The Mysterious Shadows That Lie Behind Everyday Objects

by Simone Preuss

Artist Kumi Yamashita’s work is the perfect example of two truths: that things are not always what they seem and more metaphorically, that sometimes we have to view things in a different light to discover a new meaning.

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photo by Connie Macopia

background For Dear Life by Andy Garcia (2011) oil on canvas

dedicated to my mother, for her never-ending, never-tiring love.

Taking Care of One’s Mother

By John William Morales

06 May 2011

                Mother’s Sunday is coming soon – in 2 days time, the whole world will once again celebrate the importance of mothers. We will see tributes to moms all over coming out – from free meals and other promos of commercial establishments, to the social networking campaigns of posting the photo of their mother as their profile picture, to the simple, yet heart-warming greeting of their children, young and old alike. But are these only the ways that we can honor and give joy to our mothers?

                Jane Sellman, a professor from the University of Baltimore, once said, “The term ‘working mother’ is redundant.” I believe that this phrase is an accurate description of what a mother is; for we know that since we were born, it is our mother who first became our teacher, our doctor, our nurse, our guide. And besides us, of course they would also take care of their husband who would be coming home tired from a day’s work. There really are a lot of responsibilities that are required of mothers – child-rearing, home and finance management, culinary arts, landscape architecture (i.e. gardening), and so on and so forth – which gives them little time for themselves. And as the years go by, most of us would take all these things that we have learned and enjoyed for granted, not realizing that even our mothers have their own hopes and dreams that they wish to realize. These things they set aside, temporarily or sometimes even permanently, to ensure that their family will have the best that she can give. And then when the time has come for us to leave the nest, we carry all the lessons that we have learned from her, without realizing how much she has sacrificed.

                A perfunctory ‘thank you mom’ or the regular happy mother’s day greeting is not a sufficient form of gratitude for all the things that they have done for us. While those greetings will be appreciated, it is our way of life that will make really our mothers proud of what they have done. Proving to them that all the sacrifices that they have made, all the pain that they felt when we refuse to follow their advice, the tears they shed when we get hurt, the exhaustion after a day’s hard work of house chores, and the worries they suffer when we come home late at night, are worth it because we are leading a good and productive life. However, we can do more than just having a life that our mother wished for us.

                As we mature, we will eventually be able to take care of our own selves. This will be the time for us to pursue our dreams and goals and to live the life that we have wished for. But let us not forget that even as we age, our mothers, too, grow older. There will come a time that she is no longer as strong, or as fast as she used to be. Her stamina will shorten as time goes by and her senses will no longer be as sharp. This is the chance that we have to return all the love that she has given us. This is the time that we will be the one who will be taking care of her.

                Taking care of one’s mother is not an easy task: there will be occasions where she will be irritable, moments where she will be frustrated with the things that she can no longer do. Her health will no longer be what it used to be and we must keep watch on her diet and physical condition, taking notice of anything amiss. There would be times that we cannot do things that we must do because we have to watch out for her, because we have to make sure of her well-being. Sometimes, even understanding her is difficult because there might come a time where she would have trouble expressing herself. But even so, we must not forget that she had the same troubles when we were young.

                If a person once said, “A mother’s love is instinctual, unconditional and forever.” I then say that a child’s love must be that of gratitude and honor – for it is the mother who built our foundation for the life that we have now.

                My grandmother lives with my family; I see how my mother would take care of her every day, even if she is busy with many things herself. At 87 years old, my grandma has suffered a major stroke and is having a hard time coping up with the people around her. She cannot speak comprehensibly and is constantly bored because she insists on doing the things that a stroke victim must not do. such as doing the dishes or washing her own clothes. There are occasions where she would be confused at what the time is and do things that are unsuitable, such as prepare dinner at 4 in the morning, thinking it is still night, or open the house at 12 midnight, thinking it is already dawn. Nevertheless, my mother would still care for her and her needs. The times when she would be morose at my mother because she cannot communicate her desires and could not understand the things that my mom does for her are the times where I feel the most the concern and love that she receives from her child. It is not an easy task being a mother to one’s mother, but it is the greatest form of love that we can give. The example that my mother sets in taking care of my grandmother is something that all of us should carry out. For after passing on our mother’s love to our children, then it is time for us return to her that love that she gave to us. And in doing so, we set an example to the future generations who will eventually be taking care of us.

              There a lot of things that our mothers do – taking care of her children, taking care of her husband, taking care of her house and taking care of her career if she is working. But for me, the greatest mom is the one who is taking care of her mother.

images from the UP Vargas Museum

Strife & Contentment

Formal Analysis of Hernando Ocampo’s The Contrast

as against Cesar Legaspi’s Frugal Meal

                Hernando Ocampo’s The Contrast and Cesar Legaspi’s Frugal Meal are works that have the same subject – a poor man eating while being seated. Both of these painters are national artists, and are a part of the 13 Moderns, a group of artists who began the modern art movement in the Philippines. Furthermore, Ocampo and Legaspi, along with Vicente Manansala formed the triumvirate of neo-realists. Neorealism is a movement in art, where the depiction of the social conditions is the artist’s focus.

                As we study the two pieces, we find that Legaspi’s work has a more subdued quality, with low contrast and earthly tones. The subject’s lighting comes from a single diffused light source, making it easy in the eyes to look at. The color rendition of the subject’s skin tone also has a natural feel to it – meaning that what a person would see as the skin color of the subject in reality is the more or less the same as what is depicted in this painting. The colors of this work give us a clue as to what the subject is trying to suggest; that the life of that poor man is peaceful – as brought forward by the low contrast; yet still in scarcity – implied by the sad effect of the earthly color. Ocampo’s The Contrast on the other hand provides us with a more shocking view of reality. The color treatment of the painting is very harsh – with the man’s reds and yellows overpowering the background’s dark hues. Also, the single light source, a lamp throwing off harsh light and shadows, gives the figure a very angular effect. This results to the thinness of the man, with his bones seemingly protruding from his skin, thereby magnifying his deprived state. There is neither peace nor hope that can be found in this picture – the door behind him that opens to a dark city and the bare surroundings of his quarters, which is either a small shanty or an abandoned building, shows that there is nothing for this man in the future.

                The clothing of both subjects also gives us a clue as to what the geographical location of these paintings. The simple shirt and short pants of the Frugal Meal’s subject suggest that he is a farmer taking a break from his work. In The Contrast, the man depicted in the work is seated on the floor and is wearing nothing but a pair of shorts – typical in the slums of the city, where pollution and the cramped spaces contribute to the heat and the misery of the place. The plate of the Man in Ocampo’s work is empty and is placed on the floor, signifying that the subject has hit rock bottom – his social standing can no longer be lower than this and the emptiness of his plate suggest that there Is nothing that this man has, except maybe his pair of shorts. On the other hand, the plate that is placed on the simple table in Legaspi’s work shows that even if the farmer is eating a frugal meal, he retains some dignity in his way of life. Also, the food in his plate says that there are resources in the rural country that can be tapped for the survival of ordinary townsfolk like him. Their seated posture also reflects their physical conditions – the Frugal Meal’s farmer is seated on a stool or a bench, and his relaxed position with the left foot resting on the seat itself shows that even in his frugality, he still retains some form of comfort. The Contrast’s subject, seated on the floor, is again a reflection of his poverty, where he cannot afford to have anything, even a simple block of wood as a seat.

                The Contrast and Frugal Meal demonstrates the differences between urban and rural life. In Ocampo’s work, the feeling of contamination is being shown – as if the painting itself is full of the pollution that is portrayed in the darkness of the city. Legaspi on the other hand puts forward a more relaxed state; the single light source giving off a feeling that the man will have his siesta soon after finishing his meal. The facial features in both works also impact the viewer: the angular lines and dark shadows in The Contrast’s subject puts him in agony, making us feel the pain and pressure that the subject is suffering from; whereas the Frugal Meal’s softer features and lighter shades gives the subject a feeling of forlorn which can be taken away after an afternoon’s rest.

                Finally, it’s the titles of these works that puts them in context. The Frugal Meal stands for prudence, where the rural life, even if hard and some comforts cannot be found, can be enjoyed in simplicity and satisfaction. On the other hand, The Contrast depicts the ironies of the urban lifestyle – that behind the technological and architectural marvels and the glamorous lifestyles that blind many people coming from the country is a life lived in hardship.

cover photo: Jeannie Tan’s work on Andy Orencio (detail) from In Memory of Jose Rizal and Leonard Co: 8 Filipina honors 8 Filipino Environmentalists

The Memories of an Environmentalist’s Son

Walong Filipina 2011 at the Liongoren Gallery

The Walong Filipina 2011 exhibit at the Liongoren Gallery features 8 Filipina artists and 8 Filipino environmentalists. The artworks created by these artists were inspired by their corresponding environmentalist; whose works are at the forefront for the betterment of our surroundings, not just for the current generation, but for the generations to come. These artist / environmentalist pairs are Lena Cobangbang & Mr. Gonzalo Catan, Marika Constantino & Dr. Metodio Palaypay, Marina Cruz & Fr. Alfredo Albo, Nene Lungay & Mr. Lutgardo Labad, Goldie Poblador & Col. Romeo Magsailos, Jeannie Tan & Mr. Andy Orencio, Josie Tionko & Dr. Warlito Laquihon and Pam Yan-Santos & Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan. These environmentalists have made their impact, not just cleaning up our environs in the physical sense, but also in the emotional and spiritual sense.

As said earlier, this exhibition is focusing on environmentalism, a hot topic nowadays, where natural calamities caused by man’s activities are happening in increasing numbers. But for me, there is nothing new in here: what the artist / environmentalist pairs are trying to convey has long been a way of life, not just for me, but for my immediate family.

            Every time I have a piece of trash in my hand, I remember what my mother would tell me – put it in the rubbish bin. My mother grew up in an environmental-friendly family; having been born poor, her mother (my grandmother) taught her how to reduce, reuse and recycle out of necessity. Recycling, for example, is a practice that my mother puts to heart. The plastic moldings of different products, from computer parts to chocolate containers, are kept by my mother in her drawers; where she uses them segregate her jewelry, her pens, even her coins and credit cards. It is the same with Marika Constantino’s representation of Dr. Palaypay’s advocacy: where old materials that are considered trash by most people are turned into useful objects. The artist even goes forward another level, not just turning those old pieces of metal, plastic, wood and fabric into functional objects but into aesthetically pleasing works of art.

            Another of my mother’s practices is the use herbal and natural treatments for our family’s health. Both my parents are suffering from hypertension and have been victims of stroke. Because of this, she is very keen in the use of herbs and vegetables in our diet to maintain our wellbeing. Also, she takes herbal medicines to keep herself from being affected by the city’s pollutions and stresses. This is important for her because if she misses out on these in the morning, she would tend to be tired and weak by late afternoon and her blood pressure would rise to a level that she must take the medicines that were prescribed to her by the doctor. I remembered this when I saw Pam Yan-Santos’s Herbolaryo, inspired by Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan’s work for natural herbal remedies as a part of modern medicinal treatments. While my mother does not take herbal medicines to counteract sicknesses, she takes these to prevent them from happening in the first place. The multivitamins and other herbal supplements that we find plastered all over the mass media is a part of our daily diet, and having a healthy lifestyle, while seemingly expensive in our fast-paced, profit-driven urban society is more economical than having to maintain all those tablets and supplements from the market.

These are just some of the natural ways that my mother practices and she has passed it on to me and my siblings. This was instilled in us at an early age and we do not wish to depart from it. My mother said that many of the disasters that have happened in recent times are preventable – only if we humans have cared for the environment properly. And I agree with my mother’s counsel because I myself realize that a little inconvenience for us would go a long way for the future survival of our children. Just as Fr. Albor said, that it is the children that will be the victims of a nature that is not cared for. It is the priest’s advocacy that the children should be taught on how to take care of our surroundings at an early age. He even said that the educational system that we have right now is focused on making graduates that will be corporate drones – we must offset this by preparing them at an early age. My mother is an example of his goal, and there is merit in his goals – for the love of nature was first instilled in my grandmother, and then taught to my mother, and is now passed on to me and my sister. It is a way of life we will not depart from.

The exhibit may not have had much impact on me as well as their advocacies, but there are millions out there who are yet to make the realization that is they themselves that must have the courage to face the task of preserving the environment. Leaving it to their children will be too late, not just for their generation, but for the entire human race. And while this exhibition is dedicated to Dr. Jose Rizal’s 150^th anniversary, our national hero who was also an environmentalist in his own right, and to Dr. Leonard Co, a botanist who was killed in an alleged crossfire between troops and rebels, I believe that every environmentally-conscious parent must be a recognized too, for it is they who will hopefully train the future generations to be like Dr. Rizal, Dr. Co, and the other environmentalists that are featured in this exhibition. It is the Mamas and Papas, the Inays and Itays, Moms and Dads, Tatangs and Nanays, and all those who have children that our whole world’s future stands on.