The strange dogs of R A Hushhush Tijing

ADMIRATION is one of the basis of that powerful human emotion called love. To admire is not only to like, but it is to approve with delight or astonishment.

For people like me who have no talent in the visual arts, it is easy to have an admiration for visual artists who have created artworks of high caliber, comparable in quality to the works of the great masters themselves.

“Our Love to Admire” art exhibit of visual artist Mr. Roderick Tijing at the Gallery Orange in Bacolod City welcomed me to the world of surrealism where objects are merged into visual images which are strange, unfamiliar and even jolting to the senses.

It takes great effort on the part of the viewer to understand fully the underlying meaning behind each surrealist artwork as it is not only the physical component that has to be considered, but also the psychological and the spiritual nature of the artist as well.

In the painting “We are Building a Religion,” R Tijing depicts the strong influence of the tri-media on the choices that people make with regards to their religion, food preferences, fashion style, forms of entertainment, manner of voting, etc.

R Tijing uses the image of a dog inside a television set to depict this way of life and it is clear to me if he is pleased or displeased with this situation.

Aside from expressing his personal views on how the world ticks, R Tijing seems to convey on canvas some of his personal experiences which are so secret that only his immediate family is in the know.

We can somehow catch a glimpse of whatever dark secrets are in R Tijing’s heart and the torment in his mind through his dog artworks on canvas. Reality bites, and surrealism is one way of telling the world about this shocking truth.