I must say that my Art appreciation class was one of the most demanding in terms of the requirements. Every meeting requires a different skill, from evaluating a movie to building a 3D structure of a mall. Obviously, it is NOT one of those floating subjects that you can take for granted. Honestly, I felt anxious at first because I don’t have the skills of an artist. How can I pass an art appreciation class without these skills? Then again, my professor proved me wrong. All the hard work that I did for this subject was paid off. I learned a lot of things, not just about art but practical things that I was not aware of. In our lecture about visual arts, I was enlightened by the fact that up to now, a woman’s life is dependent on how a man sees him. It was clearly seen in magazines, advertisements and other forms of media. The model’s pose is situated to attract or seduce the viewer especially the men. Also, I am very thankful that we had a lecture about Mona Lisa’s mysteriousness. I must admit that prior to the lecture I find Mona Lisa dull and boring to look at. I was naïve of why this painting became so famous. But now, I am bombarded with information. This information made me more confident to intellectually talk about this work of art. I would say that my favorite part of the course was building a 3D structure of a mall. It is in the activity where I was able to showcase all the skills that I learned in this class. I was able to come up with the conceptualization and at the same time, explain how I came up with this concept. We were also able to maximize the limited resources we had. This activity made me feel like a real artist!

Architecture

All this time, I was oblivious to the fact that Architecture plays several roles in our life. I always thought that structures like buildings are constructed for the own benefit of the capitalist not until we had our activity in ARTAPRE. We were tasked to build a futuristic mall using limited resources. Our professor gave us only a spread of Manila paper, scissors, marker, tape and illustration board. Honestly, we were complaisant at first because sketching a futuristic mall is not that hard, we just have to work our imagination. But there was somewhat a catch; we had to create a 3D diagram of the mall! I said to myself , how can we create a 3D diagram with just limited resources and time? After a few minutes, I had a fantastic idea. Since we live in a tropical country, why not create a mall that would make the Filipino people experience the 4 seasons (winter, spring, summer and fall)? Eventually we were able to make a 3D diagram of a mall with this concept using limited resources. But the story doesn’t stop there. We had to take into account the lifestyle of the people, the economy and what we want the Filipinos to feel whenever they go to “our” mall. Since it is a futuristic mall, we assumed that by that time the Philippines is already a first world country. I feel that that there is nothing wrong in hoping for the best that is why we made this assumption. Also, instead of going to other countries just to experience the coldness of the snow, we created a place wherein Filipinos would feel that they are in another country. This mall that we envisioned would also benefit those who don’t have enough resources to travel out of the country.

After having a discussion based on our output, it was revealed that Architecture is a big part of our life. It reflects the people’s lifestyle, cultural heritage, economy, values, wants & needs and many more. Therefore, we can say that Architecture is holistic Art.

Our group’s creation of the futuristic mall reflects the needs and wants of the Filipino people.

Living in a 3^rd world country is sometimes a frustration to most of us. We have so many want that we could not get because of our condition. Like for instance, we only get to experience summer or rainy season. Unlike in Dubai, a desert country, they built a place called Ski Dubai that has artificial snow to keep up with the people’s want. It is sad for us because we have don’t have resources to build like the one they have.

Micro-city

This week's lecture is once again an eye-opener for me.

For the past several years, I have witnessed the emergence of "micro-cities". Examples of these are Greenbelt and Eastwood. Micro-city is becoming a popular theme in designing malls. In a micro-city, everything is in your reach. The main mall is sorrounded by condominiums. You can also spot several gimmick spots as well as restaurants. Who wouldn't want to live in a micro-city? It is like stepping into a fantasy world, away from the harsh reality. But little did we know that this micro-city creates a greater differentiation between the rich and the poor. We get isolated to the point that we ignore the people who are suffering from the harsh reality. It is sad to know that the educated have the power to iniatiate the change but they remain aloof. And I think I'm one of those educated ones that couldn't care less on what is happening out there... I don't know if I sholud feel ashamed for being detached to the outside world or I should just accept the fact that some are born rich and some are not :(

This learning that I acquired only proves that Art Appreciation is not just looking at paintings or evaluating other forms of art BUT it enables us to see what is outside, the REALITY.

Malls Malls Malls!!!

They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but in my case, malls are what I consider my best friend. I believe that life would be so much different if malls were not created. It is where my family and I go to spend time together on Sunday afternoons. When I go out on a date with my boyfriend, malls are on top of the list of places to go. Malls are also the usual places where my friends and I go to for some catching up. We shop, watch a movie or simply, chitchatting at a coffee place in the mall. Given the fact that Malls are a huge part of my life, I must say I was oblivious of how malls are designed… not until I read the article of RolandoTolentino entitled “Sa Loob at Labas ng Mall Kong Sawi Kaliluha’y Nangyayaring Hari”. This reading is certainly an eye-opener for me!

Here are some of my favorite insights from the reading:

Ang mismong artifisylidad ng kapaligiran sa Megamall ang nagbigay sa atin ng tilamas makakbuting opsyon mula sa kapaligiran ating nararanasan sa labas.

I can still vividly remember the first time my heart was broken, I immediately called up my friends and invited them to go with me to the mall. Going to the mall alleviates the pain I’m experiencing. Though I still can’t rationalize how this happens but when I’m in the mall, my problems are forgotten. It’s like magic! Poof! No more problems!

Ang mall ay ang modernong plaza ng mga bayan.

Long before the construction of malls, there were already plazas. I love it how they modernized the concept of plazas into a more sophisticated structured malls. On the other hand, I am also concerned of the risk that malls can wipe out one important part of our culture which is the Plaza.

Itong dating ng karanasan sa mall ang siya ring nagtatakda ng sentralidad ng lugar sa usapin ng modernisasyon ng bansa.

Although it is a sad thing that Filipinos are little by little forgetting plazas like the Luneta Park, at least we are preparing ourselves to the concept of globalization through the help of Malls. Globalization is a big step towards a more modernized country.

Bakit habang tumataas sa Megamall ay lalong uunti ang tao nagiging mas spesyalido angmga tindahan?

This line really struck me to the point that I thought of the answer the whole afternoon. My hypothesis is that they placed the regular shops on the first 3 floors so that the consumers won’t have to go up to the highest floor just to avail of the common products. In short, the specialized shops were situated on the last floor for the convenience of the customers.

Vanity.

As much as I want to deny the fact that women live to be desired, I can’t. I plead myself guilty of this statement. Being a woman is no joke. I want to look good most of the time and this entails a lot of effort. Dressing up, for instance, is one way to make myself feel good. I wear clothes that will compliment my body maybe to impress my boyfriend. Sometimes I wear makeup to emphasize my features. Although they say natural beauty is better, its undeniable that make up helps to emphasize your beauty. Furthermore, to keep me updated on the latest fashion trend, I read women’s magazines like cosmopolitan, mega, vogue etc. These magazines feature women that are close to perfect in terms of physical beauty. The models have everything you wish for like long legs, glowing skin, voluptuous body and more. Sometimes I question myself for reading these kinds of magazines. The more I fantasize about how perfect they are, the more I feel ugly, the more I feel imperfect. But what makes me subscribe to these materials? As of now, my only hypothesis is that I don’t want to lose track of the latest trends or in simply, I don’t want to be out of fashion ( which only shows how I am concern on how I look and how might judge me for my physical aspect) . Certainly, being a woman entails a lot of effort though most of the time we deny it.

Do you see what I see?

The entire week was devoted to Mona Lisa. At first, it was pretty interesting but then it became tiring. Mona Lisa this and that… Only to find out that there is no single explanation of the real identity of Mona Lisa. Despite of my disappointment, I came to realize that I appreciate it better if Mona Lisa’s mysteriousness won’t be revealed. It’s what keeps it special.

Anyhow, what amazes me is that how we have different interpretation of Mona Lisa despite the fact that we get the same lecture. We were tasked to choose any object that will describe our “re-interpretation of Mona Lisa”. Different groups produced different outputs. It struck me how wild my classmates’ imagination can be! I did not expect that anyone from our class can think of putting Mona Lisa’s face on boxer shorts! Or even to advertise a medicine brand that relieves upset stomach! It’s mind-blowing how they can connect these objects to Mona Lisa and being able to present a valid explanation. This only proves the fact that though we see the same object, we perceive it differently. And these differences in our interpretation may be accounted from our unique personalities that were shaped by diverse environments.

Mona Lisa

Everyone knows Mona Lisa UNLESS you’re living under a rock! This art piece by Leonardo Da Vinci is everywhere. From book cover to lamp shade to flashlight! Anything that you can imagine! She has also been made into a movie portrayed by Julia Roberts. It gets me thinking why this painting is famous? What’s the fuzz all about? Who is the girl behind the controversial smile? I know that most of us throw the same questions but do we search out for answers?

Personally, I never even bothered to find out the answer for Mona Lisa’s fame. All I just see is a girl with a weird smile but nothing beyond that. Not until, we had a discussion about this famous painting. I suddenly became curious of Mon Lisa’s identity. I was really keen in knowing the truth behind this painting. A lot of possible theory was discussed in class only to find out that there is no single explanation that can prove the identity of Mona Lisa. I was disappointed at first but then I realized that my appreciation for this painting might change if the mystery of this painting would unravel. I think it’s better to leave the questions unanswered because these questions are what make the painting special. The more we question this art piece, the more we get attached to for the reason that our life is also full of questions that cannot be answered and these questions give meaning to our existence!

MTV

Not so long ago, I was one of those couch potatoes who can’t stop themselves from watching MTV. I even came to a point where I would answer “watching MTV” when asked what my hobby is. But what is it in an MTV that puts us under spell and we watch it over and over again? This question have been boggling my mind for some time already. What I am certain of is that I admire makers of MTV for the reason that they can make a story out of song, which runs for only a short period of time (only minutes to be exact). Not only do they make an MTV per se, but they can make the viewers remember the song more because of the MTV they created. Since mtv had become part of our everyday life, the mtv makers can easily send out important messages that either serve us an eye-opener for us or maybe a personal message or whatever they wish to convey. One example of this is the mtv of “Where is the love?” by Black Eyed Peas. In this video, the central theme is war, particularly the conflict between Iraq and America. The film maker used footages of battles/wars that were happening at that time. I think that this video was created partly because of what had happened in the September 11 attack. This video became a hit and had captured the attention of many viewers. The makers of this video were wise enough to bestow the main message behind their creation which is Stop the war and spread the love.

Of course this blog wouldn’t be complete without mentioning my favorite MTV. Well, maybe not my favorite but the one that struck me the most- the video of “Hand in my pocket” by Alanis Morissette. Whenever I hear the word MTV, this video automatically enters my mind. I can never forget this video because it was the first video I've seen that deviated from the conventional form of mtv. The usual mtv that we see are those that act out whatever the message of the song is. Like for example, a song about falling in love, more often than not the subject of the video will be about lovers. Anyhow, going back to my favorite video, Alanis Morissette’s video stood out and became a hit. On the first part of the video, Alanis was still seriously singing the song but on the latter part, she started laughing and obviosly, the lip sync was ruined. The video was one-of-a-kind!

On a last note, I'm glad that our teacher asked us to make an mtv so that we too, could experience the gruelsome process of making a video. But sadly, due to other academic demands, there was not enought time to make a real video instead we ended up making a storyboard. Nevertheless it was fun playing the role of a director! ;p

Dance Dance!

A dance workshop was prepared by the La Salle dance company for the Art appreciation classes to watch. I’m glad that it was held in William Shaw Theater because I get to have a better view of the performance. The show started off with lectures about different dances around the world. The host/lecturer was very lively and so, listening to his lecture was not taxing at all. Along with his lecture, members of the dance company executed the dances that were being explained. These include the northern cordillera dance, ballet, flamenco and last but not the least, the Indian dance. I must say that the dancers have done a good job in their performance. But of course, one must be above all and I chose the Indian dance. This dance is limited to head and feet movements and so I think its pretty challenging for an amateur to execute. In spite of this challenge, the dancer was able to pull it off. Oh and also, I love the outfit! I think it facilitated the superb performance!

I have to say that I appreciate the dance workshop more than the last week’s workshop. Not because of the performance but for the reason that I can relate most to dance than any other form of art. As everyone knows, art is something that human beings can relate to. Dance is my form of art. I love dancing! But don’t be mislead, I’m not a professional dancer. No not at all! Dancing is my way of expressing my feelings. I dance when I’m happy and same goes when my day is gloomy. Plus, it’s one way for me to bond with my loved ones. When we I go gimik with my friends, dancing is one thing we can’t miss doing!

I HAVE to admit, I’m really having a hard time blogging about Art. In trying to analyze an art piece, I always end up with a headache. I think my eyes are blind, well at least in a figurative sense. Maybe this is when Art appreciation comes in handy. I just hope that after this course, my eyes would be able to witness the beauty in every art piece.

Last Wednesday, we were required to watch the Chamber Ensemble perform and needless to say, as Art appreciation students, we are expected to comment on their show.

I believe that not everyone appreciates the sound of Mozart, Beethoven and the like. Personally, I find it boring (no offence to the fans of this kind of music). On a positive note, this kind of music helps me fall asleep. I wonder why I don’t like this kind of genre, when in fact my dad loves listening to these pieces. Anyhow, given that a number of students will not have a grasp of this show, I believe that it is the responsibility of the host to capture the attention of the audience particularly to those who have little interest in listening. However, the host failed his task for several reasons. First, he was speaking in a monotonous tone which I think made me yawn for quite a few times. Subsequently, he was uttering jargon terms that obviously only a few will understand. Unfortunate enough, I’m one of the naives who can’t understand what he is trying to convey. Nevertheless, I feel that the host had given his best shot and so, he deserves a round of applause! *clap clap clap*

After a long introduction, it was time for the members of the Ensemble to give a lecture about common instruments in our culture and also in the western section. I must commend on this part of the show. The members were wise enough to accompany their informative speech with visuals on the background. Not only that, they also gave a demonstration on how to play that particular instrument. Two thumbs up for these very talented individuals!

The chamber Ensemble performed revivals of Mozart, Bethoven and our very own, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. Although I really don’t appreciate Mozart and Beethoven’s music, I enjoyed watching the orchestra play. I never expected that they would be that good. The performance was close to the original version.

I wonder: Are revivals ART? (Given that they lack one of the universal substances of art which is originality)

OPEN SEASON!

My boyfriend downloaded the movie “Open Season” for my brother to watch. I was tempted to watch it also, so did I. The movie started on a girl scout who adopted a bear and had to let him go soon into the wilderness.

The girl had a hard time though as the story went on there were incidents wherein she was forced to finally have to let go off the bear ‘boog’. She had dropped him off where he would be safe from the hunters for the day of the OPEN SEASON is near.

Open Season is an event where hunters could legally hunt for 3 days in the wilderness. Terrible circumstances led Boog to the hunters’ ground. This is where all the animals worked together to defeat the hunters’, give them a taste of their own medicine. Here is where the irony of hunting was shown in the movie.

The film was brilliantly done. It demonstrated animal harassment in the simplest form wherein it could reach the understanding of the younger generations and the adults. I believe that films are not just for entertainment but there are lessons and awareness to attain.

So the next time that we watch or see a film, let’s read between the line.

I call it ART

I always wanted to be an “artist”. Someone who is different. Someone who thinks outside the box. Surprising isn't it? Well I have stop believing that I can be one because I know it is innate. It is something you can not learn to do. Well yes maybe you can learn it but the product is still significantly different from the work of a natural-born artist. Hence, Art became one of my frustratons in life.

I have always thought that anything can be labeled as art as long as it is different or unique. Art pieces are the ones that stand out. Yes maybe it’s true for some. But in reality, uniqueness is not the only basis.

In the first sessions of our Art Appreciation Class, we were asked to bring an object that we consider Art. Ignorant about the standards, I brought a caricature of my boyfriend & I. Indeed, it has an interesting form but it does not meet the universal standards of an art piece. Nonetheless, I still consider it as an art. Why? Well probably one of the reasons is that I can relate to the piece. I often experience having to stare at an “art piece” and not seeing the art in it because I can’t relate my self to it.

There are standards to be considered in determining if the object is an art or not. The two most important standards are the form and universal substance. And on that note, two of the numerous forms of art are comic strip and film.

As a kid, I have always enjoyed reading comic books especially Arhcie. My love for Archie can be accounted for the fact that it's not boring at all. Some will agree to me when I say that reading is quite a hassle sometimes. But on this particular comic book, every story is different from the other. It fascinates me how the writer/s can think of endless stories about these groups of young people. In addition to that, the form itself gets me going! the visuals, the colors, the settings etc.. And most importantly, I can relate to the characters! Unfortunately, I stopped reading comic books. I got lazy reading. Hence, I got myself into watching tv series. There is the movement factor that sets it apart from comic strips. Instinctively we know that life denotes movement, thus people saw real life in films. And just like in any form of Art, film has its own particular elements that make it unique from all the rest. These elements (positon of the camera, characters, setting, story line etc..) we sometimes don't take notice of. Because of my Art appreciation class, I learned that becoming aware of these elements and the difficult process of creating a film make us more appreciable of this form of art!