COVID-19 frontliner heroes immortalized in Pinoy artist's sketches
MANILA, Philippines — An artist sketches fallen health workers as a personal tribute to the heroes in time of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.
Artist Aurelio Castro III revealed in an exclusive interview with Philstar.com that he decided to pay tribute to fallen doctors upon watching the news about the medical frontliners' heroism.
April 13. 23 portraits of our fallen heroes. Please do your share para hindi na sila madagdagan! Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng Frontliners!
Posted by Aurelio Castro III on Sunday, April 12, 2020
“Hindi ko na kasi magawa 'yung usual on-location sketching ko na almost five years ko na ginagawa, dahil sa lockdown. First week ng ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), I made pencil portraits of me and my mag-ina,” Castro shared.
“After that, I knew I have to think of a personal project para hindi ako mainip sa bahay. Then I saw the news online about the doctors, doon ko na na-decide na sila na ang subject ko na gagawan ko na lang ng tribute ang ating mga fallen heroes na frontliners,” he added.
According to him, at first, his works were just for personal posts on social media. But when his works became viral, he wanted to use the medium to remind the public to do their part in containing the virus, so there will be no health workers added in the casualties.
“Nu'ng inumpisahan ko ang pag-portrait sa kanila ay pampersonal lamang at sa malalapit sa akin ang usual na naaabot ng posts ko. Pero ngayon, marami at malaki na ang naabot ng artworks ko (kaya) ginawa ko na ring paraan ito na ipaalam at ipakiusap sa lahat na sana'y gawin natin ang parte natin para hindi na madagdagan pa ang nagkakasakit at namamatay sa COVID-19,” he said.
“Stay indoors, hangga't maari ay iwasan ang paglabas. Ganun din ang paghingi ko ng karagdagang tulong para sa mga kagamitan ng mga frontliners para sa safety nila,” he added.
Although he was a Music major and has been a musician for 20 years, Castro said he was self-taught as a visual artist.
“Self-taught ako sa visual arts. Music ang kurso ko. Pareho ko silang propesyon. Musician at visual artist ako for almost 20 years,” he said.
On April 3, Castro posted his sketches of Dr. Greg Macasaet of Manila Doctors Hospital and Dr. Rose Pulido, who died in San Juan de Dios Hospital. On April 4, Castro posted the portraits of Dr. Israel Bactol of Philippine Heart Center and Dr. Raul Jara, Philippine Heart Center President.
Related: Dear Dr. Jara: Family, patients honor COVID-19 frontliner’s lifetime of service
On April 5, Castro posted the portraits of Dr. Marcelo Jaochico, the provincial health officer of Pampanga; Dr. Sally Gatchalian, the president of the Philippine Pediatric Society; Dr. Henry Fernandez of Pangasinan Medical Society; and Dr. Francisco Lukban, a cardiologist at the Capitol Medical Center.
Related: 'Have fun in heaven': Ruby Rodriguez pays tribute to frontliner sister who died of COVID-19
On April 6, he posted the portraits of Dr. Hector Alvarez of the Novaliches District Hospital and on April 7, he finished the portrait of Dr. Raquel Seva, who died in Evangelista Medical Specialty Hospital.
Castro, however, clarified that Seva did not die of COVID-19.
“Bagamat karamihan, hindi po lahat ng nasa tribute ko ay COVID ang ikinasawi tulad na rin po ni Doc Bautista. Sila po ay nagbuwis ng buhay sa laban natin against COVID,” he wrote on his post.
At the same day, Castro posted the portraits of doctors Dennis and Helen Tudtud and Dr. Leandro Resurrection III.
On April 8, he posted Dr. Nicko Bautista, the surgeon who died when their plane bound for Japan caught fire in the airport. Likewise, he also finished the portrait of Dr. Dino Ezrah Hailil, a pediatrician in Zamboanga City.
Completing his tribute sketch are Dr. Gerard Fabian De Leon Goco of the St. Luke’s Medical Center, Dr. Janet Dancel Liban of the Far Eastern University Medical Center, Dr. Ephraim Neil Orteza, medical director of the Ospital ng Paranaque; and Dr. Marcellano Cruz of the East Avenue Medical Center.
As of this writing, Castro said he is finishing his 24th sketch, Dr. Roberto Anastacio, a cardiologist at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital and Makati Medical Center, who died due to the respiratory disease last April 10.
