally and internationally. FilArts for one, is coming up with a back to back collaborative shows this December: one in Osaka, Japan (Peace and Unity Through Art in Japan) on December 3 to 12 and Freedom and Love Philippines, happening here in Manila from December 13 to 20, 2019. Read more in this issue about the two upcoming shows, including a feature on Singaporean artist Abu Jalal Sarimon, founder of Freedom and Love International. Catch a glimpse on some of the recently concluded art shows and events around the Metro and in neighboring countries as well. Of course, the Filipino Artists’ Magazine wouldn’t be complete without giving the spotlight on some of our talented visual artists around who has carved their own names locally and internationally. Get to know Singapore-based artist Raul M. Saria, multi-awarded visual artist Joseph S. Clavita, former TV anchor-turned-visual artist Celeste Lecaroz, Filipino visual artist living in France Nior Salonga, and “Pop Artist” Jojo Garcia.
Ruth Chua Editor in Chief
THE LIFE OF AN AVERAGE
“zoned out”
t happens innocently enough: One minute, you’re sitting at your desk, working on a report, and the next minute you’re thinking about how you probably need to do laundry and that you want to try the new restaurant down the street. Mind wandering is a frequent occurrence. And while mind wandering in certain situations - in class, work, for example - can be counterproductive, some say that it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
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the moment. However, emotional or practical, daydreaming hones our emotional and cognitive dexterity. We take apart a problem and perceive it from an entirely new angle. We reflect on an overriding emotion, and suddenly process it on some unique level. Who hasn’t indulged in a little Walter Mitty style fantasy and not felt better - or at least been pleasantly amused for it? Isn’t it how we become more fully ourselves?
You might be driving home from work, taking a shower, preparing ingredients for dinner and, suddenly - Eureka! - you have new insight into some problem or situation. Anecdotes tell us that people often have these kinds of creative thoughts while engaged in unrelated tasks.
More seriously, it’s also partly how our species has become more deftly human. Some of humanity’s greatest inventions. most beautiful creations, and profound thoughts have stemmed from a bald-faced lack of intention. Anyone who’s had a eureka moment while daydreaming in the shower can attest to this phenomenon. Far I’d argue here of course that from some shiftless indulgence, daydreaming is an essential daydreaming or zoning out is a part dimension of play. In daydreaming, of our cerebral jackpot. It opens up we’re free to psychologically the chance for random connection, traverse through every obscure or irrelevant association, and novel far flung thought. We are welcome insight. to try on any solution or scenario that piques our interest at My life always takes the same direction as my daydreaming. For instance, I’m a much more productive writer when my spare moments are filled with thoughts of my articles. At times like those, I sit down to write already knowing what to do because I’ve thought it over all day and night. It seems like an innocent activity, but the things you think about when you daydream are an important part of your life. I would venture to say it determines your future more than anything else. Why? Because your heart lies in the place your mind goes when it wanders. That’s where all our attention and energy is directed, and that’s where we are the most successful.
Founded by Mike Piepers earlier in 2019 with the mission to collect, curate and exhibit extraordinary otherworldly art. Specter Galleries is a multi-faceted, international art platform with a strong focus on online- and offline, contemporary art. Specter is organising exceptional, carefully curated contemporary art exhibitions all around the globe and is responsible for the representation and management of international artists from Singapore, to Indonesia, to Hong Kong. Besides the galleries, the company is also functioning as an art advisory platform; assisting clients in curating the most remarkable collections, whether private or commercial. The first two exhibitions are scheduled to take place in spring 2020, in both Berlin and Amsterdam; two purist art capitals. Get in touch with Specter Galleries to schedule an appointment, whether you are an artist, curator, art collector or when interested in discussing sponsor- or partnerships. Visit and follow our social media channels for the latest updates.
www.spectergalleries.com | Šspectergalleries | specter.berlin@gmail.com
Featured Artists
Raul M. Saria THE BEAUT Y OF IMPRESSION Experiment, mistakes and constant practices became his mentor. He developed impressionistic and contemporary style and he loves seascapes, landscapes, and streetscape that become subjects and inspirations of his art pieces. Raul participated in many local and international exhibitions in Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia and South East Asia. He also contributed in a dynamic art group Urban Sketchers Singapore. Raul is a member of prestigious Singapore Watercolour Society; International Watercolour Society, Philippines and Japan; Philippine guild of Watercolourist; Support member of International Watercolour Colour Society Globe, National Watercolour Society, and American Watercolour Society. He received numbers of awards in a short period of time in his journey as an artist. He had his first Solo Exhibition in Nov of 2018 in German Centre, Singapore. He was granted an award of “Watercolour Distinction” by the London Art College in his course. A Master Recognition Certificate award was also given to him by IWS Mexico, an honourable mention award from IWS Hungary and he also won the people’s choice award in IWS Canada symphony of watercolour in 2018.
aul M. Saria is an Engineer by profession. He works as a design manager in food and beverage engineering in a company based in Singapore. A Filipino living in Singapore with his wife, son and daughter. Raul’s first interest in arts sprouted when he was a kid. “At the back of his notebooks were drawings” In 2019 he spearheaded and represented a team of artists to participate in “Festival He started to pick up his brush to do art Urbino in Aquerello” in Italy. He is the first works in year 2013, with watercolour Filipino who did a one-hour live painting initially viewed as a hobby to demonstration of watercolour painting in front balance work, home, office and family. of international audience.
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He has taken a fearless step to use the most unforgiving medium, “watercolour” and learned by himself the spontaneity, transparency and behaviour of this artist medium.
Raul’s love for impressionistic style continues…
Works of
Raul Saria
Featured Artists
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T R E A S U R E S
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Joseph S. clavita oseph S. Clavita is a multi-awarded modern contemporary Filipino visual artist who started as a realist impressionist during his youthful years in the quaint coastal town of Aparri, Cagayan.
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During those times, he was greatly influenced by his love for Mother Nature. The sea and skies, with the shores and riverbanks, and most particularly, the marine life as the sea shells, the fishes and other aquatic animals, had captured his interest and imagination. Thus, he had featured these sea treasures in his art works, from the time he started painting up to this time. He has also a keen interest and respect to the fishermen, whom he could relate with for his love for sea creatures. Looking back, he would lament how modernization has led to the noticeably fast destruction of and the lost of our respective environment. In most instances, one would feel such emotion in his art works! His pursuit in refining his creative skills took a serious turn when he enrolled in art lessons at the University of the Philippines in 1996, and since then he had committed himself in this field of creative art. Throughout his artistic career, he was able to develop a distinct art style which is realistic expressionism and which was also more appreciated by the visual arts community. Patrons expressed that
“they can feel a purpose in his art, somewhat provocative that communicates a connection between past and present, and the importance of environment preservation”. Before he knew it, his series of “Fortune Trees and Treasures of the Sea” become signature hits among collectors and art enthusiasts. Clavita is a jolly and friendly person but serious in his career, and like his character, his works exude warmth, joy and happiness with the use mostly of vibrant colors as red, yellow, magenta, and orange, and his hard work could be gleaned in his brush strokes. Every stroke is a testament to his patience and seriousness in his art. As an active professional painter, he has mounted 15 solo art exhibits, the first of which was held in Toronto, Canada in 2002, as part of the National Exhibition involving different cultures around the world. He has also participated in more than 150 group art shows held in the country and overseas including India, Japan, Korea, China, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Canada, to name a few. It is no wonder that Clavita’s works could be found in art places like the National Museum of the Philippines, Pasig City Museum, Museo De Cagayan, GSIS Museo Ng Sining ,The Art Galleries of Social Security System {SSS}, Philam-Life, the Philippine Heart Center, La Salle Manila and San Beda College.
ZEALANDA QUEEN Similarly Clavita’s works (acrylic on canvas) are displayed and 20 in. x 15 in. included in the collections of prominent art collectors like Atty Alexander A. Padilla, Ex-Ambassador Barry Gusi, Mr. Alexander Prieto, Mr. Carlos “Chuckie” Arellano, Mr. Ray V. Palilio, Judge Mary Joyce Masangkay-Tresvalles, Judge Marie Lynn Laborde-Andal, Ms. Regina Paterno, Governor Manuel Mamba, MD, Atty.Mario Buhain, and Fiscal Winston Aris M.Mendoza among others.
Currently, Clavita is a member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts {NCCA}-sitting as a member of the Committee on Visual Art. He is also a member of Tuesday Group Artists, Art Wednesday Group Artists, Art Association of the Philippines {VACOOP}. Likewise, he has also taken leadership roles in the following art organizations namely Antipolo Artists Guild as current vice president, Co-Founder ARTipolo Group Artists as a former Vice President, Rizal Artists Federation as Auditor, Rizal Lakeshore Art Association ,and Luntiang Daigdig Artists Group {LUNDA} as former president. The artist’s journey in the world of visual arts indeed had gone a long way from his humble beginnings along the dreamy seashore and countryside of Aparri. For Joseph Clavita, every stroke of his brush is indeed a “Fortune” worthy of collection. Francis Caberoy National Museum
RAINBOW SEA (acrylic on canvas) 24 in. x 18 in.
RAINBOW SEASHELLS (acrylic on canvas) 24 in. x 36 in.
CORALS GARDEN 2 (acrylic on canvas) 16 in. x 20 in.
Why Learning
Principles of Art is
A Good Idea Johannes Vloothuis Artists Network
Learn the Principles of Great Art to Improve Your Paintings From Johannes Vloothuis f you are happy with your landscape paintings, you can skip this article. But maybe you have admired the work of other artists and sighed, wondering why your paintings were not as intriguing as theirs. You hunt for beautiful reference photos and when you find the perfect one, you say, “This is it! My next painting!” But the reality of what you paint is not what you imagined. “What am I doing wrong?” you ask yourself. “I mixed the colors correctly and I copied the photo exactly… so what is missing?”
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I know the feeling very well. Plainly, merely copying photos did not give me the results I was after. I didn’t get enough information when I took personal workshops. My sense of aesthetics kept telling something was wrong. My next step towards pulling off good paintings was to reverse engineer the work of artists I admired, including Clyde Aspevig, Jim Wilcox, and Richard Schmid. I studied them to flush out their hidden gems. I identified about 200 pointers, common denominators, that they each did, in the landscape paintings that inspired me. As I implemented them, I noticed huge improvements in my artwork. Finally, I had the keys for translating visual information from reference photos to a painting without copying.
If painting were as easy as mimicking impressive reference photos, you would need only to learn how to mix color and voila! It’s not that straight forward. Your challenge is to achieve a well-designed painting with as much emotional impact as nature’s real scenery. Equally demanding is that you must transform the sensation of a 3-dimensional vista onto a 2-dimensional surface of limited size. As artists, we accomplish that magic with artificial techniques. Many artists try to solve these problems by themselves but find it tedious and time consuming. There is a shortcut for you. In live, online workshops, Johannes (“Jo”) Vloothuis shares his knowledge with you. Jo does three demonstration paintings each month, one in oils (acrylic artists will benefit as well), one in pastels, and one in watercolor as he answers student questions on the spot. It doesn’t matter what media he is using for a particular class, students always learn techniques and pointers they can apply to their own work. That’s how Jo guides you to a successful path as an artist.
Lines, the Visual Melody of Paintings e humans are hard wired to read a painting by following its lines, much the way we read text. This is how your visual story, is read. It is subconscious and inevitable. The moment you create any shape in a painting, a new contour, a line, is born. As artists, we need to make these lines pleasing. If a contour line is well designed, the resulting shape within the boundaries of that line will also be appealing and you will have a visual melody. When the strings of a guitar are not tuned, you have music that hurts your ears; likewise, if the lines in your art are not designed well, the visual information unsettles your viewers.
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Step one is to free yourself from the notion that the reference photo is your dictator. For example, one handy tool to help you is to slow down fast-paced lines that are in reference photos. These include visually-implied straight, curved, and shallow wavy lines with insufficient indentations and protruding peaks. Zig-zag lines often appear in photos, such as a line of evergreen tree tips, but they are monotonous to viewers.
Below, Jo shows ways to adjust lines in paintings from those you see in the reference photo. Start with these steps to add visual melody to your paintings.
The mountain ridge has a monotonous straight line that moves the eye too fast. For a successful painting, don’t copy the photo, as I show in the painting of this scene.
The overhanging cloud, the indentation and the small evergreen peaks slow down the eye movement. The distant water line is broken up by some evergreen patches slightly protruding towards the lake. The contour of the rocks in the foreground follows a pleasing line. I coined the term, “Melodic Line,” to describe how to make the line pleasing to viewers of your painting.
The river and grass in the reference photo form a long, visually-implied straight line. It’s boring and too rushed, but you can change that as in the painting below.
I broke up the straight line by adding bushes and rocks to the scene. This has now become a melodic line with the sense of movement like that of an irregular staircase.
The contour of the tree tops form a shallow, wavy line. The bushes on the right also forms am implied straight line. The composition needs more of a roller coaster movement.
In this oil painting, you can sense how pleasing the up and down movement is, the pronounced dips and the ride up to the protrusions along the tree tops. I refer to this visual roller coaster ride as a “graceful� line. By adding some dirt under the bushes, we offset the implied straight line.
The sides of the evergreens trees have unpleasant, monotonous zig-zag lines. The large rock has a pronounced diagonal line.
In this segment of an oil painting, the zig-zag lines at the side edges of the evergreens have been changed into melodic lines. The rock has been redesigned.
The contour of the tree tops form a shallow, wavy line. The bushes on the right also forms an implied straight line. The composition needs more of a roller coaster movement.
In this pastel, I slowed down the reference photo’s straight lines on the tree trunks by adding broken-off branches and knot holes. A melodic line is formed by the snow and protruding rocks.
An artist paints in the courtyard of the Borobudor temple, Magelang Central ava. The activities of the collaboration between the Borobudor Conservation Center and the Indonesian Borobudur Artists Community 9KSBI) 15 were attended by 30 Indonesian and Vietnamese artists who carried the theme “Borobudur Today 2019 – Art for Peaceful World”
God Has Made Everything Beautiful In His Time Creative Breakthrough Series 18
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RTreach Missions, Inc. Philippines celebrates it’s 18th founding anniversary with everyone at SM City Dasmarinas last July 14, 2019 as it holds Grand ARTExhibit, Summer ARTSCamp 2019 Graduation and Recognition Day of 80 exhibitors displaying 270 paintings open for viewing from 10 AM to 9 PM. Having the theme “God Has Made Everything Beautiful In His Time, A Creative Breakthrough Series 18”, ARTreach Missions prepares series of artful activities for the whole day not only for the participating ARTreach 80 exhibitors but also to everyone who is interested. Artists from different field has shared their talents as they conducted free art workshops and art demos. The event starts with free papercutting art workshop by Alberto Badz Magsumbol, founder of Papercutter Guild of the Philippines. Not only kids enjoy this workshop but also their parents as they bond with their children by helping them cut pieces of colored papers with scissors to make beautiful papercut designs. Next is free painting demonstrations from two master artists. Delfin Garcia, landscape master artist, demonstrates how to paint mountain field using acrylic paint and Adan Pesito, portrait master artist, shows on-the-spot soft pastel portrait painting of a volunteer from the crowd.
Guest speakers from different fields share inspirational and motivational speeches for both kids and parents: Sky Castle CEO Julian del Rosario, Radio Broadcaster Andrew Paul Pineda Franco - who also hosts the event with Coach Cowee, Fine Arts Graduate Maribel Galang, and ARTreach Directors Rosana Bautista Golez and Joel Garduce.
ARTreach Founder-Director, and her daughter, Coach Cowee, ARTreach Creative Director. As an advocate of ART, Coach Koni and Coach Cowee believe that ART is for everyone and every child is an artist. These 80 exhibitors who were first time to hold a brush were able to make a total of 270 paintings. On this day, they showcase not only their talent in painting, before they receive their Before harvesting the fruit of their award and plaque of completion, labor on this day, these 80 exhibitors they show off their singing and went under 12 sessions of painting dancing skills as they perform a song workshop. They reminisce their and dance number on stage. Sheena, workshop days as they watch video one of ARTreach kids and commercial presentation of their compiled model together with her co-theater activities starting from April to June actor from Lion King, Julien Joshua at Artreach Studio located at Biga 1, wow the audience as they present a Silang, Cavite. For 2 hours each theater singing performance. session, they pour out their passion and unleashed the artist hidden For Coach Koni and Coach Cowee, within them. Distance is not a this event is not only to celebrate the hindrance to these passionate artists 18 years of serving the to pursue their art journey as some community through teaching art but of them are coming from places that also to inspire everyone with their are quite a travel. Rain or shine, their stories along the journey. In the enthusiasm to learn and to create history of ARTreach Missions, this will never fade. This day also serves is the grandest art exhibit they ever as first meeting to others as their held and it is all for the Glory of the schedule of classes varies in time and Lord. day. They gain new friends with their classmates and more are added to With the grace of the Lord, Coach their list. Cowee received awards from different award giving bodies this The most awaited part of the event year: 15 th Geny Lopez Jr. Kabataang is the graduation and recognition of Bayaning Pilipino- Regional Awardee, 80 exhibitors from two years old to De La Salle University Grand Alumni 56 years old who attended 12-session Homecoming 2019 Young Patriot painting workshop from April to July Achiever Awardee, and Fora Tagaytay under the supervision of Coach Koni, Ikon Awardee as well as ARTreach Missions, Inc. Philippines.
Featured Artists
T H E
A R T
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CELESTE LECAROZ aking connections in the digital age is the goal of former TV anchor-turned-visual artist Celeste Lecaroz.
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She utilizes two styles to present images in their complexity and beauty. Through spontaneous realism—Austrian painter Voka’s style of using vibrant colors and seemingly haphazard strokes—Lecaroz produces striking acrylic works that draw the viewer to take a closer look. With pastel as medium, she turns to realism to cast light on subjects in various shades. The year 2019 has been a banner one for the artist, with several sold-out shows including a back-to-back pastel show with US-based Gary Carabio, a solo show of 55 life-size portraits of Filipino taipans for the 40th anniversary of Hi-Cool Engineering Corporation, an exhibit inspired by heritage photos archived by Dr. Bernadita Churchill, and the unveiling of her Manuel Quezon portrait at the Philippine Embassy in Israel. Art was initially a hobby for this mother of four, but now it has become a platform for her cultural and societal advocacies. Photo credit: Mark Nilo Odiaman
Featured Artists
NIOr Salonga
ior Salonga had his passion for painting and drawing since he was in grade school. He studie Marine Engineering and seaman courses in college while working in five-star hotels on food and beverage department and later found his career onboard Costa Cruise Ship.
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When he arrived in France year 2007, he had the chance to go back to his passion and started attending classes on interior painting and decoration and also automotive painting. It’s been ten years since he started painting at his studio at home with almost all kinds of supports including furnitures, wood, metal, and canvas. His artworks are the direct translation of his emotions and spirit. He creates compositions that are based on his interpretations of life events, personal history and adventure allowing the viewers to absorb the emotional energy that is oozing
strongly and openly from the canvas. He paints from memories and feelings such as love, anger, acceptance, submission, joy, trust and lust, communicating with those basic human emotions. If you are moved only by their color relationships then you miss the whole point. He wants to inspire the observers to acknowledge and engage with their beliefs, emotions, and subconscious. Nior’s works blend the figurative and the abstracted, the uncommon methods of applying paint to canvas to create textures and results that depict the unconventional. He uses acrylic fine arts paints and combine it with a slight of automotive and industrial paints which he used when he was in the school of interior painting and decoration as well as when he was trained to paint cars in a renowned French multinational automobile garage. He has had two shows in the month of June in Saint-Denis, France, one with Galerie HCE and one with Galerie 60 adaDa. He also worked with selected and excellent artists with different nationalities in their city. As of now, he’s very busy painting and organizing for future shows and projects. Aside from that, he and his friends put up an association or group of artists and musicians called Filipino Artists League of France. The goal is to support and work with them to help each other encourage more creativity, bring out more talents, do more shows and projects, build more relationships and camaraderie and live with our passion and the compassion.
Works of
Nior salonga PRINCIPLE OF LUST (Principle de Luxure) 80 cm. x 80 cm.
VESTRA CULPA (Your Fault) (Ta Faute) 50 cm. x 50 cm.
MEA CULPA (My Fault) (Ma Faute) 50 cm. x 50 cm.
Featured Artists
jojo garcia
POP ART ACCORDING TO JOPUNK By:Arnaldo Mirasol
op art may no longer be called pop nowadays, but the artists belonging to the North American newbrow and Japanese superflat movements share the same goal as their 1960s predecessors - the celebration of kitsch and its elevation to high art status. By celebration of kitsch, I refer to these artists` usage of popular mass media icons, animation, manga and cartoon-like characters, and images of consumer goods as subject matter for their paintings.
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Pop`s family tree shows the direct line of descent all too clearly; Andy Warhol spawned Jeff Koons, and Jeff Koons spawned Takashi Murakami. I don`t know if we Pinoys already have our own term for it, but pop art Philippine-style is visibly resurgent hereabouts. I`m not sure if I remember right, but right off, I can cite as the more visible practitioners of this genre here, Ronaldo Ventura, Farley del Rosario, Luis Lorenzana, and Anthony Palo. I`m adding Jojo Garcia, a.k.a. as Jopunk, to the list. He was my schoolmate at the University of the East School of Fine Arts in the early 1980s, although he transferred later on to the Philippine Women`s University (PWU). The reason for the transfer was unclear to me then, although rumors were rife that he and his group of UESFA “punkistas” got the ire of our Director, Florencio Concepcion, for their indulging in an overt manner in an activity that was part and parcel of the punk lifestyle. And that wasn`t their
dressing the part, or listening and slam-dancing to punk music - if you know what I mean. Now, Jojo Garcia is a changed man. Don`t let the unruly hair fool you, because Jojo really takes his life and art seriously. He used to work in animation and painted only during his free time. His output, true to the pop art ethos, depicts Converse sneakers, Coca Cola cans, and jeepneys faintly reminiscent of Andy Warhol`s style. But while Warhol, or rather, Warhol`s numerous assistants, employed the silk screen technique in his artworks, Jojo did his by his own hand, and by the old-fashioned method using oil paints and brushes. And he is quite generous with his oils too because he slathered them on in thick impasto. Jojo Garcia’s fondness for distortion, swirling brus strokes, use of garish colors and employment of the repeating image device as composition format may turn off many painters and other art lovers still unweaned from the influence of Amorsolo. But I am impressed. I am so impressed, that I`m now trying to resist the urge to do similar paintings. But to no avail it seems, because Jojo`s paintings already showed their influence on me in my use of intense colors in my latest works and my adding to my
brushwork repertoire the laying on of colors also in swirling impasto. Jeepneys as painting subject were popular among Filipino artists. Vicente Manansala, Antonio Austria and Rock Drilon were the most prominent among the artists who`ve tried their hand in using jeepneys as recurrent motif in their works. Jojo Garcia`s close friend from way way back and former fellow “punkista” Junjie Verzosa, also did a suite of jeepney paintings. It may be from him
that Jojo got the idea to come Judgment”. And Raphael, too. up with his own version. He was forced to chucked off his lean Peruginoesque figures Nothing wrong with that. As I when he saw by stealth have said in a previous write- Michelangelo`s work in progup on Isagani Fuentes, there`s ress on the Sistine Chapel nothing degrading in being ceiling. Raphael`s mural, “The influenced by the artists we School of Athens”, executed admire. Painters, for centuries, after his eye-opening have done deliberate copying encounter with Michelangelo`s of the styles of the paintings robust humanity, revealed the that so impressed them. I older artist`s influence on him. cited Picasso as an example. I also add now the great Because of its sheer visual Michelangelo to the list, impact, I see no reason why because he was said to be Jojo`s art won`t make it as a very much impressed and favorite of interior subsequently influenced by designers and art collectors. Luca Signorelli`s series of Jojo`s paintings will surely frescoes, “The Last look good hanged on the
Works of
pristine walls of modern condominium units. Now, the purists among you may accuse me of espousing commercialism. But let`s be honest and stop the hypocrisy. If an artwork is for sale, and has a corresponding price tag, that artwork becomes a commodity, and is therefore commercial. The truly non-commercial artworks are the installations and art of the conceptual kind shown in non-selling exhibitions, and also the paintings that are so gross and so badly painted that the artists won`t sell because no one will buy them anyway.
jojo garcia
ABU JALAL SARIMON
T he Call of the Mind
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bu Jalal Sarimon’s artworks are among the many modes through which he commits “The Call of the Mind” bringing his thoughts and ideas, presented to human cultural sensibility. Characterized by finesse and sense of humor, his creations encourage viewers to evaluate the hidden meanings of each work, behind their seemingly simple yet candid compositions. Always ‘strong in color’, the nature of his artwork is openly apparent, and he composed this mode of expression to create engaging conversation with viewers.
apple. In the schools, he usually emerged top in many art competitions and his artworks were frequently displayed on the class wall. He draws because he loves drawing and he trusts we see things differently. He enjoys doodling and sketching. Somehow these good habits polished his drawing and observation skills. As he grew older, he started drawing his signature characters, the big nose man and polishing his skills in oil, acrylic, pastel, charcoal, digital He believes each artist has his/her own style and drawing and mural art. In 1987, he pursue his art something that makes them stand out from the study in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts rest. What makes his and graduated in 1989. work different? It’s his He is the 3rd generation analytical process where Gradually he became Singapore’s Artist. He’s very comfortable with his he apply every day known as the Social style and began situation around us into Commentary artist. He’s canvas with precise producing larger artworks. the founder of Freedom illustration, bold colors, & Love International Art In year 1989 he was comical and cynical in Group, TUJU Art Group, composition. As a kind of challenged by a friend to Executive Member of participate in a mural art a plot for viewers to Singapore Modern Art digest and enjoy through. competition. He has to Society, Head of draw on a large wall of Imago Mundi Singapore 15m width x 4m height. His journey to become and Senior Member of This was a national level an established fine art Singapore Malay Artists artist was pretty smooth. mural competition of Various Resources organized by Nippon He’s very fortunate to (APAD). have strong support from Paint. He took up the his family members and challenge and finished He creates each artwork peers. He discovered his up the entire work in 5 as an avenue to share days. A month later, his drawing skill at an and challenge the early age of 5. He clearly friend came to him and viewer’s natural and informed that the mural remember how he took ideological perceptions of pleasure in drawing while painting won 1st prize this fast shaping world. with prize value of $5000 his young peers had to and a trophy. struggle to draw an “Driven by my sharp observation & conceptual visual expression, my aesthetic variations transform common idea with a fundamental concern towards society, the environment and humanities. I have a way to make my art interact with the surroundings and send a message that I wish no one can ignore - as the canvas has no limits.”
The consistent Spruit, visited his studio. encouragement from He was very impressed family and peers with Sarimon’s artworks encouraged him to and invited him to put up display his artwork for an art exhibition in his public viewing. On year museum. On late 1993, 1992 he participated in a he visited Netherlands local group art and exhibited his exhibition. He presented artworks in Westfries his artwork entitled “The Museum. Mr Ruud Spruit Common Interest” oil on became his first art canvas,120cm x 100cm mentor and taught him and to his surprise the so much about art artwork became the main market, art development attention and was and art community. They featured in the main remained as good friends newspaper. Curators from for many years. Singapore Art Museum “I now realized that came to the exhibition making great artwork is and they decided to purchase the artwork for half of the equation, the the museum’s other half is putting it to permanent collections. On the right person, year 1993, his artwork discipline, attitude, “Society & Limitations” was selected to marketing and sales.” participate in ASEAN Travelling Art Exhibition and was The continuous positive displayed among the events gave him a real established artists from boost to be prolific in ASEAN nation. Once producing artworks. By again, Singapore Art now he has some Museum purchased his followers, collectors, artwork. On the middle of galleries and drawn 1993, Director of media attention. His Westfries Museum, undeniable talent has Netherlands, Mr Ruud been recognized
locally and internationally by consistently winning some prestigious art awards such as: North Point Art Competition 1993 – 1st prize, Philippe Morris Jurors Award 1994, Philippe Morris Distinction Award 1995, Philippe Charriol Foundation Distinction Awards1993/1994 and The Most Promising Artist Award 1994/1995, Gold Award UOB Painting of the Year 2017 and APAD Contemporary Exhibition Best Artwork 2017. He loves travelling, sketching, reading and writing hence those good habits influence most of his artworks. He has travelled and exhibited in many parts of the world, namely; Singapore, China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Dubai, Iran, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, Netherlands, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Turkey and recently Tunisia. His artworks are collected by Banks, Museums,
Government Agencies, private and professional collectors. Beside painting, he also enjoys organising and curating art exhibition. This is the real challenge of another level, as the process involves man management, networking, curatorship, writing and organizing skill. Driven by passion to showcase and encourage talented artists in their creative pursuits, he initiated the formation of Freedom & Love International Art Group. With the support of fellow artists Deddy Paw from Indonesia, Roy Espinosa from Philippines and A Zaki Hadri from Malaysia, they successfuly organized the 1st Edition Freedom & Love art exhibition and workshop in Magelang, Borobudur Indonesia. The event was participated by artists from Singapore, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Egypt, Hong Kong and France. Art Collectors from Singapore,
Philippines, Jakarta, Hong Kong and Amsterdam attended the opening event and they purchased some of the artworks for their personal collection. They collaborated with Villa Borobudur by doing massive mural art at one of their buildings and conducted on-the-spot painting workshop at the luxury terrace facing the beautiful suburban of
THE COMMON INTEREST (1992) (oil on canvas) 120 cm. x 100 cm.
Magelang.
Till date, Freedom & Love Group has gathered established and emerging artists from various countries. More artists are sending their names to collaborate with them. They are also in discussion with some artists/organisers who
SOCIETY AND LIMITATION (1993)
BELIEF/VALUES Our arts touch people’s lives in profound ways; a) In their understanding of themselves b) Their connection to local and world communities and cultures c) Understanding of their own creativity
are ready to partner up with them to organize art event/symposium/festival in their respective countries. Their 2nd edition Freedom & Love Art Symposium and Exhibition is scheduled in Manila Philippines from 13 to 20 December 2019, next in the pipelines are Antalya Turkey, Maldives, Bangladesh and Malaysia.
and engaging artistic experiences. VISION
Freedom & Love is a premier platform for diverse visual arts programming, education, collaborating with artists, government agencies, commercial organisations, NGOs, schools and the community to encourage the creation, appreciation and understanding of the Freedom & Love arts. We seek to nurture a vibrant arts community, MISSION foster artistic excellence and bring people Foster the enjoyment, together for powerful understanding and shared experiences that development of the inspire a creative visual art through diverse exchange of ideas.
F&L provide these qualities to the greater public for the social and economic benefits that the shared visual art experience provides. F&L’s belief in these sustaining principles manifests in the following forms; • Providing quality, diverse opportunities for shared artistic experiences for all, inspiring participation in the creation, understanding, and appreciation of the arts. • Fostering artistic development of established, emerging, and aspiring regional, national, and international artists. • Collaborating with artists and arts organizations, community partners, and businesses in pursuit of mutual goals and richer cultural experiences.
• Appreciating the value of our audiences, the talent of our artists, the generosity of our funders, the dedication of our team and volunteers, and the integrity of our communities.
“I dream my painting and then I paint my dream”
• Creating a dynamic learning organization.
Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) financial planning and management to secure future viability and sustainability.
• Responding to demographic shifts in our • Pro-active to community. participate, promote and contribute to healthy and • Embracing culture that dynamic art industry values innovation and cooperation, • To shape all artists to utilizes talent and be “A Thinking Artist” skills, and provides who are able to opportunities for contribute and shape the growth and learning. world • Providing excellent management and customer service with a constant focus on patron/participant experience at every contact point. • Staying current with technological advances. • Preserving our historic facilities within an environmentally responsible framework whenever possible. • Maintaining prudent
Ups and downs in the artist’s world
are expected. Yet that will make us stronger and more efficient in the long run. Abu Jalal Sarimon is 55 years old now and very comfortable with what he has achieved and going so far.
“I could not imagine myself doing anything else now and I will keep painting and doing art related work until the end of my breath, that is for sure.”
MALE DOMINATED SOCIETY (1996)
Xu Feng Art Museum, China Qingdao
Art Vogue D’Nation 2019 Exchange Art Exhibition
his exhibition showcases the artworks by 50 artists from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, India, South Korea, Taiwan and France. Each with his own unique creation and style while interpreting each country’s rich and diverse arts and culture. Organized by Ms. Belinda Chua of Singapore, this international art exhibition was held in Xufeng Art Museum in Qingdao, China from September 20-25, 2019. The exhibit not only aims to showcase the works of talented international visual artists but to enhance and promote friendship among the participating artists as well. The Philippine delegates to the said art exhibit include Roy Espinosa, Lloyd Lusica, Mylene Quito, Viel Samaniego, Victor Puruganan, Norman Cristobal, Mark Anthony Talion Vinas, Angelie Banaag, Chai Soo, Liza Oppus, Izrah Berida and Ismael Esber.
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HOW to
ESTABL BLIISH a
MOOD for
MORE IMP IMPACT Johannes Vloothuis Artists Network
ome of the most popular subjects for me that sell really well are rustic buildings with flowers. Pet portraits are also bestsellers, and landscape paintings are popular, too. These top subjects are just based on my own experiences. There is more to making art that sells beyond subject matter. That includes establishing a certain mood in a landscape painting or other scene to increase the appeal for all viewers, regardless of who they are or what genres they might be drawn to at first glance.
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Carmel Mission, located in the town of Carmel, CA, is a wonderful setting with the flowers surrounding it.
Why a mood?
What will help you sell your art is establishing a mood that shows the viewer an uncommon scenario. It isn’t easy for viewers to get excited with small paintings that show an average, ordinary-looking daytime scene. You have to find and paint what makes that scene exceptional and extraordinary. I mostly depict scenes that will show twilight, sunsets, pink skies, foggy scenes and nocturnes. Here are several landscape paintings with examples of established moods to give you insight and inspiration on how to pursue mood in your own art. Also join me for my live online painting workshop, Essentials of Foggy Scenes, accepting students for the live and recorded video sessions now. We will learn all about mood together and you’ll see how the power of fog specifically can really enhance the color and light of a painting.
1.Mists and Mystery Fog is a very reliable tool to create the illusion of depth. Do you feel you can walk deeper and deeper into the woods?
2. Glimmers of Light How about adding some sun rays for a spiritual touch? This type of scene can be inspiring and evoke a lot of emotion because of its contrast of light and dark.
3.Winter Mix This twilight winter rendering, where the sun is just about to set, results in several warm colors glowing. The lavenders help bring relief to the warm colors. Take into account that a painting can be too warm, as well as too cool. The goal is to balance these two opposing color temperatures just right. Only one temperature should be predominant, so you can establish a clear mood that isn’t confused.
4. Night Time, Right Time Nocturne scenes are definitely considered as paintings with moods.The viewer engages their imagination because many details are left out in this dark environment.
5. Up Above The sky dictates the mood as well as the overall colors of a landscape painting. When I added the highlights on the rocks I used the same colors as in the sky, just in a different value. Instant cohesion!
6. The Appeal of Warmth This early morning scene takes place in Rockport, Massachu setts. It’s in an overall warm scenario. Most of my buyers appreciate paintings with predominantly warm colors. Of these warm colors, orange and red-orange are the most favored. Because this type of sky does not last long, you can say it’s an “out of ordinary” occurrence. The lights make the homes very inviting.
F R E E DOM & LOV E
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Mark Twain
Let’s talk about Freedom and Love. he greatest human longing is the longing for freedom. Humans do many ways to fight for freedom and also love. Every human being longs for freedom. Freedom is an important core of human consciousness, Love is the circle and freedom is the center. If both are fulfilled, then life will be complete. All living things can complement each other and can not be separated by any difference. Humans will coexist peacefully in the world. This message is what we want to deliver to the world.
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controlled by it. You cannot make someone a slave without making yourself a slave. Whatever you do for others the same thing is done for you. This is a basic principle to understand, that love without freedom never brings happiness. And there are those who try the other extreme, freedom without love. But of course we didn’t choose that method.
Love is a universal language that is often expressed by someone and then followed up with behavior. Each person will interpret love in a different perspective. Many of you But love without freedom naturally will express the love that is in the tends to be possessive. And when heart using romantic actions. Not you become possessive without you only objecting humans, love can be applied in various things for knowing it, you will create a bondage for others and a bondage example is work, and hobbies. for yourself, because you cannot You need to interpret love broadly, have someone without you being
love is the language of life for all of God’s creatures. Love has no limits. Many people even go beyond the ability and limits to get true love. Not only humans, other living things also have feelings of love. It’s just that living creatures do not do what humans do. Other living creatures choose to interpret and express their love in different ways. Animals also have love. Unlike humans, animals have their own language to express love, which is a natural instinct. For example of a mother monkey. He will fight tooth and nail to safeguard the safety of his child from various other animal threats. There are also arwana fish that are willing to sacrifice to not eat in order to keep their children in the mouth. Don’t just look at animals in terms of wildness, you must learn to interpret the life of animals through patterns of giving love in
different ways. Animals translate love to instinct. The instincts he builds are far better than the words of love expressed by humans to their partners. Plants also interpret love in different languages. Plants have their own way of keeping love alive and multiplying. Plants regenerate to form young shoots so that survival can occur. Interesting from the three natural components, humans, animals and plants. All three must provide love for each other. Humans by protecting the habitat of animals and plants, the plants will produce oxygen for human life. Humans must take care of plants for animals to eat. And then animals will benefit humans. Everything created by God has its own function. You just have to give love to others in order to live together. Love flows in all your expressions, your behavior in your walk, in your
speaking, in your whole life. the one Philippines, Roi Espinosa and Abu thing you cannot hide is Love. Jalal Sarimon as the organizer of this event and all artists. You may be able to hide your anger, your revenge, your irritation, but As the vision and mission at the you cannot hide your love. your beginning of the formation of love will be reflected in the look Freedom and Love Freedom and in your eyes, your smile and your Love is now increasingly Bigger and gestures. There are no fixed rules widespread, now it has been expressing love. because when in followed by 45 artists from 14 love, a lover is above all rules, countries. beyond all theories and philosophy. And this is the List of Participants Alright, words will never run out to Exhibition entitled Freedom and talk about love and freedom. I will Love 2019. convey the important point of this article. Singapore 1) Abu Jalal Sarimon Speaking of love, the article above 2) Leela Rashid (Guest) is our message, and for the sake of 3) Ramli Nawee describing the yearning for freedom 4) Sujak Rahman and love in expression and artwork, 5) Barry Yeow the artists who are members of the 6) Sheri (Guest) group of “Freedom and Love,” or 7) Chia Chor Hua “F&L” were joined by artists from 8) Suhat Sugiyou 11 countries. at the First Exhibition at the Apple Gallery Philippines Watoe Magelang Indonesia, 9) Roy Espinosa Freedom and Love are now present 10) Kim Mamaril to exhibit again in Manila, the 11) Ismael Esber
12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19) 20) 21)
Mylene Quito Melli Villavicencio Lloyd Lusica Viel Samaniego Aris Bagtas Dale Bagtas Pancho Piano Christian Regis Nam Intal Elyzza Barbosa
38) 39) 40)
Oumayma Badoud Laila Iraki Naziha Kheiri
China Hong Kong 41) Eddie Lui 42) Winnie Mak Egypt 43) Nahla Abo Bakr Aly Bayoumy
Malaysia 22) Abdul Raouf Bangladesh 23) Shafie Kamil 44) Pervaj Hasan Rigan 24) Norehan Shaharoun (Guest) 45) Nabila Nabi 25) Aleff Ahmad USA Indonesia 46) Shaw Merob 26) Syis Paindow 27) Atte Prameswari (Guest) Tajikistan 28) Niluh Sudarti 47) Farrukh Negmatzade 29) Cipto Purnomo 30) Deddy Paw France 48) Salette Viana Algeria 49) Michel Le Cornet 31) Mohamed Idir Djouder 50) Dgers Feitouchi 32) Mohand Ouramdane Djouder Turkey 33) Chafa Ouzzani 51) Meryem Ozer 34) Djamel Bouali 52) Mahmut Ozer (Guest) 35) Hafidah Mokkedes 36) Djamilla Ababsia Vietnam 37) Nadir Djamakebir (Guest) 53) Dang Tuan Morocco
Tunisia
54)
Latifa Maatoug
This exhibition will be held on December 14, 2019 at the GSIS Museum in Pasay City Phils. And will be opened by Mayor Pasay City, CEO of Manila Times Magazine, and President of the GSIS Museum. Hopefully this exhibition will be successful and lively and F&L will be more successful in the future. Last message from us, remember that we are united by love, we are united by differences, our skin color is not the same, our language is different, also the way we express our love and our way of thinking, but again, and once again we affirm love that unites us. We are here to prove that the differences issues deliberately created to make people hate each other can be defeated by love. Greetings from Freedom and Love. Spread love and good cells wherever you go, but start with the people closest to you. -Hati Sri Prameswari
THE BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY his perfectly describes the pool of talents that we have different art styles and take on various things. There is a plethora of diversity in the art scene, and this is what makes it beautiful. As artists, we’re all trying to understand and explain the world around us through the stroke of our brushes as we discover each new day. And as a group, we realized that our strength does not lie in our similarities, but in our differences – a place where differences are appreciated, respected, and encouraged.
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Beauty of Diversity, an art exhibit featuring the works of visual artists Roy Espinosa, Pancho Piano, Frank Cana, Ismael Esber, Lloyd Lusica, William Alcantara, Des Inosanto, Mylene Quito, Kim Mamaril, Melli Villavicencio, Pierre Patricio and Odio Manigbas will have its opening reception on September 28, 2019 at Espacio Manila, 2nd level Expansion Wing Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. With the participating artists’ varying art styles, expect a plethora of diversity through their strokes as they take on various things as subjects.
TAMARAW AT AKO, DANGAL NG PILIPINO
AMWorld Roving Exhibits by Far Eastern University jointly organized with Department of Environmental and Natural Resources -DENR, now at the Port Terminals 2 and 3. It was opened to public October 28 , 2019 in the presence of our distinguished guests DENR MIMAROPA Regional Executive Director Henry Adornado, Assistant Regional Director Vicente Tuddao, Jr. DENR CALABARZON Assistant Regional Director Nelson Gorospe PENRO Batangas, Elmer Bascos CENRO Lipa, Noel Recillo Philippine Ports Authority OIC Port Base, NIcetas Miranda, Asian Terminal Inc, Giselle Macatangay and Annvein Lorena, along with the Far Eastern University managers, alumni and students who witnessed and graced the occasion. “This joint undertaking, enables us to look forward to empowering the people directly protecting the Tamaraws”, Director Adornado noted. This intensifies its awareness campaign by giving the public the opportunity to learn more about the endemic tamaraws. Primarily, the exhibit was staged to help spread awareness on the conservation of the Tamaraws, which can only be found in the island provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro. “This is one of the reasons why we opted to hold the exhibit here at the port, gateway to both Occidental and Oriental Mindoro where thousands of passengers are heading to these provinces this coming All Saints’ Day. We take such opportunity to let them know more about this specie, and discover the distinct traits that we, Filipinos share with the Tamaraws”, DENR MIMAROPA Regional Executive Director Henry Adornado said. (ref. Palawan-News.com)
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various universities and Art Association of Novaliches led by FEU Fine Arts alumni. These works of art also depict the Tau Buids culture and their products, nature and sceneries, flora and fauna. Information on the different conservation initiatives can be found here as well. It also goes with our goal of making the Tamaraw a national pride and recognize the community of people who helped in increasing its population. Enabling more people to discover the world of tamaraws as part of the celebration of Tamaraw’s Month (P.D. 273 s. 2002 states, “Declaring the month of October of every year as a ‘Special month for the conservation and protection of the tamaraw in Mindoro’”) The Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) is a critically endangered specie that resembles the carabao. It is shorter though and its horns grow in ‘V’ form. It is described as resilient and enduring, characteristics innate to Filipinos and distinct traits that best represent the country. Hence, a current proposal to declare it as the National Land Mammal of the Philippines through an act of Congress. Based on the last population count held in April this year, the number of Tamaraws went down to 480 from 523 in 2018. The Tamaraw’s core habitat, Mt. Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) in Occidental Mindoro measures 1,600 hectares, with only 23 rangers patrolling the area and protecting the species against illegal hunters and poachers.
DENR and FEU would like to extend to the following agencies and institutions their sincerest thanks for their support in making TAMWorld Art Anchored on the theme of this year’s celebration, and Photo Exhibits possible and successful: Art “Tamaraw at Ako, Dangal ng Pilpino”, the Association of Novaliches, Philippine Ports exhibit features tamaraws and their habitat Authority, Asian Terminal, Inc., World Wide Fund through photographs and artworks done by for Nature - Philippines and DENR TAMBayani volunteers composed of artists from CALABARZON. (ref. Palawan-News.com)
Simbuyo
inagsikapang maituloy at maitaguyod sa gitna ng kaabalahan sa kani-kaniyang larangan.
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Technological University of the Philippines TUP, Manila.
Ang pagsasama-samang ito ay isang hakbang upang mapanatili ang alab sa puso May titulong “SIMBUYO� na ilan sa kahulugan ay pasyon, ng bawat isa. Ito ay silakbo ng damdamin, pagka- magsisilbing tulay na mag-uugnay sa mga humaling at pagsinta, ito ay indibidwal na minsan ay eksibisyon ng mga propesor pinagtagpo ang landas, sa at dating mga mag-aaral ng
parehong pamantasan.. ng parehong pasyon.. Ito ay para sa mga manlalakbay na pinag-isa ang daan. Ito ay selebrasyon ng sining at ng buhay.. simbuyo man ang dahilan o simbuyo ang kahitnan..
Photo credit: Mark Nilo Odiaman
“THINK”
Marlon Magbanua, Jayson Pettz Muring, Jucar Raquepo, and Ritche Yee at RENAISSANCE
“I am not an intellectual. I am a peasant. I do not paint from the mind. I paint from the heart.” Those were the actual words uttered by the National Artist Vicente Manansala in a long-ago interview with this writer. Those statements, despite being declared defiantly decades ago, rose to mind on the occasion of a Renaissance show titled “Think” featuring the works of Marlon Magbanua, Payson Pettz Muring, Jucar Raquepo, and Ritche Yee. The critical question thus emerges: Is thinking anathema to art-making and its appreciation? Is the Filipino, artist and audience alike, enslaved by the heart and his emotion, never heeding the challenge of the gray cells? The issue is even more magnified when the artwork is an abstraction, a work that is visually not reflective of physical reality. In “Think,” we are confronted by the works of these young stalwarts of Philippine abstraction. All are stirred up not by a human figure or a landscape or a still life, but rather by line, color, shape, form, space, surface, and texture. In over a century when the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky and the Dutch neo-platonist Piet Mondrian opened up to a previously unexplored universe, abstraction has been proclaimed dead, but as often, resurrected, indeed giving birth to as many variants as could never have been imagined before. The New York artists of the forties emerged with Abstract Expressionism, also called Action Painting, spearheaded by Jackson Pollock, Willem de
Kooning, Franz Kline, et al. And then, after the intrusion of Pop Art, came Color Field Painting and Minimalism.
common intriguing and recurring image: a mysterious orifice on an indeterminate surface whence emerges an internal organic or biomorphic form. Jucar Raquepo In our country, abstraction fell in turns the medium of collage on the hands of Hernando its head. Accredited to Ocampo, Jose Joya, Lee Picasso who first introduced Aguinaldo, Fernando Zobel, applied newspaper cut-outs onto among others. Thereafter, his cubist works, thereby generation after generation of conflating pieces of reality with abstractionists took up the pictorial illusion, collage was cudgels for this art idiom, and regarded by some critics as the by the turn of the new century, greatest invention of 20th Magbanua, Muring, Raquepo, century art. In his paintings, and Yee came into the scene. Raquepo gives the illusion of an actual collage, festooned literally Being both a visual artist and with torn paper pieces of a musician, it is not history, in the process delighting surprising that Marlon the viewer with the aesthetic Magbanua has explored the pleasure of trompe l’oeil, or connection between sound and fool-the-eye realism. color and form, indeed even emotions and textures. This In his wall sculptural works, experience is called Ritche Yee gives the illusion synesthesia, a Greek word too, of having transported actual which means “joined fragments of concrete boulders, connection.” It was this looking like bas reliefs, though neurological condition that led they are in fact masquerading the aforementioned Kandinsky paintings. His inclusion of condition to his discovery of actually protruding rusty steel abstraction. It is synesthesia, bars have resonances of too, that Magbanua brings to violence in the concrete bear on himself when he jungle of the metropolis. Installed creates his abstractions, almost on the pristine white walls of a instinctively, to the rhythm of gallery space, they convey great colors, the melody of space, weight and the quiet stillness of the exaltation of space, and the a scene that had witnessed a texture of emotion. traumatic event. Still another musician-artist is Jayson Pettz Muring, whose artworks are titled only by numbers, a willful act that is evocative of various intents. The gesture can mean an evasion of an artist’s interpretation of his own work, but merely a convenient label related to its sequence of production. This allows the viewer free and complete rein of his personal interpretation. Muring’s works, however, are synthesized by a
With this show, it is incontrovertible that this quartet of artists - Magbanua, Muring, Raquepo, and Yee – all paint with their mind and heart, proving that there need not be any disconnect between the two. Were National Artist Vicente Manansala still with the living today, that should start the old man thinking. CID REYES
THE ART FOR MANILA BAY REHAB
Opening exhibit : June 20, 2019 Guests of Honor: DENR Usec Benny Antiporda Atty. Antonio Oposa- International Environmentalists Lawyer Cid Reyes- Art Critique and writer Admiral Ariston delos Reyes - former Vice Chief of Staff National Defense Dean Mitzi Reyes - UP College of Fine Arts Mr. Roger Flores- President, Daimaru Corp.
collab artists AA APPRECIATING ART FEATURES COLLAB ARTISTS: PAINT TOGETHER A LAID BACK ADVENTURE OF PHILIPPINE LANDSCAPES onsidered as a landmark offering, “LIFE’S BLESSINGS FROM THE SEA AND THE EARTH” is the third group exhibit from COLLAB ARTISTS. They have previously exhibited in Paseo Rizal (Beyond the Easel) and Art Asia (Countryside Awakening)
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As an interactive kind of presentation, deliberate care was given to choosing subjects that bring calm and pleasant feelings, invoking the viewer to immerse themselves in the bucolic life. Reminiscing about simple childhood life experiences was the common thread that bonded these artists together. Now, these happy memories take form in the rustic realism and country impressionism styling of the art pieces.
re-tell their adventure amidst a laid-back homey setting. United in their painting sessions, they have produced various oeuvre containing idyllic themes that explore the gifts of the land. The rural Filipino folk framed by the heritage and culture of the Philippine sea and soil serves as the subject. COLLAB ART’S “BIYAYA NG DAGAT AT LUPA” opens on October 21 and will run until November 9,2019, at The Art Gallery of the Philippine Heart Center. Destiny brought COLLAB artists together – Jo Florendo, Raymond Hermosa, Joel C. Janer, OP Monzon, Jing Señara, and Edgar Villaruel. Described as “illustrative, idyllic and romantic”, the exhibit offers an unobtrusive look into their style of painting.
COLLAB ART redefines INTERACTIVE as the canvas passes through each brush of the artist with the totality of the painting Five of the artists hail from the provinces transcending each unique contribution. It of Cagayan de Oro, Leyte, Quezon and is in this process of creation that they Rizal. They are proud of their humble
beginnings in the country. Blissfully observing fishermen hauling in their catch from shore, farmers plowing the fields and harvesting their crops and neighbors feeding poultry in their own backyard. These artists fondly remember growing up in a community of kind and sincere folks sharing meager resources – the bounty of fruits, vegetables and fish. Modest houses made of palm leaves and surrounded by trees and lush greeneries are familiar sights while growing up. The range of mountains on the horizon, the landscape and the sea that abound with blessings from a giving Lord is a scenery that is both nostalgic and brings to life the peaceful community that a growing boy remembers. But this wonderful setting is now declining with the encroaching tide of modern development. Trees are uprooted and the rolling hills are leveled off to pave the way for the future construction projects. The pleasant view
of the rustic and simple life may no longer be seen by the next generation of Filipinos. This little piece of heaven that we see on earth is slowly fading away. When a painting speaks, it has a story to tell, and the same is true with all the paintings contained in BIYAYA NG DAGAT AT LUPA. The legacy of paintings left by past artists will remain with us, offering a toast to the beauty of nature dedicated to the Filipino people. The BIYAYA ART EXHIBIT is offered to honor nature, the Filipino farmers and fishermen, and their families. It is also an offering of Collab Artists to the Almighty for the endless gifts and blessings from the good sea and the good earth. Collab Artists also participates in community social development, such as art workshops and mural painting activities. As entrepreneur artists, they also paint for Artsy Bag. They have experimented on abstract expressionism, some of which are included in this exhibit.
Fragmented Reality
ragmented Reality focuses on the boundary between reality and truth. Art can be said to exist in the sphere of truth, in defiance of reality. Reality is a fragmented thing, gaining meaning and coherence through the application of ethical or aesthetic perspectives, we enter different spaces, meet
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different people, and hear different stories. We travel our existence in fragments. The subjects of each painting form both very literal representations of reality as well as abstracts and splintered forms that are left open to interpretation. Each artist dictates a narrative to such issue as
well as allegorical point directive to the viewers. the aim is awareness and possible reflection to our society; be it deterrent or encouragement, combined with the intrigue mystery of empty spaces, creates and form a tension evoking emotional response to each scene of a painting.
The artists are • Roy Espinosa • Christian Regis • Strobs Hodreal • Cristina Gabaldon • Valen Valero • Erzil Kho- Morales • Zaldy Garra • Marga Tagorda • Jomel Gregorio • Shy Fajilagutan