(Photo "The Surfer" by Ver Penaranda)
Saturday 07/07/07 was when a group exhibited their projects at the Glendale Brand Library. The event started at 4pm with a mixed crowd of people admiring beautiful and captivating paint and camera work done by talented artisans. These artists included Filipino Americans whose passion is photography since as far back as they can remember.
Upon arriving at the gallery I had no idea as to who was going to be there. Entering that exhibit door looked like a sophisticated ethnic mix of art enthusiasts who wanted to expand their horizons by looking at new creations (eye candy). It was a pleasant crowd. Friendly and conducive to conversation.
At the door, I saw the familiar smiling face of VICS MAGSAYSAY. He was in the middle of a group discussing the symbolisms behind one of the artwork on the wall. This was a creation of VER PENARANDA that was being analyzed. Beautifully shot, it was a photo of a surfer calling it a day. It was open to interpretation if you utilized the reflections of light focused on this surfer’s surroundings Almost like he was crossing the threshold between day and night. Interesting.
Amidst the gallery crowd, I spotted ZEN LOPEZ. Zen is the City of Glendale’s Arts and Culture Commissioner. Aside from this impressive title, she is really an elegant and gracious lady. A symbol of positive hospitality, she has a way of touching bases with all the visitors and artists making them feel like one big family. I see her introducing people, and the wonderful thing is that, she knows a bit about everyone’s background to make them feel at home and welcome. The City could not have picked a better Commissioner.
Moving along, pretending to be an art expert, I am drawn to a large piece created by ROD SAMONTE. It is titled “Sphere of Time”. There are symbolisms in his artwork that represent aspects of life, as we know it. But for me, I wanted this artwork as a centerpiece in my living room or above the fireplace. It looked great and pleasing to the eye.
The wonderful thing about art shows is that you have the perfect excuse to strike up conversations with total strangers. All you needed to do was ask a person what they thought about a certain piece and they would be more than glad to give you their two cents worth. The interpretations are so varied that there is no one correct meaning to an artistic piece. Debates have been known to occur in Art Exhibits when two individuals with conflicting interpretations butt heads.
This festivity was graced by personas from the media and press club. SUSAN ROSAL of TALIBA and ELLA MADRIGAL-WARNER of NURSES MONITOR were there. JAY FERMIN of the PHILIPPINE PRESS CLUB showed up to appreciate good art. The occasion presented an “If you may, let’s have a soiree” type of atmosphere. The guests were mixing it up, enjoying the aesthetic environment while the artists were getting the compliments deserving their efforts.
What did I learn from this trip to the Art Exhibit?
I realized that art is not just colors put together to make a presentation look nice. Art is a reflection of the artists himself or herself. Not only does it tell about the creator of the piece but also about the aficionado. I learned that there is a lot of artistic Filipino Americans in our midst. They are individuals who have identified their passions and pursue it to this day. When I see their works, it makes me proud to belong to a culture that knows Life and is quite creative in presenting it.
To all those Filipino-American artists out there, keep it going, keep it flowing. Isn’t it cool that we’re still growing? Right on.
JOHN F LACSON
jflriv@aol.com