CAH, ISRD & GAD spearhead ‘ThinkTalk3: Lang, Lit and Comm Web Series

TheCollege of Arts and Humanities (CAH) in partnership with the Institute of Social Research and Development (ISRD) and Gender and Development (GAD) office conducts the staging of the third installment of ThinkTalk3: Of Shapes, Hues, and Notes: Bringing the Arts in the Classroom at the Everlasting Hall, ISRD on November 14 and 15, 2022.

Reading Through Arts by Dr. Elaine

Grace J. Dizon

The first speaker is Dr. Elaine Grace J. Dizon started with the question, “What is Reading?” One of the onsite participants answered, “Ang pangbasa ay interaction ng mambabasa at author.” Then she asked a follow-up question, “What is Art?”. Numerous answers were elicited from the audience such as, “Art is everywhere”, “Art is exteriorized emotions”, and “Art is a mirror you hold on to your society.” Artworks accordingly communicate certain movements, society, experiences, culture, emotions, or anything to us. She explained that when we read art, we ask, “What is this trying to communicate?”

There is a need to understand art and support those who produce them. According to Dizon, we are living in the 21st Century where “Creativity is the most needed currency.” Creative in almost everything we do and that is the challenge to all Art teachers to help their students find their creative niche. She further emphasized the importance of Visual Literacy which is the ability to evaluate, judge, and communicate. She said, “We need VL and the root word is literacy. Being able to read and write visually and visually demands education.”

The central question of Dr. Dizon’s talk gears towards providing a framework to the question, “How to teach the Arts?” To provide an answer to this, she conducted research using the Delphi Method and interviewed experts in the visual arts. She formulated and then came up with the Dizon Dice Strategy – a pyramid structure having 4 sides to the 4 strategies namely: Discovery, Interrogation, Conservation, and Expression.

To expound further, Discovery Strategy is where the teacher teaches the students to think outside the box. For instance, if a student color the mountain yellow. Allow them to discover themselves by accepting this unconventional style. And also letting them learn through their mistakes.

The Interrogation Strategy is defined by Dr. Dizon as the ability to formulate and raise questions to interrogate further existing theories and rethink these principles. Teachers dominate questioning in class but it shouldn’t be that way according to Dizon. The Socratic Method could be used it’s the dialogue between the teacher and students. The students this time will ask a question. For example, the teacher will show students painting and the students will formulate five questions. This would develop their critical questions and think-aboutthinking questions approach and the teacher will realize that they have sense in their questions.

At this point of discussion, Dr. Dizon shared that Art criticism could be drawn out from the Author’s Meaning and the Audience’s Meaning. An example would be the interchangeable art forms they created or brought.

The author’s meaning could have different from the interpretation of the audience. Dr. Dizon noted that there is a possibility in reading art multiplies differently depending on our background, culture, and experience. Audience meaning, on the other hand, they can read depending on what he sees and on the levels of meaning he/ she is prepared to take.

To implement this, schools could veer away from the conservative approach of spoon-feeding the students. Instead, they could organize art talks. This is simply inviting local artists and letting them talk inside the classroom or they can visit creative spaces like Tamawan, Ili-likha, museums, galleries, etc.

The Conservation Strategy recognizes the traditional teaching or lecture method. Since this is a strategy, Dr. Dizon noted that the Di-strategy is a useful mobilization of the four strategies. The class should use the 4 strategies or DICE. She said, “Teachers are the facilitator and not the manipulator.”

Finally, the Expression Strategy is captured in one word “production”. Teachers should encourage the students to learn, students should express their creativity. It is summed up into the following, a.) Show and tell, b.) Imitation- mirror not copy, c.) incorporation (tech and art), and d.) production.

In the next part of Dr. Dizon’s talk, she cited the work of Rose, 2011- the Five Levels of Visual Analysis. She started with 1.) Literal Description- This is what students see, the 2.) Comprehensive Feeling is what the person feels when he/she sees the artwork. This is based on the knowledge and experience of the students, the 3.) Formal Analysis- is a mixture of levels 1 and 2. The central question is “What do you see and feel and principles of organizations, image development, materials, symbols, and representations?” the second to the last, is 4.) Interpretation of Meaning- this allows the students to formulate an interpretation of meanings and connect these principles of arts to arrive at a certain pattern, intensity, and meaningmaking of students. Finally, the 5.) Value Judgement- this is the highest level, whereby, students and art teachers alike would dig deeper, and from what they have seen, and felt, what could now be their judgment on the artwork?

To demonstrate this, Dr. Dizon used Pablo Picasso’s painting “The Old Guitarist” and allow the participants to go through the five levels of visual analysis as part to end her discussion.

Cordillera Women in the Canvas by James M. Gabito

The second speaker, Sir James M. Gabito finished his bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of the PhilippinesBaguio. Gabito started his talk with the challenge of bringing the subject Cordilleran women in Manila’s painting landscape. He said, “Its always farm, portrait and harvest, this is the common subjects of arts in Manila.” He then noted, that this could be an opportunity to showcase the different subject of arts coming from the Cordillera. Gabito admitted that its not easy to find a niche so he started his painting endeavor using, acrylic, then he tried also oil and watercolor. Particularly, his painting materials included, Oil in Canvas, Acrylic on canvas, fantasy realism as style, utilizes other materials he used before like crayons, watercolor, and pastel.

He shared to the audience that he developed his style by centering his subjects to Cordilleran myth, legends with whimsical characters. He also inquired, “Why Cordi women?” He admitted that Cordilleran women become a favorite among Manila Art collectors because not only that it shows a unique subject, the culture that they represent is valuable. Gabito emphasized the identity of these women by making sure that, the wearing of beads and tapis are authentic and historical valuable representation of our culture.

To demonstrate this, he presented sets of paintings, he finished to stir different discussion of art demonstration, praxis and treatment. In his first example, called “Fading Culture”- the painting went to Singapore on one of his exhibits there. The uniqueness and its vivid use of warm and green colors elevates the subject. The second painting, is called “Tiku” which is now being exhibited in the University of Arkansas. The value of these paintings being appreciated in other countries gives pride to our region and our people as well. The third painting called “Afternoon Break” reminds him an important occasion that inspired him to draw this painting. It was his marriage- the happiest moment of his life. According to Gabito, in this particular painting, he uses a style where the bottom part of the painting fades in color to accentuate memory, happiness and allusivity of time. The fourth painting is called “Sleeping Beauty” derived from the famous Kalinga Legend. But in a different perspective, Gabito veers away from the popular depiction of the ‘sleeping beauty’ painted in jeepneys, family displays or tokens. He said, “The literal sleeping beauty that we come to know of is from a commercialized depiction.” In his version, he uses flesh-toned colors and uses different materials to blend in to the nature. The fifth painting, is a “Manghuhula”. He explained in this particular example that in painting, “Habang humahaba ang panahon, tumataas ang value. Like mangkukulam, manghuhula, manghihilot as subjects in my painting, in the future students would appreciate this vanishing culture of ours. Through theme, we have developed our first medicine. It’s a remembrance from those yesteryears.” He also noted that the Manghuhula in a more culturally informed perspective may not be all totally wrong, they too have truth on it such as the power of suggestions for instance, Gabito enthused to the participants.

On this part of his talk, the audience begin now to immerse in the various wonderful works of Sir Gabito, as they show elation to every painting laid on to them. The sixth painting presented to the participants is an example of Sir Gabito’s earlier works. This is part of his sharing of his journey in this field. This is called “Legend of the Bridal Falls.” The story behind recalls a distant past when the Kenon road was constructed, the falls was famous for tourists and travelers for picture and for relaxing. Sir Gabito made a cordilleran research- based on the legend story from Sam-it and his painting captures the sweetness of Sam-it. Juxtaposed with another painting, is called “legal Hair”that depicts the nature of Cordilleran’s culture of inheritance. He recalls the practice that inspire the paintinggenerally the practice is- the house and beads are inherited by the girls, while the land will be given to the boys. However, according to Gabito, problems arise when in a particular situation, he come to know about these two boys who are drunkard and who sold all their lands. The boys wanted to get the inheritance of the girls- the house and the beads. In this cause that Gabito decided to use this as inspiration and portray this changing cultural system at least preserved it through paintings.

The seventh painting, called “Caregiver” from atok. The subject presented is an old woman who adopted the small kid but only have a very small house but can’t bring the child to college. The boy went to UK after. The painting, is an inspiration. Gabito said “The woman in the painting don’t expect anything from the boy she adopted but she just did the right thing.” At this point, Sir Gabito is emphatic to emphasize to the teachers that the appreciation of paintings should be accompanied with stories and the context that inspires the students.

The eight painting is the Lady of Mt Makiling. Sir Gabito depicts the Goddess of animals- that protects and a reminiscence of an ancient hunting regulation. The story behind is about the hunters who frequents the forest for food, in one occasion a mystical woman suddenly appeared and the hunters ran away and didn’t resume their hunting. Gabito emphasized the value of the story, “Imagine if without the Goddess of animals - then all animals will be killed.” This is how Gabito thinks the value of the painting lies on how it captures how the hunting of all animals delayed in the Cordillera. “The painting becomes a reference of this tradition” he added. Gabito pointed out that in this generation, many are not reading anymore and through painting, he hopes to carve out deeper meaning and essence to the culture and identity of the Cordillera.

On his, concluding point, Sir Gabito gave remarks on how his journey as an artist made it possible to raise his family contrary to misconceptions that the art career is not meant for a living. He advised the teachers and the participants to continue supporting the artists in many possible ways they can in order for our society to prosper.

Reading Alembong: Putting the Picture into Words by Karen Laking

said “Surrealist artists sought to channel the unconscious as a means to unlock the power of the imagination.”

In the discussion of her reading, she noted that

“Alembong” shows two female figures facing each other, as if they were in the act of dancing. The dominant colors are brown, blue, green, black and gray rendered into the canvass with smooth and fine brush strokes. The black lines resembling twigs or roots are dominant in the painting; these gave the painting a somewhat “mysterious” aura because the viewer would really wonder what they are and what they represent. They could be veins perhaps to represent the physical bodies of the figures and the “fish-like” shapes which are dominant could also represent the muscles/ flesh of the figures to underscore their “human-ness”.

The third speaker is Maam Karen O. Laking- a faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences. She gave a full-length critique and a demonstration of art criticism of a painting of Alembong. She started by first asking the audience five questions they could draw out from the painting projected in her presentation.

On the surface, the painting have various hues of blue, orange and green veiny lines emerges irregularly. Its fluid with strong and light strokes drawing out and near. Four rounded circles elevated holds the gaze on them, two black, two smaller white pointy materials in place. On the second look, two images immerge probably a man and a woman, their face drawn near each other and their body melted. One participant commented that she didn’t notice these two figures, she thought that its abstract- lines and colors. Other participants were quick to point out the intimacy between them. Others asked the objects as point breasts and why the color black and white? These were initial thoughts of the participants, Maam Karen was able to elicit from them before she read her paper on Reading “Alembong” Putting the Picture into Words.

She started, “Painting is the art that has most to do with revealing the visual senss and the visual appearance of objects and events. This is a sort of a critique of the painting “Alembong” of the local artist Tara Lalaine Natividad using the theories of Clive Bell on The Aesthetic Hypothesis and Eugene Veron on Aesthetics.”

Maam Karen first explained the framework of the reading she is doing then cited literary theories to support her claims. “Alembong” according to her is an example of surrealism. Whereby, she

She clarified that the materials seen in the paintings are made of rubber and place therein to ‘emphasize’ the breasts of the figures. We then learned that these are two women. There were earth colours, faceless subjects, discrete but suggestive. Laking assumed that the title ‘alembong’ is consistent with its meaning ‘flirting’ as it would be on the two women attracted to each other in the painting. Most importantly, it veers away from the heteronormative relationships as supported to how subdued the colours were used. Laking interrogates the shadowed situations of homosexual relationships in the society, to quote:

“The color of the breasts is also significant, the contrast of black and white. Perhaps the figure with the black breasts is symbolic of a glamorous, graceful, efficient and secured woman, a woman who knows what she wants, besides, women wear black to attract and black is also a color of sophistication. The figure with the white breasts on the other hand symbolizes a pure, innocent, virginal and simple woman. With these given characteristics we can say that these two women of opposite characters were attracted with each other.”

The proceeding discussion, worked its way on the importance of art as ‘eteriorized emotion’ and cited Eugene Veron. She suggested, “I think the “Alembong” will be evaluated as a “work of art” using these criteria of Veron.” This set-up is used to bdeepen the reading as it ties-up that art as a ‘signifiacnt form’ to cite Clive Bell’s. To quote, “For me personally, the fact that I have chosen it from all the other works exhibited is an indication that I “felt” something when I saw it,” Laking contemplates the power of the art to communicate to its viewers in different layers and meanings.

In closing, she said, “indeed, the work has qualified on the standards set both by Eugene Veron and Clive Bell thus, we can rightfully say that it is a beautiful piece of art.” Laking also included an ekphrastic poem inspired by “Alembong” called “Fancy Flight” (See Literary Ventures section for the full poem).