Farewell to Edd Aragon

At my advanced age, it’s become standard to hear ever so sadly of the demise of friends. But last week’s bad news was particularly unsettling. The last time I recall being so affected by the passage of an artist-friend was when old buddy Santi Bose left us in 2002. Last Tuesday the 13th, it was no less a shock to hear that the wondrous artist Edd Aragon was similarly claimed.

I hadn’t really associated with Edd as long as I had with Santi. But the loss instantly felt as great. It took a while to realize that the factors involved were nearly identical: the quality of the friendship with these two remarkable artists, and the quality of their dynamism in art.

Both born in 1949, they were terrific artists on the cusp of their prime. Their legions of friends, patrons and adherents were never sure where their next arc of creativity would lead. The wild energy and pioneering derring-do that characterized their art always promised fresh forays into what was hardly conceivable before they stamped their mastery and class on newly explored turf. Both were also free-spirited and very generous, as well as A-1 comedians and fun guys.

Edd Aragon was infinitely inventive, spreading his impressive gifts over all genres of creativity: primarily visual, but also literary and musical, and oh-so-inclusive of brilliant socio-political commentary.

He started out as a cartoonist, taken early under the wing of the great Nonoy Marcelo whom he always acknowledged for the mentorship and influence. Before that, he was known to have been part of what’s now referred to as the “UG.”

Instant tributes that appeared on FB included deep and loving memories, so that we can’t help but memorialize even these — such as this one from Jun Verzola, of Edd Aragon:

“An FQS activist who drew funny and memorable comic strips for UE’s campus paper The Dawn, the prolific but anonymous artist-illustrator of the Taliba ng Bayan and Liberation (underground newspapers of the CPP-NDF) in the early years of martial law, and one who never lost his edge for political satire — he also illustrated the recently published Not on our Watch collection of CEGP memoirs of the anti-martial law struggle.”

I hadn’t known that, only that sometime in the late ’70s, Eduardo de Leon Aragon had migrated to Australia, where we started on our own friendship much later, in 2006 when I visited Sydney for a writers’ festival. We could’ve initially met on a much earlier visit, when he was with a group of Filipino artists who had a group show. In later conversations, he’d recall how he’d seen me with Nonoy when he was still a young apprentice.

In any case, that time in Sydney in 2006, we must have communicated beforehand so that he knew I was coming over. He took time to pick me up at the hotel in a large car that had seen better days. And as we wheeled through town, it did feel, with his gung-ho comic spiels, that we were replicating Cheech and Chong.

We then picked up Jim Paredes who was yet new in Sydney. I believe I had the privilege of introducing them to one another. Edd had the day all planned out. He took us to Alfredo “Ding” Roces’ place in the suburbs, where Ding and his equally gracious wife Irene or “Baby” hosted us for dinner, followed by a sketching session by the two expat artists, and a musical jam with Jim on guitar and Edd on harmonica. Fun night with Pinoys abroad. 

The following day, Edd took me to his own place, where I met his partner Menchie Maneze, who was into broadcasting among other pursuits, such as cooking up a storm. Edd had a basketball goal strapped to a driveway wall, so we had a dunking contest. Oops, not: that was fantasy occasioned by herbs. It was a three-point shooting match that ended in a draw, before he took me around his garden where indeed all sorts of veggies and herbs thrived, as well as free-range chickens.

Inside the bungalow, a large room had a musical band’s set of instruments in a corner, and all around were Edd’s burgeoning collection of freestanding sculpture, trivia curiosa, pick-ups from flea markets that he loved to scrounge around. His paintings hung on the walls, together with prized originals of his editorial cartoons signed by Aussie pols from the PM down, now framed since they had won him serial prizes as best editorial cartoonist for the Sydney Morning Herald.

This is from his friend Tony Hernandez on FB: “He’s one of a kind. I still have copies of his very funny chronicle of the lives of newly arrived Filipino migrants in Australia.” I believe that was “Jep,” a self-published comic book.

And from Edd’s own Timeline, a recent caption for an old group pic reads: “Confession of a Sydney radio-head. Back in 2003, I worked for SBS radio as news announcer/translator/joke-script writer. Work culture was hyper and rigid and commuting to and from work sucked so much I quit after a while. Sayang nga, but I’d lost plenty of painting time & deemed it detrimental to managing proprietary business. The radio experience was fun though. Nothing beats the friendliness & quality of these Filipino guys in Sydney. Mabuhay kayo!”

Edd worked in Sydney for well over three decades. In 2009 he came back for a brief visit. We had a project going. He rendered oil portraits of Jose Rizal for a planned sesquicentennial book as envisioned by publisher Boy Yuchengco. Sadly, somehow it didn’t push through.

But this visit led to another two years later, for a homecoming exhibit, “Under A Different Light,” of his special UV paintings for which he used a concoction of paint material that could only be seen under black light, or ultraviolet lighting. This opened in the Yuchengco Museum, with Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco and the Australian Ambassador in attendance.

Through all those years, we communicated by e-mail and through social media, also as members of the Banggaan e-group of mostly visual artists, mostly abroad such as Rod Samonte, Vics Magsaysay, Zen Lopez, Melissa Nolledo-Haney and Mel Vera Cruz in the West Coast, Mario and Joni Mercado in NY, Tante Tagamolila in Chicago, Ding Roces and John Altomonte in Australia, Dengcoy Miel and Claro Cortes in Singapore, and here, Eduard Percival Labadia in Passi City, Heber Bartolome, Glenn Bautista (before he passed away), photographers Ben Razon and Jun-jun Sta. Ana, and eventually fellow-poet Marne Kilates.

During his home visits, we also indulged in camaraderie with Edd and Menchie at The Oarhouse Pub of Manila, which was revived in Malate five years ago by Ben Razon after it had closed on A. Mabini St. Before it did, Edd had also graced a reunion there, even leading his equally rambunctious fellow-artists out into the middle of the road to stop traffic for a group photo.

At the new Oarhouse, with ace photogs Wig Tysmans, Joe Galvez, Nap Jamir, Celina Cristobal and Grace Bañez joining us, he mounted another UV show at the mezzanine, this time with portraits of rockstar idols. And at the long-table sessions, Edd regaled everyone with his inimitable iPad caricature sketches.

Two years ago, he decided to come home for good with Menchie. They quickly established a home cum atelier and rooftop garden in Pasay, where friends were invited for what became the monthly Omart Lifedrawing Group sessions with live models that he initiated with artist-buddy Eric David. Over a dozen fellow artists participated in these sessions, with food galore and music jams to spice up the day. Among others, these included topnotch artists Pandy Aviado, Gus Albor, Tiny Nuyda, comics guru Boboy Yonzon, and premium painter and gallery owner Ross Capili. 

At a recent session that Ross attended, he got a taste of Edd’s legendary generosity. Ross has recounted how he took notice of a “strutting horse” figure from Bali among Edd’s displayed collectibles. Ross let on that his own collection of horses only included those “at rest.” In a blink, Edd offered the wooden figure, saying, “Para sayo, Ross, magaan sa akin kung ibibigay ko sayo.”

In Ross’ own words: “Duon ko nakilala ng husto ang artist na si Edd Aragon na kahit matagal na sa kanya ay pwede nyang ibahagi sa iba. So selfless! Sayang lang at lumisan kang bigla kahapon pareng Edd at walang dalang kabigatan. Ngayon, kasama ng iyong ‘strutting horse’ ang aking mga resting horses as if leading the pack and you were saying ‘I’m moving on to the next phase.’”

Indeed, that generosity knew no bounds. When Ben Razon and Paul Chan went to Sydney early in 2013 for a Neil Young concert, they came back with gifts sent by Edd: a bottle of whisky and a nude on a fired ceramic tile that I had remarked positively on. In his 2009 visit, he had found slipper molds in Divisoria, and used a pair for a multimedia tribute to Noynoy Aquino, who had just declared his presidential run. Edd knew I was gearing to root for the guy, so that artwork immediately became another gift, joining the intended Rizal cover portrait and a pastel nude in my Aragon collection. 

 Edd was always driven as an artist. He never hesitated to apply his wit, acuity and creative chops, whether it was for political cartoons, comic strips, sketches of friends, watercolors and paintings, and recently, carvings using found wood. With pencil, pen, pastel, airbrush, iPad apps, hammer and chisel, he was relentless in his creativity, and as original as sui generis.

 A stunning set of works he did recently, intended for his participation in next month’s “Chromatext Rebooted” exhibit at the CCP Main Gallery, is a series of woodcarved facsimiles of books as seats for stools. These include the Noli and Fili, Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang, Da Vinci, Goya, Illuminati, among others. We are assured by Menchie that the set will still join the exhibit that starts on Nov. 6.

Last month I asked him if he could take the time to render an illustration for the cover of my next poetry collection to be published by UST Publishing House. In a week, the fabulous watercolor rendition was PM’d to me. My grief has doubled knowing that he won’t get to see the printed book.

Eric David says that he, Edd and Benjo Laygo were supposed to come out with a book together. The Oarhouse company has urged Eric to push on with it. Then we’ll all work together on a definitive book that will celebrate Edd’s manifold works and exuberant spirit, as Howie Severino has tagged him as an artist. Menchie, Edd’s brother Ricky, Eric, Boboy Yonzon and I should work on this together with Edd’s loyal circuit. It is the least we can do to honor such an admirable and beloved artist-friend.

I hope to include a doodle he had contributed to a tabletop cover I still have at home, where he had also scrawled in bold letters: “Vita brevis, ars longa!”

For now, farewell, Edd. Maloko ka talaga. Pero mabuhay ka pa rin!