Barba's Blazing Brushstrokes

CEBU, Philippines - What does the British Ambassador to Burma have in common with numerous art-loving Cebuanos? An Andrew Barba piece in his foyer, that’s what!

Recently at the Park Mall for his umpteenth show, Andrew again served up pieces that visually delight while still remaining true to his Cebuano roots. Tropically inspired, with vividly wild colors and strongly-textured surfaces, Andrew’s canvasses are welcome jolts of pleasure that bring home the serious message that Andrew is one extremely talented artist.

In this tight collection, Andrew offers an intimate glance at familial relationships, at homey objects and comfortable bric-a-brac, juxtaposed against brilliantly plumed parrots and verdant foliage. Each canvas is complex, and the components of the canvas can provoke their own emotion and incite discussion. For example, Barba’s aptly-titled “Family” is a curious montage of a couple with their three children. A babe lies asleep in her mother’s arms (assuming that the babe is a she). A sister in an azure dress is astride a bicycle, while the eldest is in a plum floral print dress and a too-cute conical hat. The two daughters are observing something located outside the frame, offering an intriguing point of speculation. 

“Musikero” is another such canvas, with musicians tooting gaily on their horns or sounding off their instruments. Meanwhile, white doves flutter above and a cat sleepily gazes at the audience. Bored with the music of her masters, perhaps?

Even Still Life 1 or Still Life 2 aren’t as still as Andrew would have you believe. For example, a cat and a parrot take opposing corners in “Still Life 1,” while in “Still Life 2”, a guitar is somehow jammed in the middle of mangoes and a slice of watermelon, while a muscularly endowed mastiff looks askance at the public. Up at the corner is a capiz and wood window, letting us know exactly where the locale of this piece has been imagined.

The “Carousel” is a curious piece, with a man and two maidens mounted on a garishly-painted but not unattractive horse. Yet, in a nod to his Cebuano roots, the man carries with him a small statuette of the Sto. Nino, leading the viewer to reflect on the reasons why the religious icon should be left spinning around in a carnival ride. To ward off vertigo, perhaps? (A good point, perhaps, to raise with Andrew on one of those chance meetings.)

Consistently included within the circle that is acknowledged by most afficionados as the best among Cebu artists, Andrew has participated in numerous one-man and group shows, not just in Cebu, but also in the international scene. This mini-collection offers patrons a view of something quintessentially Andrew, and makes us look forward to yet more samples of his work, as alas, if nothing should be forthcoming from him, it would be a cruel disappointment indeed. ?