#fernando sena

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FERNANDO SENA Mga Bulaklak sa Paligid, akriliko sa kambas, 2026 #artPH

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FERNANDO SENA Dalagitang May Tapayan, pastel, 2009 #artPH

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FERNANDO SENA Mga Laruan Pambata, oleo sa kambas, 2023 #artPH

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FERNANDO SENA Limang Tinapay, Dalawang Isda, akriliko sa kambas, 2026 #artPH

[pontificiaphl]

NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA PAZ Y BUEN VIAJE, Birhen ng Antipolo Fernando Sena

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FERNANDO B. SENA Tulog, pangulay na tinutubigan, 2016

[ordinaryyy-days]

#maestro

May 2014

I skipped one Saturday session of our art class; thus, I had to attend a make up lesson to complete the entire course and to graduate with flying colors.

I came a bit earlier than the expected time since I still have to attend work after the make up lesson. On the way, while riding the public transportation,  as always, I've been replaying past memories in great detail. I was reliving my heart break to the point of almost crying. For often times when things are out of hand, there is great comfort in dwelling with sadness. It was one of those mornings. I was forlorn.

Yet I knew that I was "okay." I was sad but still ready to face the day. It was just a trip down memory lane, anyway; and in reality, everything was fine.

When the Maestro came, I smiled at him. I was honored and excited to have this rare one-on-one session with him. He was a teacher. We were more than fifty but less than a hundred in that Sunday morning session of the workshop alone (he instructs seven to nine groups in total, one group each day)--kids aged five to grandmoms aged sixty plus--he taught us all with passion and humor. He was generous with praises. Even if I knew my drawing was lopsided, the shadings were a bit off, he still remarked it with positive comments and stamped my hand with a star. That gesture was so kindergarten-like, so childlike. I was looking around, trying to see whether somebody would wince or frown or cringe because of the childlike gesture of commendation. Nobody did. Everyone including parents who seem to be important people, bratty kids, ladies my age who looked sosyal and maarte, were all pleased to be validated and recognized by the maestro. I realized that instruction is more effective if it's just casual, focused more on the student, and always encouraging--he always tells us that talent is not in born, it is a practiced skill.

He taught us in the easiest way possible to be able to understand the basics of drawing and perform it well. No jargons, no intimidation that this is fine art and that it is high art. It was simply art, a language we can all speak without words and communicate with one another. 

That time that I faced him, I was excited and nervous. I didn't want to disappoint him. I want to show how much I learned from him. I wanted to get to know him. I wanted to ask questions, ogle at him, crack a joke with him, make my self appear cool before him... to the point that all I can do was smile. Well, I needed to contain my self!

"Good morning po, sir." I greeted.

The maestro glanced at me while preparing our materials. He grabbed my sketch pad and pencil.

"Bakit ka umiiyak?"

I was caught off guard. Did I have tears in my eyes? I didn't actually cry! I just almost cried. And I smiled at him! How the heck would he know?

I laughed a bit out of surprise and shrugged. "Hindi po ako umiiyak."

Without any regard to my response, he laid on the table a copy of our module for drawing portraits and then directly looked at me.

"Bakit ka umiiyak?" 

I could not forget how I met his eyes. His pair of eyes that seemed to wear a dull expression, had its gaze fixed on me. Permanent crow's feet lined the side of his eyes. There was no tenderness or understanding in his gaze, only straightforward questioning. Yet what he asked of me wasn't a question. It was a statement that I didn't want to admit that time.

Probably finally sensing that I didn't want to answer, he spoke again, "Wag mong isipin yun, di ka iniisip non."

I laughed again, this time, genuinely. It was a usual joke to someone who just escaped to a contemplation--to assume that the cause of one's pondering is about matters of the heart. Apparently, that time, he was right. And yes, most of the time, that joke is right. Jokes are always half-meant or half-truth that's why I don't ignore jokes.

Finally, I conceded. "Oo nga po, e. Dapat di ko na rin siya iniisip."

The maestro continued, "Mga lalaki talaga... Dapat pag pipili ka ng boyprend, yung maayos..."

The maestro lectured me about guidelines in looking for a man. Too bad it wasn't a man that I was thinking about. It was funny and insightful. I kept on chuckling all the time until I remembered that one of maestro's ears was already deaf. Only then did I notice that he wasn't wearing his hearing aid and his other ear could barely hear. It suddenly clicked how come he didn't seem to hear me when I answered to him that I wasn't crying. I was talking all along with a man who can't hear me but only looked at my face to understand what I can't express through words. That explains the piercing gaze. How could I lie to someone who's deaf to my lies but can see the truth?

I was deeply moved. Are all artists these sensitive? Perhaps as an artist, the maestro simply knew how to look at a subject and read it. If my eyes were truly the windows to my soul, he was probably seeing a heavy cloud of storm. All I wanted was a quick rain shower of my emotions but due to all inconvenience, I didn't. Still it was a relief that in one moment, all it took was a look in my eyes and somebody read me like a book. It had always been tiring to always explain, always think, or even to wait for someone to notice until no one does and I was left to forget what I had felt.

The maestro proceeded to lecture me on how to pick the right man. There were four main points but alas, I've forgotten them. I was in almost tears again with that lecture. Because I didn't think my own father would ever give me that talk. I'd let that thought pass quickly. The maestro then finally instructed me how to draw portraits and gave me a quick demo. OMG! Vis-a-vis with the maestro!

It wasn't long until his lecture finished and he had to start the real lecture for the class. I was left to do my own thing--drawing portraits and abstract things. When it was time for me to go, I didn't get to say goodbye to him because I had to rush to the office while he was still busy having watercolor demonstration to the kids.

I left with a happier heart.

[indiohistorian]

TEDxDiliman: How Art and Culture Can Save Our World 

A Historian's TEDxperience

It was a great privilege to be there, to mingle with like-minds about the issues that grapple the Philippines when it comes to culture and the arts. If not for a post in facebook 2 months ago, and the screening team in charge of screening worthy applicants to attend the event, I would not be there to share this via my blog. Aside from the fact that this was the first TEDx event in the Philippines, many speakers were invited, following the tradition of TED's 20-minute presentation of each speaker to share their unique ideas.

For those of you not familiar with TED, it's an acronym: Technology, Entertainment and Design. TED events are special events where prominent figures that made a mark in their respective fields (film directors, writers, CEOs, artists, inventors, scientists, musicians, historians, philanthropists, celebrities, etc). TED is now well-known in the web since they post the 20-min lectures on their website, free for everyone's intellectual consumption. The thing about TED I like about is how they present these speakers in such a way that audiences will be captivated by the unique ideas these speakers share.

The TEDxDiliman was speaheaded by Gigo Alampay, president of CANVAS.ph, and is also a component of their project Looking for Juan, in celebration of Rizal's 150th birthday.

The line-up of speakers as it happened were as follows:

--------------------------------------------- Rico Gutierrez       THINK TV: Empowering the Filipino Viewer

Rico Gutierrez was a good salvo for the TED event as he showed that even in a noontime TV show, one can feature Shakespeare, creative content short films and theatrical performances. He proved that the masses can and want to digest and absorb art, popularly perceived today as the luxury of the upper class. He closed his talk by saying "TV is pop culture, it is your life that TV imitates...The way to empower our audience is by giving them a choice and a voice." SO TRUE.

My take: TV can dumbify, but it only does so when producers and directors make films/tv shows/variety shows to only earn profit instead of making it a bridge for education and upliftment of our dangal.

Glecy Cruz Atienza       Buhay - Theater for Life

Glecy Cruz Atienza shared about her experience in the dramatic arts.

My take: Didn't absorb much since it was here that technical difficulty of the keynote ensued. Although to be honest, I was turned-off when she started to reiterate green-jokes just to entertain people while the tech booth was fixing things. It's miles away from the other speakers who shared lofty ideals. Kinda disappointing.

Patricia Evangelista       Why We Tell Stories

Patricia Evangelista, with her verve in sharing stories through her columns in Inquirer, did it again as she shared to the audience why she got into Human Rights. Evangelista reiterated that people believe fairy tales about our country, so much so, that a tragic massacre as it happened in Mindanao became a tremendous shock to Filipinos. She featured some heart-wrenching clips about the Maguindanao massacre, a part of her documentary entitled "58". I was teary-eyed when she said, "I continue to tell the story because I cannot forget...and I'm afraid I will." Indeed.

My take: There is so much to do in our country. To break the feudal mindset of our people and to break the feudal ties in our regions. Democracy is still a vague concept for the Filipino. Truth, however painful, sets us free.

Auraeus Solito       My Search for Magic

Auraeus Solito, a well-known director, shared his rediscovery of his own roots when he visited his relatives who are Palaw-an, an indigenous people in Palawan island. He said, we have been too much enslaved by words and that we need to go back to our roots to create new ways of story-telling.

My take: It's admirable that Solito encourages going back to our roots. But his promotion of surrealism (as it was done in Latin American countries) is not a Filipino way. True art should not end in itself. Going back to our roots should also not be an end in itself. We do these because we have a greater purpose for doing so.

Nina Lim-Yuson       Learning by Living: A Museo Pambata Story

After a short break, Ms Yuson, began talking about how our very own Children's museum in the Philippines began. She mentioned Christian Belmoros, a kid who made a penpal in Singapore through the inter-cultural projects of Museo Pambata. What's so ennobling about the story was when he was funded by the museum to visit Singapore, share about Filipino culture in a Singaporean museum, and finally meet his penpal. These giant steps of a small under-funded museum is ennobling and touching. (Thank you Ms Yuson!)

My take: When Ms. Yuson showed to the audience the pictures of Christian Belmoros, I cannot help but notice the brightness of his eyes. I remembered Rizal's quote, "There are no tyrants where there are no slaves." Bravo to our Museong Pambata!

Fernando Sena       How to Draw an Eye

It was so entertaining to see Mr. Sena teach the audience how to draw a face. He broke that notion that only the talented can draw. With a twist ala Ratatouille, he demonstrated that anyone can draw if one knows how to draw lines and shapes.

My take: Aside from his side-jokes that kept the audience laughing, his efforts to democratize art is amazing.

Roy Moore       Payatas FC: Changing Children’s Lives Through Football

Roy Moore, an young Brit who decided to study Political Science in the University of the Philippines (I wonder, does he know that our politics is so similar to the Roman politics of the 1st-3rd century A.D.?) shared his vision of football as a means to redirect the future of Filipino kids in the slums. Payatas Football Club pictures were shown to the audience, as Moore mentions the names of two kids changed forever by football.

My take: It's very inspiring to hear that these kids will have a bright future ahead because of football. They won't waste their life away but focus on things that matter.

Lourd de Veyra       Art-Art Ka Diyan

While de Veyra was not there in the event itself, a video of him was featured in the line up of his popular vignette on TV, "Word of the Lourd." He mentions that art cannot be popular in the Philippines since the Filipino needs to feed his stomach first. He also mentioned that art is dominated by the elite, implicitly telling the audience that art in the Philippines is quite useless since it doesn't bring food on the table.

My take: It was good that right after that, TEDxDiliman showed a video clip of JR, a French artist as featured in TED.com wherein he showed how art can change the status quo. It clearly debunked Lourd de Veyra's position. Another thing though, yes, a Filipino needs to put food on the table but can't he not also think of deeper things and achieve higher things? Will he forever be a slave of his immediate needs?

Roby Alampay       Freedom is Our Competitive Advantage

Roby Alampay was a breathe of fresh air, as he shared his temporary stint in Thailand, and how we as a country are so fortunate to have freedom of expression. He compared our situation to Thailand, Malaysia, Burma and Singapore, where expression is censured thereby producing an art that is stifled. Alampay also shares stories of Asian journalists and artists unjustly imprisoned for simply standing for the truth. He tells the audience that our freedom here in the Philippines is our edge, and we must capitalize on this.

My take: Indeed, our freedom is our competitive advantage, but at the same time we need to realize that with freedom comes responsibility and maturity. Reckless freedom will not do us any good. Sometimes freedom is a license for offending and disrespecting the views of others. Another issue is, do we really have freedom in this country? Feudalism runs in our politics, even in the way we process things cognitively. In this respect, freedom is an advantage, but it is also our demise. It is true what Rizal said, we will have true freedom if we deserve it...if we are willing to lay down our lives for it. By that cost, we will learn to treasure it and to be responsible for it.

Bogie Ruiz       Accountability / Countability

Bogie Ruiz started off with mentioning Stephen Hawking's view of the universe and Ruiz's realization that nothing matters. With this he suddenly springboards his talk to internal accountability.

My take: Ruiz fails to bridge his initial "nothing matters" into accountability. While hearing him speak, I was asking myself, "for what?" Why do we need to be accountable if nothing matters? Internal? By what standard of internal? All of us are subjective in our thinking. If our basis for accountability is internal then accountability doesn't matter. This is where worldview comes in. Logically speaking, if nothing matters, accountability and even 'countability' does not follow. He needs to reformat his worldview.

Noel Cabangon       O Juan / Simpleng Pilipino

The event ended with the music of Noel Cabangon while a group of unidentified artists uncovered the projector platform that turned out to be a large canvas where these artists painted the situation of the Philippines. By the time of Cabangon's third song, the painting was finished.

All in all, the TED experience was a blast. A listener or an attendee got a bigger picture of what's happening in the culture and arts scene just by listening to the speakers featured. But can Art and Culture change the world? I'll leave that to my next post.