A Brush with National Artists

The "enlightening" experience of attending the Arturo Luz exhibition opening last Wednesday was almost upstaged by the sorry state of our family car/ fx, Hot Mama.

Before Hot Mama, allow me to gush over the event that was the Luz exhibition at the CCP.

Because I was starved for any kind of action and excitement, I have made a pact with myself to do one new thing a day, or else to go to an event or something every other day (coz I go to the gym and work out the rest of the days after work). Last Wednesday, I didnt have gym so I scoured through the invites and decided to watch a screening of Ibsen's cinema version of "Enemy of the People".

Why not? It was a free event (movie!) with COCKTAILS! hehehe. Seems like an intelligent, cosmopolitan way to spend a Wednesday night. So, I was all gungho for Ibsen, when CCP called up to invite us to the Arturo Luz opening. This opening is part of a series of Luz openings which started at the NCCA, then at Galerie Joaquin, National Museum, the CCP , the Ayala Museum then the Ateneo Art Gallery.

I was also invited to the NCCA opening but I didn't want to see my sister who is working there (I am not on speaking terms with her at the moment --- yes, she stays at the same house as I am), so I had to forego plans to soak in some abstract art for another day. Anyway, the NCCA exhibit will probably be until the end of the month.

Cultural immersion aside, I was very curious why Arturo Luz, a naturally aloof ("mailap") artist has agreed to the social whirl-a-gig of these openings. And the kicker to CCP's pitch was the acrobatic stint on Luz's paper clip sculpture installation.

The concept for the CCP openings was exciting. There will be six events in one night to take place in different areas in the CCP --- all paying homage and performing around Luz's works. The first performance was a dance performance choreographed by Gerald Madrid and executed by Tiffany Mangulabnan and PJ Rebullida, using Luz's "Black Form, White Space" at the Little Theater Lobby as inspiration. It was okay but not really spectacular. The dancers were competent but the choreography was a bit tired. Not bad but nothing to write about... so....

Next piece was an improvisation by the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company played in front of the more lively pieces done by Luz. I think I saw this piece in the performance....

Bagong Taon by Arturo Luz. (1997)

Improvisation as an exercise is well and good. Entertaining even. But this was a performance! In honor of a National Artist. There should have been more effort exerted by the director of this bit.

These set of Luz's paintings were of human images and experiences, which thankfully were not so abstract that I was able to understand and appreciate.

However, TP was not able to fully capture the vitality of these works. What I got from the performances were an amalgamation of grunts, howls and screams to provide the soundtrack to the jumbled frantic contortions of the ensemble. Tsk tsk tsk.

I can let this transgression pass though. I am still a TP fan. It's just that I don't think it was a good idea to just wing it for a Luz opening. Yun lang.

Third on the list was the prints/imprints exhibit opening of works by Luz as well as recent works by other artists inspired or influenced by Luz.

Now, this was where it got very abstract. I saw Luz's prints --- black on black! and entitled, Kyoto # 1, 2... what the? Did that mean that he found Kyoto dark? Better brush up on my art appreciation/ history. Most of the time, I think abstractionists are people who just want a shortcut to be called artists. Because a few well-placed scribbles on canvas may just be construed as art. O di ba? Bongga!

But Luz is different. He is a master. E di ba, National Artist siya? He is deliberate with his strokes, even exacting. Can't say I blame the artists who look up to him and his career. Of the other artists featured alongside Luz, I liked Alcazaren's "Personages" the most. It was this bold wall painting in red, black and white. I can almost see it as a wall in my future home --- in my living room/ family room. Hahahaah!

And because my boss was antsy already to leave, I geared up and put on my game face and started introducing him to people. Kebs na kung kilala nila ako o hindi... as if! I mean, these happenings are primed for networking! That night, I was able to hobnob, as in chika, with man, Arturo Luz himself! Pero that was not the first time cos I first met him at his home. O di ba? His beautiful calm abode which looked very familiar --- parang PETA Theater Center!

National Artists Ramon Obusan and Ben Cabrera were there. Cultural heads were also present at nag-chikahan din kami --- does "hi ma'am/sir! kamusta na kayo?" count?

Wasn't able to stay for the acrobatic finale. It was getting late and I wanted to go home and eat and put my feet up!

Imagine my irritation when coming home, I picked up Hot Mama from the Shangri-la parking lot, where I left her, and she won't start up! Just a pathetic click. And then nothing!

What a way to end the night. Just when you're up, something just might bring you down.