Sunday, August 10, 2008
TWO TONS OF CHROME
In the hands of artists Alfredo Juan and Isabel Aquilizan, the folksy jeepney peels the layers of history, returns to the object's military origin, and freights it with gleaming domestic items -- from shovels to steamers.
"M201: In God We Trust" is the title that refers to the model of jeep and the aphorism chosen by many drivers to inscribe on their jeepneys. This jeep was first presented to the Zone of Urgency exhibition in the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003. It was acquired by the Singapore Art Museum which has lent it to the National Art Gallery of the Philippines for a limited trip, or pasada.
The jeepney in the photo below was the once ubiquitous all stainless, 'for-family-use' version. Although I have many fond childhood memories of which -- and learned how to drive in one, in fact -- the most remarkable image of it ingrained in my memory was that owned by a wonderful physician in Subic, Dr. Novales.
Every afternoon around four, people in our barrio with ailing family members would wait by the roadside, and as soon as they see Dr. Novales' owner jeepney, they would wave for him to pull over.
Dr. Novales attended to those afflicted with various illnesses regardless of whether they could afford to pay him or not. But oftentimes, by twilight time, on his way back to the main town of Subic where he lives, you could see various vegetables and a chicken or two at the back seat. Payments, I'm sure for his kind and diligent attention.
My personal interaction with Dr. Novales composed of a series of visits to his office when I was bitten by a dog. The little plastic toys and candies that he gave me after I had one of those anti-rabies shots were of no use to assuage my tears. The sight of that frightening long needle was enough to make me cry.
Through the ensuing years, Dr. Novales continued to make his regular trips in his jeep to the many barrios along the main roads and out in the hinterlands. When I returned to Manila a few years ago, an aunt told me that Dr. Novales had just received a special award for his tireless service to the indigent people of Subic and its neighboring regions. He is now retired.
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Please note:
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
*
Please note:
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
*
Labels: art matters, Growing up memoirs, jeep, Museums
posted by Señor Enrique at 9:40 AM
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