Posts

Showing posts from May, 2019

High Roads to Colonial Art - "Escuela Cuzqueña" Influence in the Philippines

Image
One of the wood panel paintings -"San Cristobal" in Paete Church, Laguna. By Jose Luciano Dans (1805 - 1870) Wiki One curios load of the "Nao de China" or the trading galleons of the Manila - Acapulco carried to the Far East in the early 17thh Century were objects for the propagation of the Christian faith -- religious artworks. It was one of great importance for religious orders. The duties whatsoever were waved as it was seen as of importanc e. The markets and ports of Nueva Espana were flooded with both merchants and copiers of religious art. There was somehow a prevailing norm or an art form prevalent in the Americas. And it's origin was high above the clouds, in the Andes. In the former capital of the Inca empire, Cusco Peru. This Catholic religious artistic tradition came to be known as "Escuela Cuzqueña" (The Cuzco School ). In the early years of evangelization of the Americas, the art of painting religious themes also began to flourish

"Patatas kaysa Sosyalismo!"

Image
Tatlong gabi ko ng binubuno ang mga unang kabanata ng obra ni Lope K. Santos. Kahapon pa sana tumitiklop ang aking diwa. Danga nga lamang kundi sa isang hamon at sa kakaibang paksa nito, palagay ko ay hindi ko na itinuloy ito. May nagsabi, nagiging todo sopistikado ang tao kapag niyakap na niya ang paniniwala sa pakikbakang sama sama -- Kolektibong aksyon laban sa mga sumisiil sa kalayaan. Kadala san nariyan daw ang sining, ang literatura o panitikan upang maghayag. Subalit nagtatanong ako, nararating ba nito ang lahat, nauunawaan ba naman ito? Kapag wala ng pumansin o wala ng sumunod, saan ito napupunta? Naalala ko tuloy ang noo'y nag-uulyanin ng pilosopong Pranses na si Jean Paul Sartre , ang dakilang guro ng 'Existensialismo", na hinayaan ang sarili at ang pilosopiya niyang tinaguyod na lumihis patungo sa "komunismo"-- ang sinasabi nyang solusyon. Kaya hayun binansagan siya, matandang nakapinid sa torreng komunista. Subalit magtatanong muli ako: Ano ba ang