Popping the Lewd Out of Nudes

CEBU, Philippines - Erotica that's general admission, even wholesome?  A bit of a contradiction in terms, but this is what we get served in Junjun Montelibano's latest visual offering at the Orange Gallery, entitled "Pop Erotika."

The 30-something whiz, fresh from his win as Best Production Designer in the indie film category of the Star Awards (for PequeGallaga's film, "Sonata") now turns to the blank canvasses that have been patiently waiting for their turn to be given his attention.  And what a worthwhile wait it's been, as again, Junjun dishes out quirky conversation pieces that do contain nudity, but the overall impact is so devoid of malice and lust that all offensiveness is eliminated altogether.

Instead, Junjun's canvasses are imbued with that pop sensibility that cleanses, if it were possible, his naked folks and allows the audience to focus on other visual details, or even his message.  No need to be distracted by body parts, even if they are there.  Those are secondary.  The primary focus is the light and fun treats that we are given by this promising Negrense artist.

Take, for example, his “Nude Cycling”.  The heroine is cycling her way through her private estate, adorned by only a fluttering purple polka dotted scarf. It's not her lissome body that attracts attention, but perhaps, the pink, white and green tiles that cobble the foreground, or the huge sunflower blessed by the artist with the cycloptic eye. There is a frog leaping in time to the bike, ridden by a dainty fowl, and on the bike itself, the usual hamper has been replaced with what looks like a helmet, in which an eerie creature with horns has been ensconced.  With all these wonderful details packed into this painting, why focus on mademoiselle a la naturelle?

Another favorite is “Resulta”, with its eerie portrayal of a woman perched on top of a glass bottle.  She is not nude, but underneath her full aquamarine ballgown, we see the contents of the bottle straddled by her costume.  Inside floats what could possibly be two fetuses? Children? Monkeys? Their eyes are closed, but they are upright. This could be a cautionary tale about abortion (the results of pre-marital sex?) or this could simply be another of Montelibano's trademark humor depicting... small town women as baby factories?  Who knows what this cheeky artist had in mind?  But it's certainly fun trying to guess!

More of Montelibano's naughty streak manifests itself in this collection.  "Suitors" is a shocking pink canvass enshrining a beauteous damsel.  She is surrounded by fluttering white birds: her suitors, presumably. But a closer look reveals these birds' heads have been replaced by condoms, and then we get Montelibano's joke.

"One Hot Day" seems simple: just a couple, the man courting the woman, flowers in hand as a proposal. But it isn't as simple as that. If one thinks about it, they're already both undressed to the hilt.  The couple is totally naked.  Yet why does the woman gaze downwards, all shy about receiving the bouquet from her beau?  Her blushing bride attitude doesn't equate with their nakedness, and Montelibano gives us a mystery to ponder.

Worthy of note, as well, are the black-and-white (with splotches of red) sketches, of which there is a handful.  The absence of color in these frames only vividly demonstrates the superb compositional skills and wonderful ability to convey emotion that Montelibano can command.

Contrary to his usual style though, not all the canvasses have been infused with a wealth of details.  There is that trio of horizontal frames that stand out because of their sheer simplicity.  "Right After," "Patiently Ready," and "Before Giving In" are all three-feet-long-by-one-foot- wide canvasses, depicting women lounging in bed.  The frames are dominated by one color, and only a small portion of the entirety is devoted to the women. Yet the scarcity of detail gives the frames a stark, compelling message.

Who are these women?  What are they doing?  What are they waiting for? It hardly matters that there are few clues (aside from the title) to be found.  The absence of clues allows the mind to roam free and speculate, all the more lending the paintings a dash of intrigue and plenty of meaning.

No need to speculate on one point, however,  the undoubted talent of Junjun Montelibano.  Time and again, Mr. Montelibano has whipped out remarkable, unique collections that prove how vibrant the visual arts field is in Bacolod City, and makes us wonder just what's in the Negrense diet that spawns this kind of talent.

We hope Montelibano's award-winning production design career doesn't consume all the potential creativity that he can devote to the visual arts. And if he means to use eroticism as a tool to entice his audience, then there's absolutely no need. We are already hooked on him. (FREEMAN)