Filipino Artists (in no particular order except who I remember first) Part III

I was listening to Cristy Fermin on the radio talking about her stable of artists and their works. (she has a gallery called "Mga Obra ni Nanay" or something) she goes "ayaan, ito namang obra na ito ay napakaganda.. dalawang batang naglalaro sa hardin.. Ito naman, maganda rin, mga koi fish..". I realized what has always been known.. "art" is subjective and personal. If you like it, good! If a Mabini artist painted it in hopes it will sell to tourists, it's still art! Think about that painter's social struggle.. with his talent.. putting aside creativity for a small commercial success.. And never realizing he could be expressing himself through his craft to the right audience and gaining recognition. That's art too. and just add an F to it, it becomes FART. And we go on with the series..

21. Bencab

22. Andres Barrioquinto- I was his sister's Chef Instructor in Culinary school, and she showed me images of his work. I've been a fan since. Nice, evolving styles, lots of emotion and energy. His characters are scary, yet after they freak you out, you feel like you want to talk to them and ask them what's wrong.

23. Jason Moss (credit: ArtesdelasFilipinas)

24. SYM- (image c/o lobbyist.biz) If SYM named himself as an acronym, that would show narcissism and conceit. good traits for a painter.

25. Bones Banez (image c/o dannysillada.weebly)- What is this guy on?!?!! Reminds me of Alex Grey, the famous artist whose metaphysical themed psychedelic art has graced the albums of my favorite band. Bones paint surreal and striking portraits of a place he refers to as "666 Art World" where in his own words, Satan is "Perfect in Prettiness". Bigat mo men.

26. Federico Alcuaz

27. Nonoy Marcelo (credit: PCIJ)- Uniquely talented with intelligence and slapstick powers, all poured into his cartoons and comic strips. I think he drew one for me, as an autograph, when my mom was contributing with him at a news office.

28. Carlo Gabuco (credit: Artnet)- Hey, that looks like Kris Aquino

29. Christopher Zamora (credit: Artnet)

30. Elmer Roslin (from Artist's own Multiply)

in the words of Nonoy Marcelo: "E-2-2-LOY!!!"

Filipino Artists (in no particular order except who I remember first) Part 2

What is art? I don't know the answer to that.. But what i know is this: art isn't always a painting of a slum dwelling child holding a globe symbolizing the troubled earth. Art could be a digital photo of a guy in a clown suit eating a painting of a slum dwelling child holding a globe symbolizing the troubled earth.

Credit: Artnet 

11. Ronald Ventura- I’m a big fan of his painting and sculptures. Not a shred of pretense here. just expression, sometimes funny, sometimes frightening, sometimes thought-provoking.

Credit: Villageartgallery

12.      Roel Obemio- Eating contest: Obemio's vs. Fernando Botero's characters.. Who would win? 

Credit: Kulay-Diwa

13.      Santi Bose- I met this guy in Baguio when i was a kid. He does collages.. not the kind you have to do when you fail a subject in grade school. If you submitted a collage like his to try to get past Araling Panlipunan, you'd probably get either an A or guidance counseling.

Credit: Art Documents

14.      Manuel Ocampo- Immensely talented, Manuel can capture old world depth in his paintings and go lowbrow without batting an eyelash. I love his ipis paintings (and maybe soon a print will be mine.) Also, something I can never unsee.. His horse making bunny kebabs. edit: Aside from being immensely talented, Manuel is a friendly, well-chilled guy. 

Credit: Kulay-diwa

15. Englebert Chan- Nail clippers and Paperclips in bright crayon colors. 

Credit: ArtsentralAsia

16.  Mark Justiniani- surreal/fantastic AND socially relevant

Credit: Arcadja

17. Jose Santos III

Credit: Kulay-diwa

18. Gus Albor- Thrust into the awkward mainstream as an artist who paints nude starlets. He's actually good. Maybe the mass media machine used his art scene clout to add substance to a publicity stunt, but that doesn't take away anything from his talent.

Credit: ADMU

19. Felix Amoncio

Credit: Crucible

20. Igan d'Bayan

IMG00603-20110719-2022.jpg

see you there.
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Harry Pottah ahnd the Deathly Hallows: A Mega-Spoiler Review

Warning: Spoilers!

1. The guy with a nose smaller than Verni Varga's is actually a painter born in Paete, Laguna. The protagonists call him "you-know-who" but his real name in Baldemor, as in THE National Artist Manuel Baldemor.
2. The film was written, directed, produced, AND shot by a crew comprising of hardcore wand-in-pocket poster worshipping Equus watching Harry Potter FANS. This is manifested in the number of hermionie cleavage shots and the two surprise-laplapan moments. What stayed on the cutting room floor was the surprise laplapan scene of Draco and Snape. Not because it was too homoerotic for the target audience, but because of possible lawsuits regarding the Karate Kid franchise's sole ownership of the Mentor and Boy love angle.
3. Harry dies
4. Snape Dies, but dies a(n) hero because America can't handle a million goth kids crying themselves to death.
5. It is a long movie. Screw the popcorn.. bring ammonia soaked cotton wads.
6. In the spirit of equal opportunity there are more black wizards now. And production was careful not to kill them off too early.
7. The anti-Semitic imagery is worse than in "Borat".. Goblins, dude. Goblins. Why must men hate?
8. If you're going to a movie house that has a Taters outlet, get barbecue on the bottom and butter on top, so the butter trickles down. Don't forget the salt!!
9. We watched this for free.

Filipino Artists you should not be ignorant about (in no particular order except who I remember first) Part 1

I was at Max Balatbat's "Kabaret" Exhibit and I realized how much I love art. As I walked past the installation work of used condoms, I recalled being exposed to fine art along with good food and music. So I thank my mom for lugging me around, even that strange performance at the Baguio Arts Festival of the bearded guy in a diaper rubbing plaster of Paris on his body. I'm not a critic, but here are some artists that I feel everyone should be able to recognize in a gallery (their works i mean). If, like Juan Luna, you are absent from this list, it means you are already well known. It's a long list, Here's the first installment.

1. Solomon Saprid- I remember being awestruck, slightly fearful, slightly amazed at Saprid's huge brass Tikbalang every time I walked past it ( I think this was a somewhere near where SM Makati stands now). That was my first exposure to sculpture and it made me realize how a powerfully formed work of art can induce idol worship in humans.

 2. H.R. Ocampo- It looks like.. camouflage.. but it would only help if you were hiding in a bizarrely colored jungle..

3.Vicente Manansala- Nudes so real, you can almost get slapped when you touch them. You can touch these lobster though.

Credit: Christies

4.      Onib Olmedo- Expressionist. Right?

credit: Artvaluedotcom

5.      Michael Vincent manalo- Agoraphobic's delight

Credit: Saatchi

6.      Raoul Rodriguez- strange, surreal, beautiful, kadiri

7.      Tatong Torres- painful but I can’t turn away

credit: contemporaryartphilippines

8.      Malang- Spotted on textbook covers everywhere

credit: alanguilan.com

9.      Louie Cordero- The genius behind "Nardong Tae".. I see Robert Crumb and Ed Roth in his work. BUAKANG INA MOOOOOO

Credit: Lexiology.tumblr.com

10.  Arturo Luz- OC lines can create anything from landscapes to people. Easy to spot anywhere, and he is everywhere.. Real prolific dude. I tried painting abstract, it looked too much like his stuff, so I gave up.

Credit: Juice.ph

Watch out for more..