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[av_heading heading=’Painting to the hilt Ilonggo artist portrays a ‘fighting spirit’ in ‘Indakal’ ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By Jay Bautista
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“‘INDAKAL’ is a Hiligaynon word that means boiling point,” shares award-winning Ilonggo artist Leoniel “Sabrec” Cerbas.
“Ga-reflect siya sa inner nga ginabatyan mo nga gusto mo paguwaon,” he adds. “Ang dugay mo na nga kulo nga ginapunggan mo. Ang ‘Indakal’ may lain-lain nga images and inspiration pero unified sila tanan sa theme nga inner strength.”
In continuing his visual narrative, the 31-year-old painter does not leave anything unperturbed, rather he forcibly takes his of characters further to the hilt in “Indakal.”
More arresting, dwelling deeper he assaults imperiously by taking life-size matters into his own making – bigger brushes, bolder canvases – making his art freshly raw and more surreal than his previous first exhibition.
Veering towards macabre and dominated by red, black and earth colors, his subjects move to the peripheries as if they drip at the edge of his paintings when hanged.
A more confident Sabrec emerges from this immersion, a born maverick made of sterner creativity; yet he pays forward whatever serious stuff it is in him remaining pure and furious in handling difficult situations and how he translates them into fine positive masterpieces worthy of emulation.
Though most of his canvases are predominantly dark and gloomy in hues, Sabrec ironically adheres to the brightest of hopes and the purest in intentions for tomorrow.
“Every artwork represents different aspects kung paano ako na motivate kag na-inspire nga i-pursue gid ang gusto ko sa kabuhi, despite all the hardships,” relates the artist.
He is a intuitive painter concerning only with feelings and things of value. As his context directly affects him, the more he eschews realizations of his personal longings into a collective aesthetic outburst. His art may not amuse but rather it is contagious and collectively transforming his quest for everyone to rise up to the occasion and defeat the odds by making the most out of whatever sordid life has to offer.
In “Indakal,” Sabrec uses hearts in graphic metaphors espousing courage, love and motivation. Stuffed with flowers, garbed with barb wires, and enclosed with pulsating veins, his heart wants what it wants and keeps on being no matter how indifferent, illicit, ingratiate it will still be eternally faithful. Another favored fixture is the silver fighting fish representing himself – barely surviving on grime yet aggressive. With ample nourishment, it manifests in its own natural beauty.
“Ang fighting fish isa gid ka symbol nga kita ko ga-reflect ang kaugalingon ko,” explains Sabrec. “Kay may ara siya natural beauty, pero may ara siya hidden character nga aggressive, kay biskan gamay nga tubi lang, biskan higko nga tubig kaya niya maka-survive kag mag-thrive.”
Sabrec primes his canvases with abstract aesthetics then layering them with figures in relation to his emotion. He is unabashed in his distinct expressions, in fact he provokes with a freshly dipped brush pointed at you. He then glazes after letting it dry to finish.
Each piece motivates the self. Like a heavily-inked tattoo on one’s skin they remind of your tools for success. Prevalent in pitch black scenarios, he demarks red to exude as in stained blood
He may be pious in nature but here he is picking a fight. Sabrec engages like wounded warrior, becoming stronger as each pierced sword on his flesh. It is a war against mediocrity, clichés and stagnation in one’s personal and artistic pursuits. A revolution of the soul – pitting himself against his eventual place in the mainstream art scene: here I am, what it is for you.
Sabrec may be dire in poverty yet his spirit soars and his clear motivation is to bring back art to its core. His recent paintings can attest to these truths that are bold, painful and even scary to look long and hard at.
“With ‘Indakal’ gusto ko makita sing audience nga kung ano gusto mo ubrahon, ano man ginabatyag mo, kung may ara nagapa-inspire sa imo nga sigihon ang imo gusto ubrahon i-pursue mo gid, ipaguwa mo, hindi mo kilanlan itago,” concluded Sabrec.
They are not what he sees but what he makes others see though his brushstrokes.
“Indakal” by emerging Ilonggo artist Sabrec is on exhibit at Museo de Iloilo until Sept. 11. (with an interview by Rhick Lars Vladimer Albay/PN)
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