“Saad” Painting - Limited Edition of 10

My work “Saad” ( promise), hopes to offer an insight into the complexities in Mindanao currently. Encompassing ideas of WAR (as in the Zamboanga Siege in 2013, and the Marawi Siege,2017 ) and the consequent DESTRUCTION of human settlements- the work explores aspects of war and its aftermath on our habitat. Peace follows after a war, they say. Yet, it is an illusion. Instead, what follows is a state of psychological hurt on the people, and physical destruction on the environment, which can take generations to overcome. The expressionist imagery in the work references the chaotic politics that surround our environment today. Will our current realities (BOL and ML) translate with that of peace? Will Zamboanga’s image as a harmonious habitat for people of different religions be restored? These are the messages that the images may allude to, intervening between the non-linearity of the narrative and the nuanced figuration. Amid the war-relating subject of this painting, it hopes to effect a contemplative response on the viewer through its formal esthetics. The work process was tedious. At inspired speed, the average time it took me to carve one piece (12x9in), was 3days. A couple of pieces were finished longer than others, such as the parts with houses and Fort Pilar images. Others,such as the 3 bottom parts with no too much details, I did in a day, each. One time I got bored, I did not touch work for 4 days. I got slightly injured too- a cut in my forefinger- once; rested for 2 hours nursing the cut, and continued working. Time overall for the 9-part work: 5 weeks. I was able to maintain the excitement in the otherwise tedious and long process of working a woodcut art, by NOT following strictly every item that I laid down at the project’s beginning : concept,study, sketch guides. I tried to give room to carving-on-the-spot (no sketch) on some areas of the work. I think the output is a compelling one, and I’m happy with it. “Saad” was on-exhibit at Panit Bukog 4, Museum Of Three Cultures, Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao; November 7- 30, 2019.