BY JAY BAUTISTA |
TALL TARLAC TALES: RECENT WORKS OF HERRERA, RAMOS, AND YOKTE
(Last of Three parts)
Some 60 illustrations representing Hayop are situated as walls in a frame by frame presentation greets the viewer. A recurring scene for
Yokte who has lived in vibrant cultural cities of Davao, Vigan and now based in
Tarlac. An allegory of the archrivals dogs and cats, Yokte often witnesses the
fight between them. How the dog would and could defeat the cat as many ways as
to skin it. How the dog always wins not by the show of force but by outsmarting
it. Done in firm impressionist inkblots these sketches documents for Yokte
certain outdoor behavior and inherent character of each domestic creature. Only
artists like Yokte can see beauty in the ordinary squabble as such. Painters
Ang Kiukok, Danny Dalena, and Onib Olmedo have immortalized daily occurrence as
such dogs and cats before him.
In his book Art
Power (2009) art critic Boris Groys presents that art either as commodity
in the art market or as a political tool for the realization of a vision for
the people. Much of what are is produced today is for the galleries and commission-based
auction. Not many are producing artworks for the maturity of our consciousness,
or expressions of our dreams and aspirations.
Groys defines new
Realism as reality as the sum of necessitates and constraints that do not allow
us to do what we would like to do or to live as we would like to live. Art
manifests what is often lacking in society. Compared to other community of artists
who practiced outside Manila like Angono, Bulacan, Iloilo, and Cebu, to be an
artist in Tarlac is doubly discriminated by the lack of government support for
the arts and the need for private initiatives for legitimate arts paces to
showcase art.
Bukal
is a kind of revenge against all these mundane circumstances surrounding these
artists. Herrera, Ramos and Yokte are stating their artistic claim to survive
for other fellow Tarlac artists and the belief that there is such a person. As Bukal presents what is lacking or not
normally found in the current contemporary art scene, their art may not match
your décor in your living room. They disturb your peace and enable you to
appreciate art on a higher social context.
So the next time you come to Tarlac you will stay a little longer.
TALL TARLAC TALES: RECENT WORKS OF HERRERA, RAMOS, AND YOKTE
(Last of Three parts)
Some 60 illustrations representing Hayop are situated as walls in a frame by frame presentation greets the viewer. A recurring scene for
Yokte who has lived in vibrant cultural cities of Davao, Vigan and now based in
Tarlac. An allegory of the archrivals dogs and cats, Yokte often witnesses the
fight between them. How the dog would and could defeat the cat as many ways as
to skin it. How the dog always wins not by the show of force but by outsmarting
it. Done in firm impressionist inkblots these sketches documents for Yokte
certain outdoor behavior and inherent character of each domestic creature. Only
artists like Yokte can see beauty in the ordinary squabble as such. Painters
Ang Kiukok, Danny Dalena, and Onib Olmedo have immortalized daily occurrence as
such dogs and cats before him. 
In his book Art
Power (2009) art critic Boris Groys presents that art either as commodity
in the art market or as a political tool for the realization of a vision for
the people. Much of what are is produced today is for the galleries and commission-based
auction. Not many are producing artworks for the maturity of our consciousness,
or expressions of our dreams and aspirations.
Yokte applies his realist language to an
installation work Those Leading a happy
Life and Those Fighting a Battle to Survive Have Many Things in Common, some
120 figurines are cast in resin. In whatever situation or class you are in
life, everyone is fighting their own some kind of battle. As humans we are
expected to be kinder than necessary. Showing how humanity can be configured
added to the visual impact of the multitude in the curation is commendable.
Groys defines new
Realism as reality as the sum of necessitates and constraints that do not allow
us to do what we would like to do or to live as we would like to live. Art
manifests what is often lacking in society. Compared to other community of artists
who practiced outside Manila like Angono, Bulacan, Iloilo, and Cebu, to be an
artist in Tarlac is doubly discriminated by the lack of government support for
the arts and the need for private initiatives for legitimate arts paces to
showcase art. 
Bukal
is a kind of revenge against all these mundane circumstances surrounding these
artists. Herrera, Ramos and Yokte are stating their artistic claim to survive
for other fellow Tarlac artists and the belief that there is such a person. As Bukal presents what is lacking or not
normally found in the current contemporary art scene, their art may not match
your décor in your living room. They disturb your peace and enable you to
appreciate art on a higher social context.So the next time you come to Tarlac you will stay a little longer.
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