Artist as adventure

LIVING proof that the Philippines has long been a rich and fertile ground to spawn art is the presence of outsiders.

One of them is Frenchman Henri Eteve, who chose to relocate in the country after touring several continents to ultimately settle, practice his own brand of art and make the Filipino nation his muse.

Eteve arrived 45 years ago, a time when the country was a young republic and was undergoing many changes. That makes Eteve a witness as well to the making of Philippine history in the later part of the 20th century.

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He experienced the Philippines of the 60’s, survived Martial Rule and saw how the people moved on. It is not surprising that he knows a lot about the country. Indeed he lives for adventure.

Born in Paris in 1942, Eteve as a young man joined the military service in 1960 and became a veteran of the French-Algerian war. Before reaching the Philippines, he backpacked from Paris to the Middle East and Asia. His adventures continue through his art.

He practices art wholistically. As a painter, he presents a vivid world that is full of life and movement.

As a sculptor, he presents a world that is solid in form and structure yet soft to the eye.

Eteve signs his artworks as “Di Meliora,” his Latin nom de art.

It means “for a better life.” With his art, life looks better.