First posted 09:27pm (Mla time) May 29, 2005
By Rod Paras-Perez
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page C1 of the May 30, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
ONCE a year, the over 2,000 members of the Portrait Society of America meet to exchange views about art and pay homage to a few outstanding painters. For 2005, the site is Washington, DC where, aptly enough, the National Portrait Gallery serves as a beacon of excellence.
Artists from all over the United States and countries like Sweden, France, China, Australia, the United Kingdom and more compete in a grand derby of portrait painting that guarantees the emergence of only the best. Like: Entries are cut down from over 2,000 to 1,000 then to just 13 finalists from all over the world.
Flying to Washington for the conference, Galicano also must rush shipment of his entree-the Portrait of Eddie Chua, a friend of long standing.
At the exhibition site, Galicano looks at the other 12 finalists, gets really bowled over by their excellence and gets his stomach all knotted up from tension all through the night that he had to take pills to calm down.
Galicano looks at the work of John Michael Carter (later awarded the Honor Award) and feels his gut growling all the more. He looks at the work of Paul Newton of Australia who is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia or that of the Latino artist Tony Fro or the entries from China-and a virtual rock concert starts in his stomach.
'May laban tayo'(We've got a chance)
Still, Galicano looks carefully at the works and whispers to his fellow Pinoy artist, Ed Lantin, "...may laban tayo." Galicano notes that most of the works, although done with virtuosity, did not have weight or what Berenson calls tactile values, that unique sensation of heft given by a painting.
During the awards ceremonies, Galicano is indeed a tightly tensed spring, slowly relaxing and with hopes soaring as the names from the 13 finalists rolled until finally the announcement " ...and now, from the Philippines-the grand prize-Romulo Galicano..."
Congratulations and testimonials start pouring-mostly from fellow artists, all strangers to Galicano but all art kin now. The art guru and 2003 Grand Prize winner, Robert Liberace, greeted him with, "Romulo, congratulations! You are an amazing artist, you are really a master." John Howard Sanden, the more than famous New York artist, extends his welcome, "...If you have the chance to go to New York ... pass by my studio. I am interested to see some of your works. Romulo... you are indeed a great artist!"
However, it was the artist Bart Lindstrom who made the more memorable comment-sensible and playful: "Your painting is not just a portrait painting... It is a product of art... The composition has a dramatic impact, very daring, it has a sense of contemporary mood... really a work of art, Romulo... You are an amazing artist..." And suddenly he shouted, "Get out of here!" followed by a naughty smile and a thumbs-up sign.
Triumph abroad
In 1884, Juan Luna gave the Philippines its first cultural triumph abroad. And the King of Spain, no less, feted him, and the Filipino community celebrated the event, with Jose Rizal leading the brindis.
But our times are different. Galicano went to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC as a courtesy. He got a diplomatic brush-off from a certain Hjayceelyn Quintana, first secretary and consul, presumably for cultural affairs, but more busy acting as a glorified receptionist for visiting officials. Culture is simply not her cup of tea. Perhaps her job description should be more reflective of her sensibilities.
Like Luna before him, Galicano opts for the more classical roots of art, but with an eye focused on the contemporary scene-more so in terms of composition. Vide: Galicano, like Newman before him, insists on vertically dividing his format and with equal intensity-paints reality with rigor. It is a contradictory stance highly reflective of Galicano's roots in Cebu, particularly Carcar. A deep respect for tradition; a longing for the urbanism that is embodied by Manila and what Galicano has-the will to work for what he wants.
Galicano greeted his well-wishers in Washington, DC like a traditional ilustrado-in a black suit over an untucked barong. It is an image far removed from the young Galicano of Carcar walking through the whole town hawking fruits or whatever, his wooden clogs clacking on the asphalt road in the fast, robot-like waddle he developed because his three bosses-his grandmother, his aunt and his mother-kept him on the streets running all sorts of errands that somehow, never got synchronized.
Struggles
And deeply etched in Galicano's mind was the remark of his grandmother's acquaintance who, upon seeing him taking off for Manila, asked: "What will you do now-you lost your carabao?"
Indeed, he worked like a carabao selling fruits and what-nots for his kin-but he also made time for art lessons with Martino Abellana, the town's premier artist. Galicano learned the craft of painting the same way the Old Masters did: by doing chores in an artist's studio.
In Manila he pursued art by boarding with his mentor-friend from Cebu, SY Mendoza, formally enrolling in art schools when possible-but always, working to support himself.
Thus, self-reliance and determination were forged in Galicano's outlook. And, into his art.
Galicano's Grand Award for Portrait Painting may be a narrow road-but it is now a road that stretches from Manila and all the way to the US and the world.
And-with each award comes more responsibilities: no longer confined to his art and himself-but to all that boundary-less realm called artworld. And-to that unique cultural ursprung we know as Filipino.
Juan Luna, F.R. Hidalgo and a few other artists maybe useful lodestars, but ultimately, every artist must define his own trajectory.
Romulo Galicano~ What can you say?
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