I was even more surprised by the number of students who came. I think I had representation from most of the batches I have ever taught at Ateneo. My youngest students from Ateneo, who are now sophomores, Lesley Claudio and James Alcantara, came early and were some of the last to leave. My creative writing students were there and the literature majors! They did not know how moved I was talking to them. How grateful I am for the support of these young people. A constant message I wrote on their copies of their book was how I often felt in the classroom to be their student more than their teacher.
But it truly was a family affair. Preparing for the exhibit, I was adamant about looking nondescript. I was feeling painfully shy and didn’t want to have to deal with figuring out and carrying an outfit! But my two sisters, Plet and Non, were just as adamant. Three hours before the exhibit, they marched off to the mall and bought me accessories to go with my boring outfit. One hour before departure, Plet’s yaya came to the room with a blouse and told me my Ate insisted that I wear it. (She had phoned her from the mall!) They converged upon me and jazzed up my look later. Looking at the pictures now, I am grateful for their insistence.
Beauty is my painter sister’s domain. My sister’s exhibit of digital art featured two works entitled "Manet for my Father" and "Manet and the Four-Legged Dog." Her works were documents of fact and feeling of my father’s death. Her two pictures, spare on a wall, captured perfectly the grief and bereavement felt by anyone who has been abandoned so completely. Anita Magsaysay-Ho, my mother’s first cousin, looking at the pictures closely whispered to me, "Ang lalim ni Plet." On the second floor of the gallery hangs another painting by Plet entitled "The Ghost of Manet." In mixed medium, this is a whimsical piece, vibrant in color and multiple in meaning. Plet’s works are still on exhibit, and I strongly encourage you to see it.
Tita Anita Magsaysay-Ho is a constant supporter, never failing to attend family events like these. I was touched by her presence and on my dedication to her I had written – "even when I was young, my mother told me many stories about you. I know that these stories have shaped my storytelling." She herself is a storyteller and her tales of life when she was young, the drawing journals she kept during the war, and her fascination with the beauty of the women of Zambales were stories I enjoyed hearing from my mother, and from Tita Anita herself. The week before, we were at Tita Anita’s own book launch – a biography of her life and her paintings, by Alejandro Roces entitled In Praise of Women. It is a beautiful book, a true feast for the eyes and soul. If you are interested, The Crucible Gallery at SM Megamall can be contacted (call 635-6061) for purchase of the book.
An hour into the event, my brother Coke arrived with his troop of musicians. I was busy signing books so could not help in the setting up, but like the professional musicians that they are, a few minutes later, they were ready to play for the crowd. Dr. Joven Cuanang, owner of the gallery, shepherded us all out into the street. They played Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart in the beginning and in the end treated the guests to a few Christmas carols. What touched me most was the fact that Coke did not just let his students play on their own. He played with them as well, which is rare, as he prefers to let his students shine. I knew that this was for my sister and me. Coke and his students are going around Metro Manila caroling/raising funds for CASA San Miguel’s activities for next year. CASA is a Center for the Arts in Zambales, a non-profit organization that believes in "enriching lives through the arts." If you are interested for them to come to you, to share with you their music, feel free to call or text 0915-6095670. Later on, Dr. Tony Hidalgo, the genius behind Milflores Publishing, would later comment to me that he had overheard Coke say something monumental. Coke had called himself "the brother of Rica Bolipata."
When the event had almost winded down, we found ourselves ordering pizza from Bellini’s, which is a stone’s throw away from the gallery. It’s an Italian restaurant run by a retired Italian photojournalist and his Filipina wife. Although the service could be improved, the waiting can be forgotten as soon as the food arrives. This is not an exaggeration: I have not ordered a single thing that has not given me happiness. You must come to Cubao and see how interesting Marikina Shoe Expo has become. Apart from great shoe shops, there are vintage shops and furniture shops and other quaint shops, like one shop that sells vintage toys! One guest who had come early to the launch managed to buy a pair of shoes for himself while waiting. Kuquada Gallery itself offers a veritable feast for lovers of art. The place is scattered with interesting art pieces, many of which are perfect for gift-giving this generous season. Although there are large pieces, such as paintings and sculptures, there are small functional art pieces, as well such as lamps, figurines, candleholders, chimes and jewelry. That night, there was even a rock concert. Organizers had placed banigs on the road for the audience so one could see the stars. In the front row, believe it or not, sat my two-year-old, thumb in his mouth, while his head bobbed up and down to the music.
Waiting for our pizza, Gilda Cordero-Fernando sat with us. Tita Gilda and my mom are schoolmates and old friends. I love it whenever I bump into Tita Gilda. I look forward to sitting at her feet and learning. In my dedication I wrote, "When I grow up, I want to be just like you."
What I’ve always noticed about Tita Gilda is her generosity and support of other artists. She is effusive in her praise and deflects praise aimed at her to reflect on the giver of the praise, or someone else. A long time ago, sitting quietly in a corner while she talked to a friend I was with, she marched over to me (of course, I had presumed I was unknown to her), took me in her arms and told me how much she was enjoying the column in the STAR. I was flummoxed! That night as my mother ranted and raved about her new book The Last Full Moon, Tita Gilda’s latest book – a collection of essays on her life and history – she kept me at her side, pointing to me, "Ito ang magaling." That affirmation will be enough for me, for this week anyway.
She and my mom also made an accounting of children and grandchildren. Tita’s eyes shot up when informed that apart from six children, my mother had had five miscarriages. "Aba, aba, ang sexy mo pala!" Boy, did my mother, and we, her children as well, laugh out loud at that! But seriously, check out Tita Gilda’s book. It’s available at most bookstores and is a steal at P550.
At the end of the night, watching the lights in Cubao, I suddenly felt hopeful. In many countries torn by strife and poverty, art and culture are always the first to go. Tonight proved that there are people who are passionate about art and culture, who recognize its place in nation-building and identity-setting. In writing, performing, composing, documenting, showcasing, publishing, painting, in building communities where art and culture can be shared and celebrated, in practicing the fine arts, we build concretely a map, and a destination for the future.