ART APPEAL

          It begins with a casual look, per chance arbitrary and unplanned.

But the nonchalance turns to a careful second glance.  This is how we all begin a lifelong romance.

          This is art appeal.

            We are all familiar with the sun-dappled masterpieces of Amorsolo.  He/She who has not tucked a calendar print of Amorsolo paintings into a wall, a book or a desk should turn in their passports (now colored maroon) and head outside the Philippine isles. With the un-waning fervor of cultural sentinels comes the civic familiarity with the masterpieces of Filipino artists – from Damian Domingo to Zalameda and Zobel.

            A is for Amorsolo.

            B is for Botong.

            C is for Cusi  . . . etc, etc, etc.

            Once upon a time, a Filipino boy went to Australia. When he came back a decade and a half later, he was given a PLDT card with “The Spoliarium” by Juan Luna printed on it.  That PLDT card set him on the path of art collecting.  This is art appeal.

            Consider this. 99.9% of Filipinos know next to nothing about the conventional criteria for recognizing excellent art works. We rely solely on art appeal. And this is where the fun begins.

            Take Ang Kiukok, for example. He is a National Artist.  His works have been auctioned at Sotheby’s and Christie’s.  In terms of investment, his works are sure to hit the millions in less than five years. Yet, there are those who will not hang a painting by Kiukok in their living or bedrooms because the style and subjects of this master evoke nightmares.  Take it as you will, this is art appeal.

            Then, there is the famous TRIUMVIRATE of Philippine art: Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco, Victorio Edades and Galo Ocampo. We all have gazed upon their works, in books and postcards, in magazines and advertisements, and found their paintings to be pleasant, tolerable or a simple ?.

At the end of the day, either we like an art piece or we don’t. We answer the question: Does it please me?

 This is as plain as we can get. This is art appeal.

            Who can forget the “Botong” masterpiece “Bayanihan”? Even our gay community will gape and gasp at its muscular men folk carrying a hut on their shoulders,. At the foreground, we find a local version of madonna and child, truly evocative of a  *Delacroix without the semi-allegorical drama of romanticism. Again the riddle is answered.  This is art appeal.

            From one end of the art spectrum to the other, art appeal is going home with a prominent emotional experience. For, in whatever form it takes, art’s appeal is to feelings.  For some, however, art appreciation also means par value in cash terms. In between, the art critic lies, nudging one and all to experience what we can now formally claim as PERSONAL art appeal.

            Follow your feelings.  This is what art is all about.

            Ciao. . .

             

*Nota Bene:  Eugene Delacroix (de-la-krawa). 1798-1863; French painter and prominent leader of l9th century romantic painting.