The Cradle - size 16 x 20 inches Aaron Bautista’s tribute to National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro referring to the song “Ugoy ng Duyan”

Written and photographed

By Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

Angono, Rizal is one of the most depicted areas in Philippine art owing to it being the home of National artists Botong Francisco and composer Lucio San Pedro. Many artists since their time have maintained the idealized version of the place. The golden rice fields and rolling hills are still the images in paintings today that were the inspiration for Francisco. For one young artist however, there is a need to update the true Angono and uncover the positive and negative traits of his home town. In an exhibit in Sigwada Gallery last November 9-16, 2010 Aaron Bautista had his 13^th solo show.

The Master – size 16 x 20 inches Bautista’s homage to National Artist Botong Francisco

Texture is the key element in the works of Aaron Bautista who is able to capture the truth about Angono through his evocative abstract pieces. Stark acrylic colors are splashed from yellow to white and even a spray painted black. Small corrugated cardboards are on the canvas along with cloth and even small plywood. Perhaps one of the most eye-catching details is the use of real coins. The shape and surface of the 1, 5 and 10 centavo coins lend a contrasting look to the organic feel of the painting. The result of the work is a colorful, lively and truthful depiction of Angono. Photographing the exhibit captures only half of what Aaron Bautista’s work is able to convey. Looking up close one can appreciate the different textures of the varying materials and the different paints as well.

The coins according to Bautista, signify the commercialization of what was once a strictly religious festival of Agono. In “Effigy” a large figure of the higantes dominates the composition and “The Patron” the figure of Christ is splashed on with silver paint. Both paintings have the coin element showing the changing values of the fest and religiosity in the town.

Old Couple I - 12 X 18 inches

An old photograph that caught his eye became a part of two of his art works: “Old Couple I and II.” The photo is from the 1940’s and all that he knows is that the man in it was a former Barangay captain. Aaron admires the formality and effort at creating portraitures from that era. In one version the couple is more exposed showing the contrast between the photo and the painting. In the second version he paints on the barong therefore ‘breaking’ its formal look.

He pays tribute to Botong Francisco by painting “The Master.” A small old photo of Francisco peeks out in the upper right hand corner. What used to be the golden rice fields signified by the yellow shapes is partially painted over by the metallic hues and a small piece of corrugated cardboard and ply wood. Urbanization now dominates the landscape that the national artist had made famous. “The Cradle” is Bautista’s tribute to composer Lucio San Pedro who composed the famous work “Ugoy Ng Duyan.”

Please contact Sigwada Gallery for details: Tel: 743-5873, 1921 Oroquieta st. corner Tayuman streets, sigwadagallery.multiply.com

From left, Anthony Parungao, Frederick Sauza, Sigwada Curator Cecile Pagaduan, Rachel Bautista, Exhibiting artist Aaron Bautista, Isidro Santos and Vincent Padilla