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By Gary C. Devilles, Contributor
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Man on a
red bike |
Philosopher Walter Benjamin bemoans the death of
storytelling in this modern period and the loss of our ability to
exchange experience. However, in a solo exhibit of Daniel Palma
Tayona at 1/of Gallery in Serendra, such inalienable art is being
reclaimed for us once again.
Tayona unveils his latest works and calls them
“Life/Stories.” He claims that this exhibit is inspired by his
memoirs and keen observation of everyday life from his room in
Libertad; or as he walks to a bar in Malate to meet friends. With
that passionate eye to see the truth even in unlikely places, Tayona
sees in a girl playing jumping rope, a melancholic yet palpable
expression of a desire to be free no matter how oppressive her
situation is. The artist recalls that the girl was with her
grandmother trying to make a living out of the junk and pile of
garbage around. However, in this particular work, we don’t see the
grandmother from the artist’s recollection and what we see instead
is the child with a quizzical look. The painting becomes a fragment
of memories as all art eventually becomes, always leaving something
for viewers to fill in, an opportunity and invitation to look for
more and beyond.
In Tayona’s works, the subjects are usually
robust bordering on the grotesque. The artist is not just content
with presenting his subjects as they are, for he believes that there
is always something more in presenting them, making them larger than
they usually are, occupying the center stage when this was denied to
them before. And he has all the right to depict them the way he
wants to see them, since a storyteller after all relies heavily on
the unfamiliar, twists and surprises. The artist’s fidelity is not
linked with his subjects nor with us, but to the story that creates
these and which fortunately somehow transforms us as well into a
Scheherazade of the Arabian Nights, always anticipating for more.
Tayona admits that in this exhibit he is also
inspired by his nephews to whom he dedicates his craft. He made a
promise to his brother that one day, his nephews will be reading
about his works and see themselves immortalized though his painting.
The artist definitely is fond of kids and knows how to deal with
them since he used to work for Tahanan Books, a local publisher of
children’s books, and that he practically grew up to a family with
so many kids around.
Works like “The Little Artist,” “Hoola
Hoops and Pin Wheels,” and the “Boy on Stilts” are actually
colorful renditions of his childhood experiences when he was growing
up in Negros. Walter Benjamin once said that true storyteller is
rooted in the milieu of his people, and Tayona is that storyteller
who knows very well that stories are for kids and the child within
us which makes this collection so powerful that the pieces resonate
to our collective psyche, a reminder not only of our past but also
of our archaic relation to that mythical world that somehow we have
lost as we became more alienated.
For Tayona, our alienation to society will be a
constant reminder of our raison d’etre, why we keep on living
despite problems. In “Man on a Red Bike,” “Flower Vendor,”
and “It Takes a Village,” the common people are the real
storytellers, joining the ranks of teachers and sages. Their gift is
the ability to relate to us and their distinction is to tell us our
narratives. They could let the wick of their lives be consumed
completely by the gentle flame of story. One of the powerful
influences of Tayona is actually Diego Rivera, the Mexican artists
who dedicated his works for the emancipation of his people and
“Flower Vendor” is actually his tribute to this prolific artist.
Tayona will remain and continue to be a storyteller and in this
exhibit we encounter not him but ourselves.
Life/Stories is currently ongoing at 1/of
Gallery, Serendra, Taguig City. For inquiries on the works of Daniel
Palama Tayona, call 901-3152.
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