AESTHET IA#4

Untitled (DIWATA)
By Guillermo E. Tolentino
Reinforced Concrete

This art work had captured my attention very much. Aside from the title itself (yet it was untitled, actually, maybe an anonymous person had given it the name "Diwata", I can say that she really is a diwata (fairy) with her amazing wings and poise. A very mesmerizing art work by Tolentino, I can interpret this sculpture as someone that has and owns everything she wants, yet there is still a missing thing in her life that she wants to achieve, and that is to become the diwata or fairy, maybe to someone, or to his loved ones. She’s like asking for the wisdom and calling to do so, to make her fly in order to show to the people that she can become as helpful as a fairy, like what several children’s bed stories would describe fairies.

El Asesinato del Gobernador Bustamante
By Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo

Religion had become a very sensitive issue during the Spanish colonization and this painting was a representation that even the promoter of the Catholic religion to the Philippines, the Spaniards, had become cruel towards the church people. No offense meant to the Spanish people of today, but Spaniards had been a very cruel colonizer of the Philippines for 333 years. This painting shows that Spaniards, the one calling the church people as "tyrants", can become tyrants themselves, surrendering themselves in committing moral crimes, killing a mob of people.

Liberty Granting Independence to Filipinas
By Guillermo E. Tolentino
Pencil on Paper

When I have laid eyes on this art piece, I had goosebumps, honestly. This piece had shown that an art work is not only about colorful details and big canvases, it is also about how to picture out a story out of pencil and paper. This had demonstrated a very dramatic event for the Philippines, where we had gained our very own National Flag, which in the picture is given by a foreign character individual (someone like a Spanish or American) to a woman who characterizes a Filipina image. Our country had been colonized by certain foreign countries and what everyone wanted at those times were to survive and sustain their lives, some wanted to freed the country to colonization which started the historical Filipino revolutions. This art work is a constant reminder that we are actually and currently living in a place where we are free, without any control from foreign countries, not constrained to do what we need and have to do. We are an independent country!

Child Eating Fruit
By Isabelo Tampinco y Lacandola
Polychrome concrete

At first sight, I actually exclaimed, "Cute!" I have seen several kids who are roaming the streets of Manila and I remembered them after my exclamation. It was not cute, it was a reality. A reality that every children is not worthy of being left alone in the slums, walking in dark streets, hanging in jeepneys just to sing and earn money from the coins given by the annoyed passengers. They should be given priority in terms of maintaining their health, eating healthy foods instead of passing their hunger through rugby. It is a sad reality in the Philippines that a lot of kids are victim of neglect of parents. What happened to Jose Rizal’s notion, "The youth is the hope of the Motherland."? Kids are still young to make accurate decisions for themselves and that is where the role of the parents are significant. This art work expresses a lot, and I would emphasize its message towards how to treat children, because time will come that these kids will turn to adults, and without proper guidance and care, the hope Rizal assumes will be disregarded.

Potrait of a Lady (UNFINISHED)
By Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto
Oil on Canvas
The painting was being worked upon by the artist, and was the very last to receive his attention upon his death in April 24, 1972.

Another goose bumping art work for me. I was amazed with the fact that Amorsolo had an unfinished portrait, and as a painter, like other normal individual, they can’t predict their time of death. I know that they are still humans, that they don’t handle their time here on Earth, but I was just amaze with the fact with how a painter creates his/her art works. It the painting, it can be seen how detailed Amorsolo with regards of outlining the subject onto the canvas. It was also a mesmerizing feeling because along with these painting were the last materials he had used to create his unfinished piece. It was just overwhelming that it has been preserved for the next generation to see and be proud of.

Portrait of Serapia N. Santos y Aduna
By Ramon Peralta y Resurreccion
Foto-oleo on board

I am a violet-lover! HAHA!! Actually, this has also captured my attention because for me, it represents the main role of being a woman, a house wife material. The lady on the portrait holds a feather duster, which symbolizes someone who is responsible for maintaining cleanliness not only to the physical output of the house, but also the purity of living and being aligned with the norms of the society. The Philippines is known for signifying a perfect Filipina as Maria Clara, someone who is graceful and a woman that represents the character of a house wife should be. This portrait also captures the National Clothes for women, the Baro’t Saya. Applying this to the current generation, it is a reminder that even in times of liberality and technological advances, we should still hold a sense of conservatism and gracefulness.

Evacuation
By Oscar R. Espiritu
Oil on Canvas

Thanks to him, we had been freed from the long colonization of Spain. He deserves to become the National Hero of the Philippines because not only that he advocated a passive way of opposing the Spaniards, but he was also the main driver of reforming the way how Spaniards handled things for the Philippines. He had strong ideals that he did not sacrificed, even on is exile to Dapitan and his death at Luneta Park. He was eager to achieve a country without any control from foreign people and he was dedicated to pursue his goals, even if the cost of everything he had done was his very own life.

Portrait of Dr. Jose Rizal
By Felix Gonzales
Oil on Canvas

Thanks to him, we had been freed from the long colonization of Spain. He deserves to become the National Hero of the Philippines because not only that he advocated a passive way of opposing the Spaniards, but he was also the main driver of reforming the way how Spaniards handled things for the Philippines. He had strong ideals that he did not sacrificed, even on is exile to Dapitan and his death at Luneta Park. He was eager to achieve a country without any control from foreign people and he was dedicated to pursue his goals, even if the cost of everything he had done was his very own life.

El Ermitaño
By Jose Rizal
Terra Cotta

Another amazing sculpture not only because of its concept, but because it was actually made by our very own, National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal. He actually had created sculptures and that is how intelligent he is. In this art work, I can see an old man and he’s like begging something on the cross, praying to God that He grants his prayers. I can incorporate this, because it was by Rizal’s and assuming that he created this during Spanish colonization (was inspired by this ), to how the Filipinos at that time are so inclined to praying to God that one day, Spanish colonization will be over no sooner. The old man stands as the Filipino citizens of the country, begging ad asking for help on how to survive the wrath and abuse of the Spaniards. Rizal could also be thinking that despite every thing that’s happening, there is no other person that you can talk your problems to aside from God, because He is always there to answer you, no matter how silent your prayers would be. And, because of the faith of the Filipinos at that time, to Him and to Rizal’s ideals, they were freed from the hands of the Spaniards.

Retablo (Side Altar)
By Unknown Artist
Wood
Church of San Nicolas de Tolentino, Dimiao, Bohol

I love how it can deceive you when you first look at this art piece. I really thought that it was made of stones, only to find out that it was actually made out of wood! Magnificent, isn’t it? I also loved how detailed this structure is, it’s edges and the faded color matches that authenticity of the said art work. Again, another religious art piece that was preserved. It really shows how Filipinos had been very inclined to religion and how they give importance to it.