BOOK REVIEWS:

Growing Up with Philippine Art
Book Launch Remarks by Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz

Today is such a special afternoon and I am so pleased to be a part of it. Special commendation to the Ayala Museum, the Filipinas Heritage Library, the Crucible Workshop and the Kuwentista ng mga Tsikiting (Kuting) for this wonderful idea of melding Philippine art and children’s literature. And even without that marriage of art and literacy, there is enough cause for celebration to have produced well-written and well-illustrated books. That is not always an easy nor attainable task.

I love Germaine Yia’s vivid portrayal of a familiar Lola Purita with her collections of art and other worldly possessions, which Katerina Angara has brought to life and color in *Laughter on the Wall, *Anita* *Magsaysay-Ho‘s 1950 acrylic painting on wood*. *The many reasons theorized for the laughter of those women, including the painting right beside it of a woman who forgot to put on her clothes, are so charming. I, too have often wondered why those women are laughing. And thank goodness, the story tells us that it is okay to be intrigued and to keep guessing. Timeless art allows that.

Looking Out for Heroes *by Bong Oris, Kuting president (that is an incidental piece of information because I know it is her craft, rather than her position and title that made this book possible) is an ingenious story of a walk around Makati. Illustrated by Andrea Pua, the book makes the reader smile at the references to the giant bowling balls stuck in front of a building (you catch yourself asking, which building is that?) and the blue and yellow atm machines (not a plug, but we know what those colors stand for). How clever to have the heroes as the child’s landmark and literal guides. My favorite line from the story is when the boy narrator is lost and remembers his father’s reminder, “Stay on the curb and look out for the heroes.” “I scowled and walked faster. All grown-ups in Makati seem to be scowling and walking fast.”

I have a special interest in these Makati sculptures because my very first children’s book was a 1992 biography of Gabriela Silang, a warrior woman I so admire. In preparing for author talks since then, I have photographed her imposing sculpture on a horse, standing proudly across the Peninsula. And it was only through Bong Oris’ book that I discovered the genius behind the sculpture--this is a public apology, Mr. Jose Mendoza and I will certainly be making amends.

That visit to National Artist Arturo Luz’s workshop in Yasmin Ortiga’s *Tito Arturo Makes Robot Monsters *is a delight. Reading about the sculptor fashioning those huge pieces in a “giant house full of large, noisy monsters” makes it all seem like child’s play. If Tito Arturo brims with imaginative genius as he snips cardboard to make his small models, so does the narrator who imagines all these as robot monsters, all “making mischief, sneaking out the window to play tricks on the cat on the roof.” The parallels between these two active imaginations at work and at play are the book’s special appeal.

Thank you for these delightful encounters with living artists and their immortal pieces. Germaine, Kat, Bong, Andrea, and Yasmin have brought the art to life, have made us so curious about them, and have given us priceless glimpses of the artists as mortals like you and me. What perfect role models for today’s Filipino children in search of heroes. Anita Magsaysay Ho as a woman artist finding inspiration in her childhood memories, Jose Mendoza as a shy sculptor happiest at work with his public art, Arturo Luz keeping young with his art, his ballroom dancing and many other passions.

Hey, I must stop this afternoon‘s homily. Books are better read, meant to be read, their words and their art savored, than talked about like these. So do buy the books, for these books can certainly speak so eloquently for themselves.

Neni Sta. Romana Cruz
17 November 2009