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I don't have an ultimate favorite art piece. I can never decide which one I love the most. But I do have a list of ones that has made the most impact in my life. All ranging from the classics to today's modern digital works, here are a couple of art pieces that made my heart flyyyyyyy.
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1. Van Gogh's Starry Night
It's not a secret that my love for this artwork is deeper than any feeling I have for any other art piece there is. My undying love for the night sky is one of the reasons why but the story behind this art piece is what made me adore it more. The Starry Night is an oil painting by Vincent van Gogh. He painted Starry Night when he was inside his studio in an asylum at Saint Remy de Provence on June 1889. It was said that he painted this just before sunrise about a year prior to his death. It was said as well that this painting was based on what he could see beyond his window inside his bedroom at Saint Remy. No one ever had the right explanation for this painting. For me personally, it's such a powerful representation of life and death. The Cypress tree is a symbolism of death because in the South of France, this tree is found in most cemeteries and it is usually associated with mourning. The light of the stars and the moon represents life because of how it gives an illusion of movement and how it lights up the painting with the sky that's taking up two-thirds of the canvas. Believe it or not, Vincent van Gogh never really gave the painting much thought at all. He only wrote a little about it in his letters to his brother Theo (the one he kept in touch with while he was inside Saint Remy). And he only painted it on a whim as a "night study". He thought of this painting as a failure rather than one of his best works. I guess that artists never really know how great their artworks are especially ones that are painted spontaneously. There is so much I could tell you about why I love this painting but I can't specifically describe to you how immensely I feel for this art piece. So to suffice my lack of better words, I'll just list it as the first artwork featured in this article.
2. Yayoi Kusama
Yayoi Kusama is a fireball inside a small, red haired lady. I read about her life story and was fascinated at how she followed her dreams of being a known artist. She has been broke, dumped and most of her art works are made to escape her very, very unfortunate childhood. She has been in the art industry since she was in her twenties and has hustled her way to the top. Her artworks are very psychedelic and trippy. It reminds me of the endless amount of cherry red circle bubblegums I bought as a child.
Her Infinity Room is what I'm crazy about. If you know me, you'll know that I have infinite adoration for lights and colorful patterns and to have them both in one piece is heaven to me. I haven't had the chance to visit her exhibits but I plan to. It's highly unlikely that she'll exhibit here in the Philippines so I'm still saving up. A plane ticket ain't that cheap. I just hope I'd be able to witness her exhibit before I die (or something).
3. Juan Luna's Spoliarium
It's an understatement, to say that this painting has rocked me to my core. It's not that appreciated enough by Filipinos my generation, in my opinion and it should be talked about more. This painting, when I first encountered it during 3rd year high school, made me think a lot. I was confused as to why would a Filipino paint Roman soldiers (err... gladiators, I think?). I never understood it at first, thinking that it was not that relevant since our National Artist is after all, Fernando Amorsolo and not Juan Luna. But later on, when I read about this painting during my frequent visits to the library of our department (back when CAFA had a library of its own *cries) when I was a freshman in college, I realized how important this painting is to Philippine history both in the art movement and the history of our country as a whole. The painting has inspired our national hero, Jose Rizal to write Noli Me Tangere, his first book that stirred the minds and the hearts of the Filipinos during the Spanish Colonial Times. If you know me, you'll know that I have infinite curiosity for anything Jose Rizal related (hahaha don't judge). It has continued to inspire artists of our country as the years pass by. The not-so-recent movie of Antonio Luna's biography entitled Heneral Luna had a scene inspired by this painting. The clip where Anotonio was betrayed, shot and dragged lifeless to the ground was the scene I am referring to.
When I saw that 3-5 second, slow-motion clip, I had goosebumps and it made me understand the painting deeper than ever before. Spoliarium is a Latin word (noun? ) for the basement where the Roman gladiators are "kept" either to be healed (if they're lucky) or dragged to their deathbeds on the floor right after they have entertained the spectators in the Colosseum. They will be stripped of their armors and weapons and sometimes, even clothing. And when Antonio Luna was shot and betrayed, the soldier who shot him (ugh i forgot the name) kicked his weapon away from him, stripping him of his power to defend himself. And even when Antonio had nothing to defend himself, he was still shot multiple times and beaten to the ground by his enemies. Only when he was unarmed and shot from the back did his enemies felt more powerful than him. This was what Juan Luna (my wild guess but I think this is legit it. If you disagree, bite me, idc) was trying to say through his painting. During the time when he painted Spoliarium, the Philippines was still ruled by the Spaniards and although he was mostly out of the country, Juan Luna still is a nationalist at heart. It was a representation of the Filipinos' position during the Spanish Colonial Times. We were mostly just entertainment for them. Filipinos bent over backwards for the Spanish friars and soldiers because of fear and also for the middle class, the desire to be within the social circles. It was what they had to do. Think Sansa when she was with the Lannisters. That was what the Philippines was at that time (at least from what I've read and studied for like, the whole duration of my grade school, high school and 2 semesters of college). We were the Roman gladiators, the Spanish were the spectators at the top of the Colosseum, waiting for the next bloody show.
4. Pascal Campion (ALL HIS GODDAMN ILLUSTRATIONS)
If you haven't heard of Pascal Campion, first of all, what are you doing? Where the fuck have you been??? Google his artworks now and see for yourself why he is worth all the love!!!! Then, you'll see how AMAZING his illustrations are. He has the kind of artworks that would make your heart either flutter or wince in longing. For me personally, I love his pieces with rain in it.
Ironically, my ultimate favorite piece from him doesn't have rain in it. It is this illustration called Ambitions he created a year ago. For me, it's a representation of my dream to live alone and have slow mornings with my cup of either coffee or tea, depending on my mood. I would much prefer a dog than a cat to live with but I'm okay with either as well. It's like I'm seeing my self 5 years into the future. It's a magical and deep feeling that I have never felt towards any other art piece. I think that's why Pascal Campion is such a famous artist. He captures dreams, moments and memories so well that even those who have not experienced such things would feel nostalgic for it anyway.
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| "Ambitions" June 3, 2016 |
I srsly have a lot more but the list might be too long. Leave a comment below if you're interested in another blogpost like this one. I will gladly talk about Agnes Cecile, Furry Little Peach and some abstract artists I follow on Instagram. Let me know, okay?I'm also very sorry about how I can never attend exhibits and tell you all about them. I haven't had the chance to add another #ArtCurrently all about Cebu's art scene. I'm just a little bit caught up with work and home but I promise an exhibit review coming up! /// Also, my giveaway is 2 blog posts delayed but IT IS HAPPENING and I know you are all going to love the prizes! Keep posted. all right? I also have an additional blog post tomorrow so I'll see you then, dear readers. ❤
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