All for Art's Sake

A lot of my peers had wondered, why I took up a job in Saudi Arabia? For some, this place I'm heading to is not a place for a struggling artist considering the cultural restrictions. Career wise it's a BIG Q? Before I came here, I just did what I do best ...be a painter, I did illustrations for children's books and had a cartoon strip running everyday in a tabloid ( MASA - then sister publication of MALAYA). It seems okay na sana, but there comes a time when you felt you needed more resources to enhance what you have all been doing. Back in those days mahirap makabili ng gamit na quality para sa pag pinta. I saw other painters using Latex tinting colours, it's sad but they need to keep on painting to survive. Framing your works is another problem. How about getting it to the galleries for exhibition? Talagang 'd biro. Congrat's na lng sa mga survivors, but there are few. One day ,by chance,I read this ad wanting a graphic artist sa Riyadh. To make a long story short, I was hired. I will tell you later the story behind it, it's entirely a different one. To straighten things for my critics specially those that estimated my move of going here in Saudi... kisyu baduy daw ang pag saudi... well... TO HELL WITH YOU !!! I have proven myself that all of your saudi bashing was wrong now. Honestly...that makes me feel good.

Sorry for that, sometimes we have to be rude to be effective and heard. I just want to straighten things outright. They thought I gave up my art, went to saudi para maging tea boy. Hoy! Nasa McCann Erickson kami dito! I love what I'm doing and I am paid more than enough to have four wives. But the real reason why I came here... is to carry on with my art and enhance it. Along with that, of course, to settle a decent life , be a good provider to my family and not be a mere struggling artist anymore. All I can say now is that I can buy any art material I want even my own frame tools and I also can afford to mount exhibits with any 5 stars hotels. Isn't that nice?

No walls to hang

With all these works people tend to asked... "Natutulog ka pa ba?" I just simply replied... if I stop doing all this, I'll die in my sleep.

“SQUARE CAVES” A OneManShow

SQUARE CAVES - Mga Kuebang Kahon, I managed to put up an exhibition during my annual vacation back home in Bacolod after a year long contract from KSA. It was a successful show, everybody was there.

GINAHASANG BAYANI (Screwed heroes)

“GINHIMUSLAN” ( Rape Victim ) | 100x100cm | Arylic on canvas | By Edbon Sevilleno | Finished Version


Recently I'm painting a series of works that dealt with the plight of the OFW's (Overseas Filipino Workers). Actually this is a long overdue concept. Just now I thought it's about time to do it. Mga Bagong Bayani daw sabi ng mga pogi, but for me... dito... sa M.E., I consider us mga ginagong bayani ( translation SCREWED HEROES ). ”Mga Ginagong Bayani“ That's it, that will be the title name of this series. Pasalamat tayo lahat dahil family oriented ang kultura natin. Kahit paano nagpapadala tayo sa mga magulang natin, kapatid at mga kabit.(Joke only) The dollars we sent each month helps somehow our unstable economy. But how about kung kami na naman ang finally umuwi na dyan? Lahat naman tayo dito ay uuwi rin. What can the govt. offer us in return? Nabubulok na ekonomiya, krimen at dumadami nating populasyon. Our population is ever increasing by the minute and by the day, it's a time bomb! After a decade... do-doble na ang dami natin. Philippines is a sinking ship! Lahat tayo sakay sa isang barko na 'to, at sabay tayong lulubog. Samantalang sila ang nagpapasarap ngayon sa pwesto, sa atin naman ang hirap.

“GINAHASA” ( Rape Victim ) | 100x100cm | Arylic on canvas | By Edbon Sevilleno | Unfinished Version

Something came up in the early 90's.

If you happen to be here, you may find images of women covered heavily by black markers in magazines. Strange... but later you get used to it. Something came up in mind... why not used this as an ID with my collage works. And I did, and I came out with these series.

“KANSIAHA” by Nunelucio Alvarado

Nune was amongst the artists in Negros that make us proud as negrosanon. I admit I wish I could be like him, but we see things diffirently in life. I had always admired his works... seing the visual ang graphic content of it. I'm glad to know him personally.

NUNELUCIO ALVARADO - Born in 1950 in Fabrica, Negros Occidental, Alvarado is a member of the Bacolod-based Black Artists in Asia. He studied painting at the College of Fine Arts in U.P. Diliman. He has joined several group exhibits since 1975 and had his first one-man show in 1979. He has recieved the 13 Artists Award granted by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1992. He has joined several international group exhibitions held in Australia, Singapore, Japan, and the U.S.A. He was two-time Grand Prize Winner of the Philip Morris Philippines Art Awards.

 

MARGAHA - Black Sands of Sagay

MARGAHA - Itum nga balas bulong sa mayong lawas. ( Suno sa mga katigulangan.) If Boracay is proud of its white sand... Margaha is proud of its black sands.

“TAKAS”

“TAKAS” unfinished oil on canvas 120cmx90cm by Edbon Sevilleno
Mga TAKAS as they call them, they are referring to the runaway filipina maids. I called them also the Blackmailed Maids, why? most of them when they first applied for the job here, they did'nt even know who's their working for. Upon arriving here some employer will cut down from their salaries 20 to 30% from what they agreed upon. Another sad part was, the agencies (the crocodiles) that facilitated everything for them, is also taking a 3 months salary deduction, as they legally call it, it's a common practice which I don't know how the Philippine government deals with it. Some of them will only receive their salaries every after 6 months, to assure they won't run. Some ended up in a tragic situation.

“Arabes” A bauhaus inspired painting.

Just like Paul Klee, he was also inspired by what he saw in his visits in tunised. What I noticed here in the middle east, it seem's that pigments tends to be extremely vibrant.

Arabian Motif

When I first came to Saudi Arabia I was fascinated by the colours I see in the local souks (market).

Influences

“Devouring the soul” by Charlie Co
oil on canvas, 1998, 156 x 137 cm
Artist Private Collection

I came from Bacolod City where smiles are smiles they said, with maskarra festivals, and seing the rich hacienderos, and the sakadas as well. In some of my early works I have influences of known negrense artist with the likes of Rodney Martinez, Nune Alvarado and Charlie Co. One artist said once... “Your work seem's CharlieCoic!”. It did'nt bother me, since I admit I like to be like them. It's just a period I guess, everybody has it's mentor.

Stairway to Heaven

After a days work I am usually tired and worn-out, but each time I come home and reached these stairs... as I took each steps... as if I'm alive again, as I see the paintings in the walls... I'm regaining strength... for I know I will do things for myself... in my haven - in my sacred room, where I do all my rituals... creating my art. In here... life could be boring, no gimmicks, no bars to hang out, no movies in the mall, no rock concerts, and no dating with girls. Imagine it... it's not easy ha? Parang naka kulong ka sa kulungan na walang rehas. But I have to admit, since I came here parang na rehav ako sa mga vices ko. So it's up to you how you deal with it. Me I just simply draw and paint.