“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”—Pablo Picasso
At various stages of personal growth, all of us must make fundamental life choices and decide what is most valuable to us. Our lives are not just given to us, but need to be made. To live well is, in fact, to practice an art of living. We may opt for a life of reason and knowledge but also one of faith and integrity.
We may even choose to live our lives as though they were works of art. In every case, hard work is required. To live well and beautifully, we strive to implement our values and moral judgment, and see what happens when they come under pressure from inside and out.
My journey to self-discovery is just beginning. To gain a much deeper understanding of who I am, I have become more reflective and insightful. I also find myself engaging in interesting conversations with new friends and talented artists who draw deep emotions from their art.
Pain, love and emotion
I recently chatted with self-taught and brilliantly creative artist Ettore Trilocsi, who held his first show at Vinyl on Vinyl (2241 La Fuerza, Chino Roces Ave., Makati City). His artistic journey guided by ancient history and scientific components makes his art truly original and uniquely meaningful. This is what I learned from Ettore.
The human body coheres with the corporeal and the metaphysical. Senses react with the perceptual requirement of what the present situation has laid out and sends a neural transmission to the brain that will then be supplemented by a corresponding neural response. Pain, love and emotion are some of the seemingly disparate impulses that activate self-awareness of the body and emotions.
Triangular in shape, the insula is a part of the brain that is deeply concealed within the cerebral cortex. The insula is said to be the part of the brain involved in present-moment cognizance.
Ettore’s recent exhibition, “Insula: Prequel,” explores the idea of the insula and the metaphysical, the impulses within our existence and the connections of these ideas of reality outside of the human perception.
Numerical elements in the pieces manifest his inquiry into the 3-6-9 theory of Nikola Tesla, a mathematical matrix believed to hold the key to the universe.
Layered with the allure of enigmatic ancient graffiti inspired by ancient civilizations, mathematics and science, Ettore’s works play with automatism overlaid with symbolism, metaphorical context, figuring and his investigation of symbols and their meanings.
Ettore shared with me his artistic process and his love for art as his expression of life. The symbolic animals and ancient graffiti letterings give depth to the story of each artwork. He told me he has a pending painting of a phoenix that symbolizes rebirth, so I quickly reserved that for myself.
At the start of the pandemic, I picked up a paintbrush for the first time in 30 years. Each painting was a reflection of how I felt at that moment. Sadness, happiness, frustration, confusion, elation, isolation, boredom—all these emotions swirled and were expressed with brushstrokes on a canvas.
Painting held me warmly for a few months, but at some point it wasn’t enough and I searched for other artistic endeavors to ignite my soul.
New art galleries
It is a wonder to know that the local art world has also picked up with many art shows and new art galleries opening. Most recent was the opening of M Gallery MNL (Unit D, DPL Bldg., M Paterno St., Pasadena, San Juan City; mgallery.mnl@gmail.com, M Gallery MNL on Facebook, @mgallery.mnl on Instagram).Mykee Martinez, the creative force behind M Atelier (and the tastemaker of Muchos Kitchen), has always had an eye for beauty. In a matter of months, his personal collection grew. During the pandemic, he found more time to browse through online galleries and scout for promising talents. It was also then he realized how Filipino artists are looking for more exposure and support.
Mykee immediately reached out to his closest friend Inna David, a businesswoman, art collector and mother to a young artist. For years, Mykee and Inna have had a special bond and they immediately agreed on the mission and vision of M Gallery. “It was going to be a special place that bridges artists and collectors,” says Inna. Mykee adds, “It’s where Filipino creators will find buyers to invest in their passions and where enthusiasts will find that elusive missing piece that will complete their collection.
Mykee and Inna combined resources, networks, talents and skills to pull it off. They started with an online gallery on Instagram in early 2020, and last Oct. 10, they had the grand opening, with former PBA player JC “The King Eagle” Intal, A Design Group president and managing partner Tessa Alindogan and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte joining the ribbon-cutting ceremony. And now, walk-ins are welcome to browse through the gallery.
The beauty of art is that it is neither wrong nor right. Art is art. It is to the artist as it is to the viewer. Therefore, anybody can create art and art can serve many purposes in your life.
In German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s ideal world, we would return to nature and welcome the chance to be creative every moment that we are awake. For Nietzsche, the meaning of life is to live authentically and powerfully, creating one’s own goals and values. His strongly aesthetic vision perceives life as a work of art and all of us, our own artists. His idea of artistic refashioning is to mobilize the value of art in our everyday lives. Our capacity for detachment and deliberate self-management allows us to be active players in our own lives.
From a Bulgarian artist named Tatsiana, I quote: “Art revived me. Art helps you reconnect with yourself. Art relieves stress. Art boosts creative thinking. Art makes you feel good. Art feels like falling in love. Art heals. Art increases empathy and tolerance. Art inspires and helps you express yourself better.” INQ
Follow @seaprincess888 on Instagram.
