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Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Painting What You Preach
By Ritchie Landis Doner Quijano
ONE readily notes during art exhibitions that religious art is always outnumbered by secular art forms. Unlike medieval and renaissance Europe where production of religious and ecclesiastical painting was at it’s height. There is an alarming decline of the practice today. a typical Filipino home of a pious family usually contains an assortment of figurines of saints, estampitas, novena prayer books, and posters of Christ and the Virgin.
Even calendars most often have religious subjects but very seldom can we find a religious painting. The primary reason for this is because paintings are a luxury available only to the wealthy and privileged class. Hence the masses who can’t afford to buy original works of art have to content themselves with displaying reproductions of well-known masterpieces from the Vatican.
And it’s sad to note that in a Christian country such as ours, religious paintings, sacred art and devotional pictures are not the forte of many local artists. What we have most is an avalanche of eye-soothing landscapes and pretty still life. This oversupply of the secular genre can saturate and stagnate the growth of Cebuano art. thanks to a very few religiously inspired individuals, the practice of producing religious art as a discipline isn’t totally dead at all. Taking the lead locally in the revival of sacred art is iconographer Tito Cuevas.
“Binhi”, a local art group composed of Christian artists have been very consistent in the craft using it to spread and further the biblical message. A fine example of which is Marivel Galan’s painting of the symbolic cross.
It’s a painting of dual purpose for its visual and textual content. Another painter who has made a considerable body of works of religious subjects is Lurline Rodriquez. Her ethereal pictures depart from the temporal realm and man is elevated into the heavens as a prize for godliness.
The abundance of reference materials from books and posters had triggered some painters to do their own versions. Taking inspiration from a masterpiece, self-taught folk artist Roel Fisalbon made a take-off from Da Vinci’s “Last Supper”. Pictures such as this have assured the continuity of what is perceived as tradition.
The religious theme is slowly being revived as more new churches are constructed and religious institutions are founded. Like what happened centuries ago there could be a renewed need again to satisfy the demand for sacred art following the pressing concern for spiritual enlightenment that is reemerging in this modern age.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 12, 2006 issue)
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