(This was the first time I went into an interview where my subject learned more about me. And it was a very fruitful interview, for both of us. Honestly, I was fascinated with Michelle Pauline Lim, the artist, the person, in every way… and I still am. That was the last real conversation that I had with her. I’ve tried to contact her again with great difficulty. This was published in Manila Bulletin Lifestyle –December 14, 2009. I hope not all is lost and I still get to see and talk to her though. Here it is with more pics than the newspaper version)

Some of the photos of her paintings are from her website:

www.michellepaulinelim.com

Text and photos

By Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

for more pics and larger displays log on to http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/2010/08/02/michelle-pauline-lim-the-essence-of-being-human/

We reveal our true selves in solitude. The essence of people is in these private moments no one else ever sees. We need not put on the mask of politeness that we put on everyday in order to live in society. That is why when you look at Michelle Pauline Lim’s work they are often solitary figures in an introspective state.

Her work may seem to be deeply personal but has actually found universal appeal. By trying to unmask herself she has found a common human theme. Michelle or ‘Mitchy’ for short has exhibited her work in New York, Singapore and Korea. And everywhere, in spite of cultural differences the reaction has been the same. They have discovered the truth about themselves in her work.

Cry The Fears Dream Walker by Michelle Pauline Lim

She captures the unguarded moments when we are our true selves. Her subjects are solitary figures who are in deep thought. This is most apparent in her solo exhibition at the Forth Gallery in Singapore. Her panoramic vistas almost seem to swallow up a solitary figure in “Cry the Fears Dream Walker” and “Where the rainbow ends”.

Where the Rainbow Ends by Michelle Pauline Lim

Eyes are both piercing and revealing, while half of the face is covered in “Silently stealing away”. The theme is repeated but with the text “Fix Me” on a hanky covering the mouth in “Only Silence Was Spoken”. These two paintings show the most about the person in an ironic manner. She has a fascination for fleeting moments when we unmask ourselves.

Silently Stealing Away

One theater student in New York was so moved by her work that she started using expletives. Although the female student was actually praising her work Mitchy was taken aback by the use of the language. More than that she appreciated the raw emotion with which the student expressed. “It gave me a sense of fulfillment because that was what I was trying to illicit from people, a real and strong reaction.” She explains that one of the reasons that she brought her work abroad was to find out if they could appreciate them in spite of the cultural differences.

Only Silence was Spoken by Michelle Pauline Lim

Fernando Amorsolo was her own inspiration to become an artist. At age twelve she saw his “The Lady with a Banga” in Mabuhay magazine. Mitchy was so affected she tried to copy it. By college she was encouraged to take Architecture, interior design, anything but painting. Being an artist was not seen as a solid career choice.

Place Where Ego Meets by Michelle Pauline Lim

Out of obedience she applied for an advertising major but still ended up in Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas. She planned to shift after first few semesters. But she truly found her calling, especially when she met her batch mates. Batch 2000 from the UST Fine Arts program produced the most recognizable names of young artists today. They are: CJ Tañedo, Ivan Roxas, Linds Lee, Marga Rodriguez, Tara Quinto, Jojo Austria to name a few. Mitch will have an upcoming group exhibit on December called “Boxed: The Dialogue of Females” with friend and batch mate Marga Rodriguez.

The Hourglass has elevated text and a real rose giving it a three dimensional feel

College was when she learned about the masters and those that would influence her work. Artists like Salvador Dali and William Waterhouse, who used a lot of Greek female mythology sense of beauty and proportion. Dave Mc Kean of the ‘Sandman’ comic series was influential in her use of texture. In “Hourglass” she writes “I’ve been dreaming of a true love’s kiss and a prince that come with this.” The words are elevated as texture over an oil painting of a rose held behind the back. A real rose that was given to her and has special meaning was included on the surface, creating a dramatic three dimensional feel.

She has a palpable love for painting. She craves the tactile sensation of oil, the smells. After graduation, she took some time away from painting to find out her career path. She found herself going to art supply shops just smelling the oil tubes. She missed everything about it. It was a calling that she couldn’t deny and knew that it was wrong not to pursue it.

Enigma by Michelle Pauline Lim

As a student she has been a finalist in nearly every competition she has joined from the Shell National Student Art Competition to the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Yellow Pages competition. And what it has taught her is humility. Eventually in 2002 she was given an award of excellence from the Manhattan Arts International in New York. And last year she was at the top ten, Artrom Gallery International On-Line Art Competition 2008, in Rome.

In the documentary the “Rape of Europa”, Mikhail Piotrovsky, of the Hermitage Museum said, “Art belongs to humanity. Without this, we are animals. We just fight, we live, we eat. Art is…what makes us human.”  With Michelle Pauline’s work she gives us an insight into her identity and our own humanity. For more information and details check her official website: www.michellepaulinelim.com

Michelle Pauline Lim the artist