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Find Me Filipino Artists - Pablo S. Antonio

1. Far Eastern University Administration and Science buildings

- The Nicanor Reyes Hall is said to be the oldest and most valued on the FEU Campus. These are one of the many major works of Pablo S. Antonio and according to him, buildings “should be planned with austerity in mind and its stability forever as the aim of true architecture, that buildings must be progressive, simple in design but dignified, true to a purpose without resorting to an applied set of aesthetics and should eternally recreate truth.” As we can see, this building embodies what he said, and it truly shows how dedicated he is to his work. Because of his astounding work, the building was cited with an Honorable Mention by UNESCO, for “returning buildings and landscape to their original appearance, maintaining the architectural integrity of the Art Deco structures.”

2. White Cross

- Initially, White Cross Children’s Home was meant for children diagnosed with tuberculosis. At present, it has now become for children of poor unwed mothers, incapacitated parents who cannot take care of their children, of prisoners and victims of rape or incest. What is noticeable in this building is its clean lines and, similar to what it is called, its design resembles a cross. He also took note of the tropical climate of the Philippines and used slanted windows, which can be seen in this picture.

3. Manila Polo Club

- The Manila Polo Club was opened in November 27, 1909 on Calle Real in Pasay and was built in the era of social clubs, catering the society’s elite back then. This club featured dinner dances, theme parties and more that made it very famous back in the day. Its distinct characteristics were that it was built in the native style, had wooden frames and sidings, and there was even a water tower that highly resembled a pagoda. Its intricate designs were enough to attract a lot of people, that even Americans were immigrating to Manila from the States.

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If I were a Contemporary Artist

If I were to be a contemporary artist, I would be using minimalism and using found objects. These two would be great, as art is an outlet of expression and freedom. This will also make the viewers interpret my said art on their own. Minimalist art, yet simplistic, can be so striking to others’ eyes and this is what is amazing to me. As for using found objects, I find the process fun, trying to create a concept and deciding which materials are available for use for what can still be regarded as art.

Many do not consider minimalism as real art but I beg to differ; it represents something of its own and introduces many ideas to the industry. Opposed to other art, minimalism finds a way to become art without all the complex concepts. They say “everything in moderation” and it seems like this fits it. On the other hand, found objects for making art can push me to be more creative and resourceful all the while still admiring my art and being patient with the process it takes. All in all, exploring various contemporary art techniques will be the best way to know what is best for one’s art.

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TATAK KO ITO!

My artwork is of a toy dog inside a jar with all sorts of stuff and trinkets. Not long ago, “fairy jars” were a trend, wherein people used jars as well and made it look as if a fairy was inside the jar. As I do not have anything that will make it look like the usual “fairy jar,” I used an old dog toy that has been around for years in the house, and I knew it would be better to make it the central piece rather than it to continue collecting dust somewhere in the house.  Other than that, I used real moss from the garden because I felt it would make the overall artwork more natural and fitting to the theme. I added in fluff, which I got from packages from past orders and origami flowers.

There is also a small geisha doll from a keychain, scrap paper and tissue to make it seem more aesthetic, a chopstick I painted black to make it seem like a pole behind the dog and a butterfly ornament. Interestingly, I left this artwork for a while and came back to it to see that the paper I used in drawing the eye was no longer white because it was kept inside the jar (closed) and became damp from the moss, that even the chopstick was molding a bit. As for this artwork’s connection to my locality, I think, since my artwork resembles fairy jars, we can pretend that the dog is the diwata in Filipino folklore or the spirit guarding its habitat that looks like a forest. 

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Contemporary Art

Personally, I think contemporary art is exactly what it implies, it is art that is relevant up to today and can reflect anything of significance or notice of the artist's eye in our fickle world. As the world is ever-changing, contemporary art as a topic itself broadens and there are subjects that are explored and applied to art that we see today. Because of this, I do think that WOTL can still be considered a contemporary art, as this particular video could still have taken as much time to produce as other forms of art have. Other than this, it was evident that the content was relevant, in the context of contemporary topics, offered thought-evoking perspectives and could be a redefinition of art in Lourd’s end.

After watching just one episode of apparently a series, I have surmised that Lourd de Veyra’s series holds no biased and sugar coated opinions. Though subtle by cracking a few jokes, we cannot deny that this is the state of our politics, even until now. The shown clips of our country’s political campaigns were compared to America’s, showing the former President Obama which made our country’s political campaigns seem very mediocre and lacking a lot of intellect. WOTL distributed these pieces of information to me in a lighthearted but held a clear purpose as to why the subject was being touched upon.

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Find Me Contemporary Arts

Nikki Luna - Lady of the House, 2019

This is Nikki Luna’s art called, “Lady of the House.” She represented the Philippines in Cairo Biennale and talked about the disturbing injustices facing Filipino domestic workers in Egypt. Some of the women she talked to said they were experiencing abuse, mistreatment, and so much more. In this artwork, she used actual strands of hair of mistreated women she met and made them into this cowhide rug. The hair strands were used to spell out “Lady of the House” in cursive and are barely seen because it was intentionally made that way to emphasize how invisible women’s struggles are.

Andres Barrioquinto - Flower that Bloomed in the Dead of Winter Died of Loneliness

It is a complex visual art, but nevertheless; anyone who sets their eyes upon it will say that it is a beauty. The artist, Andres Barrioquinto used his imagination and expressed it through this work. With a closer look, there are peacocks and a wolf present. He used these animals to depict the woman and the man as symbolism. Known for his surrealistic imagery, the artwork could also be depicting freedom and awakening.