ARTWORKS on paper were featured in an exhibit titled Papelismo: Artwork in Paper at the Crucible Gallery of SM Megamall from Sept. 4 to 16.
The five-man exhibit was led by Thomasian artists Arnel Mirasol, Benjie Torrado Cabrera and former Varsitarian artist Pinggot Zulueta.
Zulueta, known for his thought-provoking editorial cartoons in the ‘80’s, displayed a large collection of ink-on-paper drawings. Several of these editorial cartoons tackle political matters, some of which are the numerous coup attempts against the Cory Aquino administration, the exile of former president Ferdinand Marcos, and the major role of the Church in the political affairs because of Cardinal Jaime Sin.
Zulueta had worked for the Manila Times before moving to Abante, where his first editor was National Artist Virgilio Almario. He started his career in photography in 1991 for the Daily Globe and since then had turned away from drawing.
Currently, he works as a photographer for the lifestyle section of the Manila Bulletin. Even though he had not made any artwork since he forayed into photography, Zulueta lamented the current situation of the industry of editorial cartooning, saying that the vigor cartoonists they had during his time is waning.
Meanwhile, Mirasol, a children’s book illustrator, presented his acrylic-on-paper works that had been used as book covers.
“First Around the Globe: The Story of Enrique” is a chronicle of Enrique of Cebu, allegedly the first person to circumnavigate the world way before Magellan and his crew.
Still another work was taken from Filipino folklore, “The Origin of the Frog.”
Mirasol also presented an illustration for Hans Christian Andersen’s story, “The Traveling Companion,” which, according to him, has undergone several changes. Andersen’s story revolves around a princess who makes her suitors solve three puzzles; those who fail are beheaded. Mirasol’s final illustration showed the princess surrounded by skulls.
Aside from children’s book illustrations, Mirasol also presented another unprinted artwork, “Nueva Gomorrah,” which depicts a nuclear holocaust, with women and children cowering under the shapes of fishes resembling a phallus. Mirasol said he tried to show that “war is a manifestation of machismo.”
One of the country’s finest printmakers, Cabrera also exhibited his works that were mostly concerned with ethereal creatures and the cosmos. His prints, although slightly aged now by the elements, showed his unique style on engraving and etching, evolving from monochromatic to multicolored artworks.
According to curator Renato Habulan, the exhibit aimed to make the use of paper as the medium for visual arts more known, stressing that all kinds of media, be it oil on canvas or installation art, starts with a drawing on a piece of paper.
“I believe that the works on paper are as important as oil, sculpture, or even installation art,” he said. “Also, in these artworks, there’s a historical element. And in that historical element, you can create stories. There are different stories about each image.”
