Marco Banares: Paint to Tell

BY JAY BAUTISTA |

At a young age, Marco Banares stared at life straight in the eye and grabbed its head by the horns. Losing his father at five years old, Banares and his brother were left under the guidance of their grandparents growing up. They eventually became orphans when they lost their mother to asthma causing her failure to breathe before she was even brought to the hospital. Banares had to endure his already topsy-turvy life by working on the side--taking odd creative jobs--while still studying to survive in dignity.

Adversity made Banares appreciate the ordinary and be creative in the everyday. He valued a simple act of kindness as it manifested manifolds most especially for hardworking beings who untiringly labored to bring food on the table for their families’ daily sustenance with committed devotion as he has never felt being safe and secure—up to now when he has a family to support.

For his 5^th solo exhibition, while still in the midst of the pandemic, Banares thought of honoring these plain but worthy mortals as Unknown Heroes by featuring them on canvas enough to be emulated at the same time feted with utmost pride from the honest toil that they do and the unconditional love they possess.  

Magsunog ng Kilay, Mata Nagliliyab

First among them---Banares starts from afar--the untold diaspora of our overseas Filipino abroad. It is said there is a Filipino everywhere and in Home Sick he sums up the sordid feeling of alienation of the Filipino who will sacrifice his existence just to fend for his loved ones. Battling loneliness, Banares laments there are even those who continuously work, without a day off for generations yet still end up poor and miserable.

Wala Akong Sinasanto, Pero Isa Akong Deboto

The pursuit of excellence knows no boundaries such as the indefatigable Saint-maker who may not be as rigid religious but is highly spiritual as well as artistic churning out imageries for devotion on a daily struggle. Evident in Walang Sinasanto Pero Isa Akong Deboto exemplifying its own commitment to the craft is close to faithfulness to his family but not to a particular god or the patron saint he configures.

On hindsight, Banares can identify with his subjects. Another profession wrought with irony with the same kind of passion are witnessed in circus clowns—those make up clad blokes who always put up a smile and entertainment. The kind of selfless vocation is evident in Walang Bahid ng Kalungkututan, Pero Huwad Naman ang Kasiyahan where a clown who is in the business of making people feel good are they themselves foregoing their own.  Alone they face depression of being behind rent and not paying the bills on time due to infrequency of parties as social distancing remains a health policy by the government. He longs for normalcy but uneducated he cannot apply for employment. Such cycle of quagmire is how most of us are involved in. Banares depicted him as reflecting in the mirror yet it alludes to the viewer who could be the one looking intently at the canvas.

 

Padayon

Masks have once again appeared as an ongoing graphic ploy for Banares not only to conceal identity but to evoke pun intended for the audience. A signature fixture, masks are his way of lightening the burden of the advocated cause. A kind of support system that makes his subjects cope up in the constant fight to stay alive. A kind of fitting tribute--as well—as we still wear masks as a precautionary sign to combat coronavirus we are reminded that we are heroes in our own right as we survive to protect every Filipino and safeguard ourselves from being infected to being healthy for tomorrow.

Garbage Content

Witnessed in Libre Lang ang Mangarap Pero May Bayad ang Sangkap is how Banares leans towards the suffering and downtrodden. Shown here is a polio vctim who still walks by the mile just to sell the taste of comfort when they themselves are not comfortable with their own disposition in life.

Aesthetically, Banares reminds us of a bygone era when hyperrealism was the norm and art reacts to how society is signified. These days art has been relegated to shock the new--the simpler the brushstrokes, the louder the colors—that would already be sellable in the art market.

Libre Lang Mangarap Pero May Bayad ang Sangkap

A natural story-teller, Banares gathered his tales from the common folk some he even intimately know as he encounters them every day going to the grocery or while commuting. He is most serious in his constant search for meaningful narration of heroism. He would even invite them for a chat and even photograph them to model for his further composition on the picture.

Such is the garbage collector whom he depicted in Garbage Content. Being an old timer in the art scene, Banares summarizes at the convoluted load of crap his fellow artists are irresponsibly producing and dumbing down their artistic calling. Mired by auction results and pricey art fairs, glitz and glamour are preferred rather than social commentary and positive values. Being Filipino foremost, Banares still advocates that paintings should afflict the comfortable as it comforts the afflicted.

 

Wala Mang Bahid ng Kalungkutan, Huwad Naman ang Kasiyahan

Siding with the afflicted, Banares recalls a story of a balloon vendor who was ignited to flames and suffered third degree burns by a group of teenager who prank him just for fun. Banares felt for him as he knows how it is to be ridiculed and even bullied. In Padayon he reclaims his position and rescues the vendor from further humiliation by remembering him.

Banares is a blatant realist at heart, looking up to Elmer Borlongan and Alfred Esquillo as his influences for visual style. He has always the last say by even honoring himself in Nagsunog ng Kilay, Mata Nagliyab. He identifies himself with his artistic passion--working more than 12 hours a day. With intense vision, he paints every day, with only light sleep to relieve him once in a while. His only respite is seeing his sons play freely while he intently paints for their future.

Banares has immortalized his heroes who may have ordinary tasks but living extraordinarily in their chosen or even forced endeavors. Some do not need a cape or don a costume, or wear an amulet but their valor is effective for another day as they earn decently without taking advantage of someone—often dealing with the corrupt nature and the evil ways of men.

Banares is at the emancipating cusp of his personal and social learnings. He continues to hone his craft since becoming full time six years ago. He remains sensitive to his brushstrokes while finding his fruition in every framed parable he toils into.

Unknown Heroes is ongoing at Village Art Gallery in Alabang Town Center.