Christian Emil R.

Pacifico
4/27/2020

FAYE ABANTAO
“Free Meals”
28 SEP - 29 SEP 2019

RENATO BARJA JR.

“The Changing of the Guards”
06 JUL - 27 JUL 2019

Link: http://www.tin-aw.com/exhibits
 Essay Analysis
From the very beginning of we humans have often used our talents to construct
representations for social interaction and political motives. Some people call this behavior
simply art. We tend to vary in the meaning of art that they are able to attribute to these forms, all
depends on what we know about them. Any form of self-expression is art. Art is created to
entertain, encourage, teach or make a person feel something good, bad or unexplainable. Art is
whatever the artist does or makes in which they find art to be of interest or not. There is a large
variety of art, some that people wouldn't consider as art, but in every production, a true artist sees
art. What some people call art making of drawing, painting, and many more. Basically, it is a
subset of picture making. We use images primarily because we have eyes to see for a broad
range of purposes.

So, the first artist that caught my attention is Renato Barja Jr, because of his Kingdom of the
Unwanted art works. His works aims to articulate the dead weight of human disasters in his
forthcoming solo show, with somber portrayals of poor and oppressed people trudging through
mortal life. In the thrilling paintings and sculptures of the artist the remote and momentary are
evidently held for extended reflection in suspended animation. The central of his exhibition
theme is the appeal for divine intervention in the midst of the tribulations of life, and how those
situations seem forsaken, particularly when the only response people receive is silence. The
works of Renato Barja Jr. illustrate people he encounters in his everyday life, particularly his
work entitled “The Changing of the Guards. In which he describes, “a homeless family peddling
on the streets and sniffing on solvent to alleviate their hunger.” This one of individuals who are
obviously exposed to harsh realities and depicted in moments of struggle. The second artist that
also caught my attention is Faye Abantao. Her artworks is entitled “survival of the fittest.” It
depicts how mankind, through the years pass by, adopt the situation that their facing in life. She
also describes that man's evolution stemmed from the history of our time, the dark ages, the
Renaissance era, the first industrial revolution, and now, the new millennium. In today's society
one might argue that this is not the best, but the fiercest and most aggressive, cutthroat rivalry.
This is not a political fight but a role in society. And it's the survival of the fittest, as they say.
The development of man was an inevitable product of the change of times, the confrontation
between cultures and the evolution between philosophy. Man, as his body's vessel, held those
shifting ideas and contrasting iconoclasms as he traveled towards his intended destination. Her
artworks are a series that illustrates the relationship between the man and his natural world, and
with society. Each of the photos portrays a plight of the man's struggle for survival in the life
arena. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom to live, all expressed in the
vibrant images captured in every man's everyday life. In what I’ve notice, both artists have
mostly likely similar in what their trying to convey in their viewers of their artworks. And there
works tells that some people face the unfair harsh reality that they struggling to survive. Also,
most importantly, both of their Art uses visual shapes/forms, lines, and values to create meaning.
Sometimes these meanings are shallow. That is, the image is lacking in conceptual complexity.
For me, the exhibits are not chronologically arranged, but thematically focused on various
perspectives of deprivation that have been prevalent in art over the ages, history, appeal, and
change. Their exhibits record the long journey from the time when the poor were viewed as
abominable to the time when their integrity was remembered. What’s intriguing is that how they
show the regular sight in the bigger cities of Philippines, like a homeless person rummaging
through a garbage might be searching for something edible. Basically, the drawings they created
were never used solely for decorative purposes. But images that depicts the situation in our
society right now.

The relevance of their artworks to my life is similar to my undying dedication to all the things
I like. Just like their dedication in creating their work of art that they put a lot of effort to make it
and giving a meaning to it. I’ve realized as well that art can bring out an array of feelings in
people. Some pieces of art depict happiness, sadness or focus on the beauty in it. I know that an
artist can create something, put their mark on it and find it to be art, whether it may be drawing,
painting or any work of creativity that gives joy to the artist and admiration from the beholder.
This one thing really very similar to what I believe. That each of us are good at something and
we can create anything through our imaginations. And because of art it allows us to see the world
through someone else's eyes and get their viewpoint on the art they make.