“The basic things are losing their value
And the pace of life is so complex
The people around me feel the pressure
But I’ll remain forever young
They want more than they need and
They give more than they could bleed
They feel they’re next in line yet I’ll
Remain forever young
I control the hands of time- much to the
Majority’s dismay
If you’d leave me behind- im a picture
Painted in black and gray
But my colors are inside- when it’s just
Too difficult to see
And I just feel alive- this means so much
To me
Young!! young!! – holding on and taking
Grasp
- a vow that I will last
- ive learned so much from the past
- I’ll remain forever young- Bob Dylan, Forever Young”
The dreary world of endless routine-work, reading/studying, eating, going home and sleeping- prevented me from writing, despite the many thoughts and ideas that hover around my head. And I just realized that its been almost a month since I last made an entry to this online journal. Perhaps by serendipity, while waiting for my daughter to finish her karate class in AAK Megamall, I chance upon an art exhibit sponsored by Gallery Genesis featuring Toti Cerda’s watercolor paintings. It’s a collection of art works that evokes memories of one’s childhood. The exhibit is aptly titled, Forever Young.
Each painting in the exhibit seemed to be mirrors to vividly remembered childhood events when life is extremely simple and the world is a lot different. Perhaps this is the artist’s way of communicating to parents and grown ups that we should allow our children to enjoy childhood, in the same way that we enjoyed it when we were young. I may not be able to cite statistics but I know a lot of parents today have put considerable amount of pressure on their children by expecting them to achieve things at an early age. Children will only be young once, then its lost forever. Parents should learn how to balance between training or ensuring that their children will have a bright future by “starting them young” and by letting their kids be kids. Also, perhaps the paintings are Toti Cerda’s way of reminding parents that the environment and surroundings that they grew up with are fast disappearing and that we must find ways of preserving them so that their children can also enjoy it.
My favorite painting in the exhibit is the painting of five young kids walking along a grassy plain, titled “Tutubi Gang”. First, except for the human figures, the grasses were painted almost in the style of Monet’s post impressionism. (Claude Monet is my favorite painter). Second, I have countless fond memories of crossing grassy plains with my childhood friends in search for dragonflies, firelies, and spiders. We have no care whether the grass will make us itchy or for any thorns or broken pieces of trees that could scratch us or for anything that we might step on, be it mud or animal dung.
The painting below is Beck’s favorite, as this brings back memories of her younger years when she and her two siblings would use the wall of their house as one big blackboard.
Very often, I would pity my daughter for not experiencing the simple joy of playing in the rain. I think this is one of the privileges enjoyed by children born to poor families, myself included. Middle and upper class parents would not let their children go out in the streets and have the pleasure of playing in the rain.
September 3, 2009 at 6:00 pm |
Did Toti Cerda painted something about “bahay-bahayan ( esp playing the part of husband and wife ehehehe)”? I am sure that is one of your treasured childhood fantasies err memories..
By the way, Sir Toti is also a famous komiks illustrator and a finalist of PM Art Awards
http://macutayderrick.multiply.com/photos/album/14/Philip_Morris_Art_Awards_2007_regional_awarding_and_opening_of_exhibit#photo=28
http://toticerda.multiply.com/
September 15, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
Actually, he did. Though I didn’t took any pictures of that painting. Very treasured indeed, my friend. Remember the PLDT ad way back in 1994? “Ano ba talaga, kuya?” “Kuya, kuya. T***d!”
I wonder if we will have our own exhibit of our masterpieces??!!
September 7, 2009 at 9:11 pm |
I’ve been a fan of Toti Cerda’s art since the late 80’s when his photorealistic watercolor art (on glossy paper at that) graced the pages of the then fledgling “Kilabot” Komiks which came out every Friday. Lately he’s been focusing mostly on kids as a subject but his imagery is as rich and poignantly powerful as ever.
September 15, 2009 at 4:15 pm |
Really? I didn’t know he’s from the Komiks industry. He has good control of his medium. I’m not a fan of photorealistic painting and I initially didn’t like the paintings in the exhibit, I prefer paintings where in you have to really look hard to find out its meaning. I agree with our Maestro Glenn once said, “If you like photorealism, then just bring out your camera and take pictures. ” But when I saw Toti Cerda’s paintings, the poignant images flashed back moments in my life. Remember the scene in the movie Ratatouille wherein Anton Ego tasted Remy’s ratatouille and then he suddenly have flashbacks of his youth wherein he is comforted by his mom with a plate of the said dish. I think I had that same “Ratatouille” like flashback.
September 23, 2009 at 11:00 am |
“I wonder if we will have our own exhibit of our masterpieces??!!”
Why not? That’s a good idea…your photos, perci’s artworks and my drawings.
September 23, 2009 at 5:46 pm |
That’s a good idea, my friend. Kaso my photos are not at par with your and Perci’s artworks. BTW, magiging tatay na si Perci!