Window On The Filipino Soul
The Philippine Star|March 01, 2021
Soon turning 80, the veteran jour-nalist and fic-tionist Amadis Ma. Guerrero has added another feather to his cap as one of this country’s foremost chroniclers of culture, particularly the visual arts. Less than two years ago, he gave us the splendid book Philippine Social Realists (Quezon City: Erehwon Artworld Corp.), where he reviewed 10 of the country’s most accomplished advocates of social realism, prompting our own Juaniyo Arcellana to call him “a master of reportage, which he puts to good use in this series of portraits of the artist as Philippine social realist.”
Butch Dalisay
Window On The Filipino Soul
This time, with the launch last week of SYM, Galicano, and PASPI, also published by Erehwon, Guerrero takes on the art of portraiture itself, and the Filipino artists who have devoted themselves to — and distinguished themselves in — this most difficult of artistic challenges.

Say the word “portrait” and what will likely spring to mind for most Filipinos—excluding the “Mona Lisa” — is Jose Rizal looking pensive and noble, as he should, frozen in a print that has become almost obligatory in most government offices (at least until certain presidents and lesser politicians deemed themselves worthier of that spot on the wall). The older and well-heeled crowd will default to Fernando Amorsolo, who seems to have painted everyone’s rich and famous grandfather or grandmother. The more art-savvy might bring up John Singer Sargent, Lucien Freud, Andy Warhol and Frida Kahlo.

This story is from the March 01, 2021 edition of The Philippine Star.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 01, 2021 edition of The Philippine Star.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE PHILIPPINE STARView All
Xdinary Heroes make 'extraordinary' concert in Manila
The Philippine Star

Xdinary Heroes make 'extraordinary' concert in Manila

Members of the South Korean rock band Xdinary Heroes showed that they were no ordinary musicians during their first world tour, “Break The Brake” last March 23 at the New Frontier Theater.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 28, 2024
The Philippine Star

Property prices slow in Q4

The growth in property prices has been sustained for 10 straight quarters, albeit at a slower pace in the fourth quarter last year, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

time-read
2 mins  |
March 28, 2024
The Philippine Star

Sy family invests P5 B in Megawide affiliate

The Sy family is once again playing a big brother role to a company led by businessman Edgar Saavedra, this time investing in Megawide’s affiliate renewable energy real estate investment trust.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 28, 2024
The Philippine Star

S&P: Phl may miss growth goal this year

S&P Global Ratings sees the Philippines again missing its growth targets this year as it kept its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast at 5.9 percent.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 28, 2024
Iraqis display full might vs Ph XI
The Philippine Star

Iraqis display full might vs Ph XI

Iraq rained goals on host Philippines in a 5-0 shutout that pushed the Filipinos to the brink in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Tuesday at the packed Rizal Memorial Stadium.

time-read
1 min  |
March 28, 2024
US rejects Hamas plea to halt Gaza airdrops
The Philippine Star

US rejects Hamas plea to halt Gaza airdrops

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES AFP) The United States said Tuesday it would continue airdrops of aid to besieged Gaza, despite pleas from Hamas to stop the practice after it said 18 people had died trying to reach food packages.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 28, 2024
6 presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse
The Philippine Star

6 presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse

WASHINGTON Reuters) Six people are presumed dead after emergency workers suspended search efforts on the evening of Tuesday, following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore in the eastern US state of Maryland.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 28, 2024
2 activists kidnapped in Pangasinan
The Philippine Star

2 activists kidnapped in Pangasinan

The Commission on Human Rights CHR) has called for a search for two environmental rights defenders and church workers who were reportedly kidnapped in Pangasinan last weekend.

time-read
1 min  |
March 28, 2024
Manila imposes liquor ban near churches
The Philippine Star

Manila imposes liquor ban near churches

The Manila city government imposed a ban on liquor and other alcoholic drinks on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday within a 500-meter radius of Catholic churches.

time-read
1 min  |
March 28, 2024
The Philippine Star

FOCAP condemns Chinese embassy's claims on 'manipulated' WPS videos

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) strongly rejected and condemned yesterday China’s “false and baseless” claims that journalists manipulate videos they recorded in the South China Sea to present the Philippines as a victim.

time-read
1 min  |
March 28, 2024