The Perspective of an Exceptional View

By Jason Serato and Jericil de Omania

Photo: Jericil de Omania

Layout: Lorie Ann Gloria

Elmer Borlongan: An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary billboard outside

Metropolitan Museum of Manila

"The eyes are a distinct trademark of my works. The people in my paintings don't show so much emotion, but you can see it in their eyes." – Elmer Borlongan

In music, they write songs about people like you. In art, Borlongan create artworks about Filipinos like us. As well as some of us are into candid moments and realistic sceneries, Borlongan’s approach using art describes the circumstances in his sorroundings. An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary represents the Filipino's everyday life—more than 200 of his works are based on what he sees and observes in his surroundings. The paintings, drawings and murals that fill the whole museum tell Borlongan's undying passion to his art and perspective. Most of the paintings depict living and street life of typical Filipinos doing day-to-day chores, also in religion and their love for music. The Metropolitan Museum of Manila unlocks 2018 with the extreme exhibition of Elmer Borlongan entitled Elmer Borlongan: An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary conducted by a Filipino Historian Ambeth R. Ocampo. Just to give brief details, it was started last January 28 which remains on view until March 28 featuring Borlongan’s masterpieces from the year 1979 to 2015. The exhibit features his masterpieces of celebration of his 25 years of colorful career.

The event is free so there's no need for the visitors to buy tickets nor look for passes, all they have to do is register their name in the registration area. Also, visitors do not have to struggle bringing their own food for there are roaming caterers around the area to serve them free meals. The whole museum was filled with numbers of visitors not to mention some well-known painters, prestigious artists and personalities, and huge media networks that invaded every corner of the exhibit. Even ordinary people, families, students, in formal or casual attire, didn’t go out of place in the event.

The program started with a short speech of Mr. Elmer Borlongan and his welcoming message for those who supported him during the event. He ended it with a toast of wine with everyone. And luckily, we had the chance to interview him in the middle of the crowd who also wants to get his attention, too. Here are the video: 

     AB students with Mr. Elmer Borlongan      

Visitors of exhibit

Brushes  used in Borlongan’s paintings

Room containing Borlongan’s mediums and family picture

Borlongan family pictures displayed in exhibit

Acrylics used in Borlongan’s works

The set-up of Borlongan’s materials

Borlongan’s medium in paintings

He started doing Botong-inspired works in 1982. Botong or more known as Carlos V. Francisco’s was best known for his murals that featured portions of life of Philippine history. He was shifting from realistic and impressionist representation of subject matter he learned from Sena School. Edades was the one who influences his art-making in terms of form and content in a modern approach. As you can see in the pictures below, there were mixtures of modern and traditional approach. In his own backyard in Angono, Borlongan drew his early view from the backstreets of Nueve de Febrero in Mandaluyong and maturity in life and art that is built by the political chaos in the beginning of Marcos dictatorship in 1972 and its end in 1986. Started from Edsa I, II and III to the Duterte government, Borlongan carried his art from urban, rural and back to the urban, such that he returned to the place where he restarted.

‘Hindi Lang Pangpamilya, Pangtowing Pa’ oil on canvas (2005)

‘Pamilyang Menthol’ oil on canvas (1994)

As we wander around the museum and indulge our imagination, images made us felt different emotions. It made us feel like we are more likely part of it-- having the fact that most of the sceneries are real-life situations which can be seen as we passed along the streets at night shift security guard sneaking out some sleep inside a guard house, teenagers puffing cigarettes beside lamp post, laborers at the back of delivery truck, rushing passengers in a bus like sardines packed in a can. Filipinos might not found those scenarios unique, but the hope conveyed by Barlongan through his art works was too strong that it brought too much impact on us.

“Gusto ko kahit ang karaniwang tao, nakakarating sa kanila ang ipininta ko. [Mayroong] passion sa pangkaraniwang tao, na kahit maliit sila, malaki ang kontribusyon nila sa society at gusto ko ding ipakita na kahit mahirap, nandoon pa din ang hope (I want my paintings to reach even regular folk. I have a passion for the ordinary Filipino, that they, too, make big contributions to society. I want to show that they may be poor, but there is still hope),” he told BusinessWorld at the sidelines of his exhibition opening last January 20 at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.

‘Larga vista’ oil on canvas (2014)

‘Istasyon ng bus’ oil on canvas (2007)

‘Pag-ahon’ oil on canvas (2011)

At the end of the day, you will not remember the person with the beautiful face, but the person with the most beautiful heart and soul. With an ordinary people like us, Borlongan opened our eyes into an exceptional view where we cannot only see in the outer part of life and artworks—the design, mediums, and the magic of his palms that will feed our eyes but, the inner beauty within the realness of his masterpiece.