art gives hope

it's hard not to talk about the event.  the natudan, matudan - an art encounter, which happened last 3-4 feb 2012, here in baao, my beloved hometown.  afterall, when did it ever happen that fifty works of art by the masters were shown in one single exhibit, more so, in a sleepy little rural town south of luzon, the philippines?  never have and maybe, never will again.

 

the objective of the event was education.  of course, art is a subject taught and discussed in schools, i am sure in the schools here in baao, too.  but just like what the teachers who came and saw the masterpieces, said, the impact of experiencing the art of the masters themselves is a totally different kind of education.  and true to its objective, the event changed the conversation on art.  and it is not only happening with the connoisseurs of fine art.  school kids are getting engaged, too.

for the most part of the exhibit, i was on my post, in between four defined quarters and was overseeing how the students were behaving amidst the beautiful art pieces.  how amazing and wonderful it is to watch the faces of the children glow and shine, and how their jaws dropped at the sight of fine art.

 

 

 

two hundred or so students, all of them from baao, walked from as far as san vicente to be able to see and experience what it is to feel the works of the masters.  

it was fascinating, enthralling and captivating to watch the children look deeply into the paintings to interpret their meaning.  

i can overhear discussions popping up among the students about what is good art and which pieces made them feel good.

the event has been a shining light in an otherwise dark and cloudy environment.  it is a difficult economic atmosphere for art groups and artists, when unemployment is the situation you live with day in and day out, and the basic needs are hitting the roof.

but i talked with some students, some artists, some guests, they were all in high spirits!

the best interpretation of the impact of art, came from a youth who i called to one side and asked what his impression was, about the event.  the boy was very small for his age, i definitely thought he was in grade two, and was aghast to learn he belonged to the hs class.  when i asked him, he readily said that art gives people hope, through creative expression.  it allows the sun to shine on them.  and when people have hope, everything is possible.

it is cloudy today, but the sun shines on art, creativity and hope in my beloved hometown of baao.