His Art, Our Heart

Quezon City has very good museums. They may not be as enormous as those found on other parts of the world, but they do provide interesting collections. The other day, I visited the Vargas Museum to look at some of the works of the country's first National Artist, Fernando Cueto Amorsolo (1892-1972). The exhibit, entitled Capturing Anxieties: Amorsolo, His Contemporaries and Pictures of the War, is part of a four month, multi venue exposition of his works collectively called His Art, Our Heart.

I must admit that I only think of paintings of idyllic landscapes (just like the photo I posted here - Rice Planting, 1943, oil on canvas) and portraits whenever his name is mentioned, the Vargas Museum exhibit showased his works depicting the Philippines as a wartorn nation, under the Japanese during the second world war.

Muses

Created by National Artist Napoleon Abueva, the Siyam na Diwata ng Sining (Nine Muses of Arts) was to represent the muses of the theatre, literature, architecture, painting, sculpture, dance, music, film and the computer arts. This wonderful piece of work is located at the College of Arts and Letters in the UP Diliman campus. I am posting a photo of it with only five of them. This was taken from just under the shade, right about on the middle to showcase the trees as well as the sky.

UP Acad Oval

The recently implemented "One way Acad Oval Scheme" has generated mixed reactions from the UP community. According to Dr. Cynthia Gregorio, vice chancellor for community affairs, the one way scheme was the initial phase in the implementation of the UP Traffic Management Plan. Under this plan, the university oval was divided into two lanes: the outer lane for motor vehicles and the inner lane to serve as a bike lane. Its goal is to lessen the volume of vehicles passing through the campus thereby reducing pollution and risks for the students.Most of the jeepney drivers are against it as they need to spend much more gasoline going in circles just so it won't violate the one-way policy. And since the buildings inside the campus are not necessarily close to each other, the passengers (students) end up spending more time before they can reach their next class. On the other hand, some preferred the change as the oval doesn't look like it is in such a mess as when the two-way scheme was still implemented.

I personally like the new scheme. As a runner, I now feel more comfortable doing my usual rounds under the shade of enormous acacia trees with jeepneys coming only from one direction.

October Theme Day: Lines

This photo was taken from the inside of University of the Philippines Ang Bahay ng Alumni. I just like the way the colors of the stained glass provide an attractive and dramatic contrast to the bell tower outside (on the lower left). These colorful windows at the front provide lighting at the assembly hall and main corridors at daytime. At night, they are backlighted by several metal halide lamps making it a beautiful directional sign especially during social affairs.



By the way, its the monthly theme day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Slumber Power

Found this one inside the UP campus. It looks like someone's body clock has been messed up with all the schoolwork (or excessive partying, perhaps) that he/she just paint-sprayed his frustration on a wall hoping that it will cure his/her insomnia. Or maybe its intended for another person who is the reason why he/she is still up. Whatever the case may be, I felt a cosmic connection to the poor person who did this. I have been and still is agressively battling the worst jetlag I've ever had in my entire life. They say that recovery time is usually one day per time zone but 10 hours of sleep after a week sounds unhealthy to me. Didn't mean to gripe. Blame it on sleep deprivation. Anyway, I hope all of you are well rested.

Colorful ride

Around the fourth quarter of last year, Coca-Cola launched an ad campaign to promote their product by having the UP jeepney owners put a life size figure of the Coke bottle on the roofs of their jeeps and the vibrant images and slogans on the vehicle's body. It was a smash at that time especially for the students who take these jeepneys to go from one building to another within the university.

I no longer see them on the campus. Pardon my getting sentimental, but I can't help it with all the fare increases here and there. Some drivers charge a minimum of 8 pesos while some are pegging it at 8.50. Jeez! I wish they can all make up their minds. And I want the red jeepneys back.

For whom the bell tolls

Today marks the 100th year of the University of the Philippines. As such, allow me to honor my alma mater (please don't ask me for my student number) by posting a photo of one of its beautiful landmarks - the UP Carillon.

I never really got the chance to hear it play like it used to, but they said that these bells were played in the morning to signal the start of the academic day as well as in the late afternoon to end it. They, unfortunately, stopped ringing on the 80's due to lack of funds for its maintenance. Good thing that a lot of people were charitable enough to help in bringing back the legacy of the UP Carillon. Thanks to them and to Josef Haaxen, a Belgian national and Dean of Carillon Music at the Jef Denyn Royal Carillon School, we can now hear the bells play again.

Green is good (sometimes)

The first time that Parisianinpinas saw them being sold on the sidewalk was definitely a Kodak moment. He can't believe his eyes. Then came the series of unending questions: "But you're suppose to eat only the yellow ones, right?", "What's the salt for?", "What is alamang made of and why does it smell funky?". Oh well. Despite the interrogation, he sure did enjoy his unripe mangoes.

For your eyes only

Taken at the window of Sarabia Optical Clinic, unofficially known as Nela Sarabia's Indie Candy Store, so-called because its serves as a launching pad of sort to various indie acts whether it be of the audio or visual kind. The shop is located at the UP Diliman Shopping Center.