A Pace into the Margin of Threshold
“Pinoy na pinoy eh, noh…”
Absolutely true. That line struck me and made me smirk as well
when one of my classmates unwrapped his feedback—referring to the candid works
of Iggy Rodriguez. Indefinite faces and proportions of Filipinos (i.e.
illustrated with a flat nose, undersized stature, and exhausted features) and
gloomy background were portrayed. Either an activist or a catalyst; a political
advocate or just a concerned citizen of his motherland was Iggy Rodriguez.
His pen and ink drawings, paintings, and assemblages might not be
the best works in the metropolitan; nevertheless it must be a striking and
eloquent emblem of what was yielded by the generation. The artist doesn’t focus
on the realistic perfection of his subjects but merely on the details of
realistic perception against the brown society. Through his complicated
perspectives, hangganan was exhibited.
I am not really amazed by the socio-cultural discourse of Iggy
Rodriguez. Why? His masterpieces surround a prevalent and prominent theme which
is primarily about the urban poors, diversity between the upper class and the
lower class people, political hypocrisy and the other depressing issues you may
somewhat include. I am an optimistic person and therefore, I am not truly
mesmerized with what a particular painting would depict if it is more
subjective to the revelation of human flaws. I believe that an individual can
be more allured into change if he can relate himself effectively to the
ideology of a certain artwork through ease, beauty, and clarity.
I was quite enchanted in the Isinumpang Sumpa of
Iggy Rodriguez. Although the figures lack precision, the meaning shaped my
attention. I guess it signifies the nationalism and heroism whereby we can see
our national heroes (deep-rooted Filipinos) who sacrificed not just their
lives, but also their happiness (the carousel). As you become a hero, being an
ordinary person with simple happiness is not a concept. Such nationalism can
also be truly seen in the painting, where obviously our tradition is to put our
right hand in our chest to pay respect.
No worries was also one of the
paintings that amuse me. It indicates how the Filipino people dwell in the
blessings of resiliency. Despite the barren life they may have, they somewhat
seem positive and steadfast. It can be seen in the painting that the primary subject
encountered catastrophe and vast devastation; however, because of such
resiliency and positivism, he doesn’t show his grief and wear a smiley shirt in
his face instead. This is what every Filipino can be proud of.
The painting of a mother who carefully holds his son provokes my attention. This painting signifies our motherland who tightly embraces and protects us the Filipino citizens amidst the raging discords of deceptions, fatality and poverty. I was truly touched by the painting because it showcases the love and the concern of a parent towards her child. The meaning is really essential to our society because it manifest how we, the Filipinos, must bestow a profound esteem in our nation regardless of the tragic hindrances that may surround us in development.
