Imagine, imahen, imagine

Monday, September 19, 2011

AMONG those that are initiated in the complexities of art, it is not difficult to imagine that two seemingly different cultures can be harmoniously developed as one.

It’s not impossible. A successfully demonstration of this rare occurence can be seen and appreciated in the early paintings of the Agustinian artist-priest Dominador Besares O.S.A. For starters, a painting of a T’boli Madonna made in the traditional composition that alludes to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

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Then there is a series of Madonna paintings featuring Muslim fineries. And a set of rarely seen father and child paintings that are decorated with native and Muslim patterns found in textile designs.

These are just some snippets of Besares’ body of works, which he calls Ethno-iconography. Besares is one of the Formators at the Agustinian Noviciate and Prayer House in Mohon, Talisay, presently occupied in producing another collection of paintings in preparation for a solo exhibit.

Still focusing on iconography only this time he is concentrating on the Sto. Nino figure and the family of Agustinian saints that are painted not in canvas but on tablets. The wooden slabs he uses are acacia and mahogany. Each of the Sto. Niño paintings in the series will feature architectural details and designs of facades from churches around Cebu. While in the set of paintings of saints, Besares draws reference and influence on Byzantine art by his use of gold leaf to illuminate the decorative frame-like patterns and background. Here Besares again achieves another confluence.

An old painting style is made with a modern-day medium. Simply the old meets the new.

If you want to know about the art of Besares, you may e-mail at doneo888@yahoo.com.