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ARTisipin

The art beyond colors and strokes

BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 18) — The University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) and the Committee on the Culture and the Arts mounted an exhibit for UPB Fine Arts students. The courses Art Seminar I and Production Methods I were integrated for an artworks exposition of Fine Arts students. It was launched on January 10 at the UPB Galerya ti Kordilyera.

The exhibit entitled “ARTisipin” crosses beyond the realm of art itself. A mixture of technical knowledge and social consciousness prevail in their illustrations, paintings, indigenous lamp installations and collage, among other forms of visual outputs.

The students aimed to “present their works as results of issue discussions about Philippine art and art in general.” They have also incorporated the inspiration of Philippine art traditions – from the pre-colonial to colonial period pieces of Fernando Amorsolo, the Anglo-American and Western traditional paintings to the influences of foreign surrealists Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte.

Art Seminar I discusses the current contemporary issues in art and relate them to individual student at productions. Production Methods I confer analysis, exploration and preparation of materials for art production and reproduction. Thus, the students are encouraged to infuse all the materials they want, use the theories they need and apply their own techniques to depict reality.

A cultural worker once said that there is no such thing as art for art’s sake. True to this saying, these young fine arts students have showed awareness and concern not only for their own unique talents. They have revealed their depth and insight on the current issues the country is facing.

Sandra Ferwello, a 3rd year fine arts student, used mixed media of paper cutouts, poster paint, and color pencil, among others. One of her paintings is entitled “3BPs – Rev. Art.” The painting illustrated a boot-camp shoe crushing a human’s head crowned with thorns. Above the illustration were cutouts of major commercial establishments and products.

She interprets her work as a representation of the Philippine social, economic and cultural situation. The boots represent the imperialist America that continues ruling the country even without their actual presence in the country (except the case in Subic). The human’s head is obviously the depressed and oppressed Juan (or Juana). The cutouts symbolize the decay of the staunch Filipino culture overridden by the colonial manipulation.

Another remarkable student Edmund Andrada mainly worked on acrylic or oil on canvas. He had other works in charcoal and color pencil. His influence is delved from Filipino surreal painter Jason Herbolario. Most of his works tackle technology vis-a-vis the environment and its repercussions on culture.

“Today and Tomorrow” shows a half human, half robot. The images can make one wonder, “Is technology all worth it to lose your humanity?” Another painting called “Someday” is surely a hopeful one. It portrays an imagined world full of green landscape, calm rivers, and perpetual skies filled with soaring swallows captured into a majestic future threshold.

Artists include Karen Rose Bello, Louie Allen Madridejos (indigenous lamps), Czarina Calinawagan, Adrian Waya (woodcarvings), Job Manalang, Rogerson Fernandez and Babeth Lollarga-Fernandez.

The exhibit ran only until January 20. However, interested buyers (or simply those who want to appreciate and understand their art) are free to visit the Fine Arts building at the UPB. Artworks prices range from P50 to P5,000.

One artwork even used an old lung x-ray result pasted over a collection of old notebook sketches. Clay, threads, shells, pine sticks, canvas, oil and acrylic, woodcarvings, manga (Japanese cartooning). The materials are almost limitless. Their creativity, ingenuity and young idealism surely will never end. # Pink-Jean Fangon Melegrito for NORDIS

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