Indonesia seen through the eyes of a Filipino artist

Indonesia seen through the eyes of a Filipino artist

Eleanor San Jose, Contributor, Jakarta

In today's post-colonial world, race, ethnic issues and national
pride bubble just beneath the surface of globalization. There is
the inevitable debate about location, origin and nationality.

As people move out of their land of birth to settle in other
countries, the borders are becoming a blur and the resulting art
is more often than not an amalgamation of influences, history and
culture.

From neighboring Philippines, one of its highly regarded
artists, who personify this "global soul", is Jakarta resident
Fernando Modesto.

"Indonesia is my second home, my family and I have lived here
for many years and it's inevitable that I am influenced by its
culture, colors and textures" says Modesto.

Not one to believe in boundaries, he freely uses the
influences of his environment and his own personal history to
create a body of works he deftly calls "Indonesian mindscapes".

A collection of 18 oil paintings created for this special
exhibit is sponsored by the Embassy of the Philippines as part of
this year's Independence Day celebration at the Shangri La hotel
in Central Jakarta from June 10 to June 16.

The paintings feature abstract expressionist Indonesian
landscapes.

"But I consider them as more than just landscapes, I prefer to
call them mindscapes -- it's the Indonesia that I have captured
in my mind's eye ... in my heart and my imagination," adds the
artist.

The mindscapes come alive in vibrating colors of bright blues,
greens, electric yellows, and oranges -- one can sometimes
discern familiar Indonesian landmarks emerging from the color
fields. The mindscapes are impressionistic renditions built layer
by layer with buttery daubs of paint and spontaneous dashes of
color.

The large canvasses literally glow and throb with primary
colors. "I have visited many parts of Indonesia and it's a
fascinating country with so much visual stimulation to offer",
says Modesto who represented the Philippines in the 1996
Contemporary Art of Non-Aligned countries in Jakarta.

Modesto has compatriots who have been inspired by Indonesia,
particularly Bali. Foremost among them is J. Elizalde Navarro
(1924-1999) who has been proclaimed a national artist of the
Philippines. Another is Roger San Miguel with his lyrical
interpretation of Balinese folklore and more recently Ben
Cabrera.

Modesto's paintings have also been featured in art exhibitions
not only in the Philippines and Jakarta but also in Sweden, Hong
Kong, China, London, Brazil and Japan.

The sights, people, diversity, the playful spirit and warm
hospitality -- Modesto sees many similarities between his
homeland and Indonesia.

"Wherever we traveled, we saw similar landscapes of tropical
forests, emerald paddies, blue seas and skies. But instead of
churches, one sees the familiar domes of mosques. What I find
even more fascinating are the warm smiles and friendly faces,
you'll find them in both places. There's more to Indonesia than
bustling Jakarta or mystical Bali or Borobodur. I have tried to
capture the special spirit of Indonesia in my canvasses" adds the
artist.

Fernando Modesto was selected as one of 13 artists by the
Cultural Center of the Philippines. He won top prize at the Art
Association of the Philippines in the early 1980s and spent a
year in London at St. Martin's School of Art as a British Council
Scholar.

In one of the articles about his work he says, "Indonesia has
enriched my visual experience so much. I came here a stranger but
I have taken more interest in the culture over the years. These
influences together with day-to-day occurrences, thoughts and the
context I'm presently in, this mixture of East and West, this ad-
hoc blending is reflected in my paintings".

Like Indonesia, the Philippines emerged from its colonial
experience -- Spanish and American, with its culture, customs and
tradition now indelibly tinged by a western baptism of
technology.

The exhibit will be formally opened by the Philippines
Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E. Leonides Caday, on the evening of
June 10 before the annual Independence Day Ball sponsored and
organized by various groups led by the Philippines Women's
Association and others.

This is Fernando Modesto's first time at putting together a
body of work on Indonesia that will definitely prove popular, not
only with his many collectors but for those who will view his
works for the first time. (View Modesto's work at his website
thedigitalmine.com/modesto).