ARTWORKS: Saraswati, Hindu Goddess of Art and Music; Apollo Greek God of Art ; Isis, goddess-patroness of nature and magic; "Birth of Venus" (Goddess of Art by Botticelli;
The economic problem of Greece has made me rethink our own -- are we poor because we want to pattern our development to that of western countries? Are we poor because we are aspiring for a kind of development that has great use of machines and nuclear power as well as all kinds of industrial equipment? Maybe we are asking too much if we think that everyone should think the same. That to be rich is to acquire those so-called modern equipment, gadgets and what have you just so we could be called " mod."
I went to a Buddhist temple for about more than three years and what I learned there are meditation, how to lead an austere life, or in a nutshell, how to be satisfied with a simple lifestyle. But that worked for the monks only because they have a friendly group that sustained their very high lifestyle -- air-conditioned rooms, vegetarian food galore, and first class office equipment. I mean people like me, who have to work in order to eat, and my writing is not really a very lucrative job, that kind of lifestyle is difficult to attain. Yet the principles and objectives of Buddhism are educational, in terms of teaching people not to look down on the poor and but rather to be kind and helpful to them and to be good to everyone, whether rich or poor.
I mentioned my partial Buddhist experience because the problem of Greece is akin to an individual who wants to fit into a large home with very rich roommates but he/she could not keep up with their lifestyle. The European Union lent her money but she could not pay back her debt. Why? What is the nature of the Greek mind - is she really industrial business-inclined? Our country the Philippines, should we really go that route of industrialization also?
Our people are an artistic lot. Our country is composed of 7100 islands and we are surrounded by water. Water makes us think of the womb where we came from -- safe inside our mother. Water is also a symbol for transformation. So we should accept ourselves as artists. For art transforms.
We should think of the Philippines as an artistic destination also -- where the artists are able to exercise their skills and have a great income from them.
Now considering that our people are more inclined towards the arts, then we should be able to live off on those talents and genius.
But for us to work in that direction, the world has to change its attitude towards the arts and look at works of art, not those for auctions only, as valuable as paying a gross amount for a car or a cellphone.
I think that losing our artistic urges makes us also lose our faith and spiritual ties which could make us aspire for goodness and greatness. Here in our country, the lack of artistic coherence is visible in the way worship is done in some churches. Religion puts up Mother Mary as the ideal mother yet we see women who dress up cheaply entering the church and receiving communion. Also don't you think some people become scammers or engage in nefarious activities because they fail to exercise their artistic skills and they think that being an artist is not being treated as an equal to all the other business callings; so then they turn to using their skills in some depraved ways?
Here is a definition of artwork: "an aesthetic physical item or artistic creation. Apart from "work of art", which may be used of any work regarded as art in its widest sense, including works from literature and music, these terms apply principally to tangible, portable forms of visual art:fine art, such as a painting or jewelry, interior design and much folk art; religious artworks, photograph, film or visual computer program, such as a video game or computer animation; installation art or conceptual art. It could also be an architectural piece, or a designed landscape; a live performance, such as theater, ballet, opera, performance art, musical concert and other performing arts, and other ephemeral, non-tangible creations."
So if Greece has such a long historical background in all the different fields of endeavor, shouldn't her economic programs gear more towards the development of an arts economy -- not just as a tourist spot in Europe but as a country that values the arts and considers it as its major development program. By the way, she even has a god of art -- Apollo, and a goddess too - Aphrodite or Venus Other countries have their share like in India, Saraswati; and Isis, Egyptian goddess of nature and magic.
But then in order for countries like Greece and ours to veer towards arts economic development, then the world also has to change its perspectives on looking at development. Art economics should be the mantra. Banks should be willing to sink in their money for artistic productions not just those businesses that produce millions of products with the same looks.
Right now, I am dreaming of acquiring a piece of land to put up a sprawling community with three-floor buildings, with quaint design somewhere in MetroManila. The first floor will have business stores for artistic works of the owners of the unit, the second and third, their residential place. Then that community will have an agora, a circular form, with the center being a grassy land where the residents can communicate, meditate together, gather and relate with each other as friends and community members at night.
But ask now, what and which lot in MetroManila? That would turn out to be a losing proposition because per square meter is very expensive here already. A seasoned architect said that that idea is feasible only somewhere in the rural areas. Which is true. We have built a metropolis that has become completely dependent on roads for vehicles; with places of employment very far from residences; and businesses that arise here and there without regard if a restaurant is beside a funeral parlor, or a meatshop is near a dog food store.
Question, the way MetroManila looks now, is it an artistic landscape? Some spots are artistic but on the whole, it is very difficult to say yes.
It is high time that we view life on this planet as diverse and in need of recognition of the differences of the inclinations of people. Maybe we could even reduce the attraction of wars as a means to attain power if we could make everyone value the work of an artist -- as art is for beauty, not destruction. Art is for goodness not ugliness; for acquisition of humanity not malevolence. A piece of art could be pleasing and shocking too but in the end it aims for the transformation of the viewer into a new humane being with ties to the living community -- the people and the environment and in the long run with the divine.
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