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What’s
up with the new generation of youngest artists? A new
group, BAGO (Bonafide Art Galleries Organizations), was
formed recently to promote the visual arts in the
country today. It has set up a big exhibit, the 1st
Philippine Annual “State of Art” Group Exhibition, at
the SM Megamall Art Center which runs up to September
28. For this, it has particularly included artists
associated with galleries and who have held at least a
solo show.
A
remarkable fact is that BAGO is composed of 22
galleries, quite a formidable number. Would this
initiative be the latest effort to replace the
now-moribund Art Association of the Philippines that has
been around for several decades? There are two
significant passages in the BAGO flier. It states its
goal as “promoting Philippine Visual Art as a unified
and coherent body,” and that it also aims “to
professionalize the players in what is sometimes
regarded as an ungoverned industry.” These statements
cannot help but stimulate one’s interest and curiosity.
For one, how will the visual arts be conceived as a
“unified and coherent body”? Unified for itself, or
unified against what? Given the whole gamut of
Philippine contemporary art, is this not a rather
problematic question? For “unified” may imply common
codes of uniformity. But in what sense? In terms of
themes, such as state nationalism, traditional values,
or art for art’s sake? Or in terms of style and social
and political orientation, which might eventually and
implicitly exercise inclusion and exclusion, leaving out
more incisive and radical expressions? There is, of
course, the danger of catering to the tastes of buyers
and collectors and hewing to what is saleable to the
local and regional markets, especially with the enhanced
activity of auction houses nowadays. But any artist’s
organization has, first of all, to uphold artistic
freedom on the part of the artist above all else.
Likewise, along what lines will “professionalization” be
spelled out? Here, of course, the organization can
attend to matters of ethics governing the sale and
exchange of visual arts, as well as the different
details with respect to medium, especially prints,
reproductions, and the problems of forgeries and fakes.
By doing so, the practice of the visual arts will be on
a par with the galleries and museums abroad, and will
regard the galleries with collegial respect. It is in
this aspect that it would have a generally salutary
effect.
This
exhibit, then, presents a wide range of artworks which
lend themselves to small groupings, though much of which
is familiar. They, of course, point to directions which
new art may take in the next few years, as well as the
artists who may prove to be outstanding in their field.
In the
vein of Manuel Baldemor and his colorful celebrations of
community spirit is Amador Barquilla in Simbahan.
Christmastime brings out the folk to outdoor festivities
in a large field before a church and a moon—all in a
pure and simple’s child’s delight in the traditional
rituals surrounding the event. Also in a festive mood
is Jovan Benito, now known for his particular
caricatural style of ladies with large ovoid eyes in
lively exchanges, their bright costumes among fruits and
flowers of harvest. As this holds true for most of his
work, his figurative style, which admits to little
development, segues into individual mannerism.
Another
artist who grounds himself on caricature, but with a
distinct incisive style, is Anthony Palo in Afternoon
Tea Time. In a surreal picture-book situation, four
figures—two humans, male and female, together with two
aliens—primly, and somewhat gloomily, sip their
afternoon tea on a tree branch. While the artist is
excellent in his use of color, one cannot gloss over the
meaning of the two aliens and what they contribute to
the perplexing situation. What feelings would the image
evoke in children or in adults but a sense of ambiguous
identities. Aljo Pingol’s Lover’s Moon is also
based on a surreal fusion of species. A carabao with
curving horns has above the clouds over his head a
circular vignette of two rustic lovers pursuing each
other in a circle.
There
are a few abstracts in the show, such as Michelle Tan’s
Dance of Life, a composition in aquamarine, black
and silver in painterly execution; and Sam Galvez’s
Wave of Passion, which relies on subtle color
effects. Josef Laureano’s Frictional in white,
black and red has a stronger effect.
More on
the gritty side are a few paitings, such as Jaime
Gubaton’s Living on a Prayer, Ronald L.
Jeresano’s Sana Ngayon Na and Alexander Tan’s
Subject. The first shows a jeepney driver going
toward the future bolstered with all the logos of
jeepney culture: “God Knows Hudas Not Pay,” “Barya Lang
sa Umaga” and so on. He seems to consider options
before crossing a bridge which leads him to a bay where
ships are anchored in wait. As the title states, it is
faith which keeps him going on, in the absence of a real
social support system for human beings. In the second
painting, a group of children stand before a building
under construction. The title implies a common
expectation, but what that is, one cannot know. Its
meaning is open-ended and one can supply as many
possible interpretations within the horizon of meaning.
The third in black-and-white shows a man’s dark glasses
reflecting a photographer taking a picture of himself,
the subject thus posing questions of identity and human
interrelationship.
Many of
these young artists do their best to shun stereotypes
which do not advance their art forward. This show
provides an optimum exercise of their creativity as they
face different options along the way. |
