Baybayin as showcase of Filipino culture

FILIPINO calligrapher Taipan Lucero said that the exhibit is not only a celebration of the friendship between the Philippines and Iran, but more importantly it is to communicate the importance of art in preserving and celebrating culture.

“We all know that Iran has such a rich and powerful culture, which is rooted in their appreciation and propagation of art. Though I have not yet been to Iran, I had the pleasure of seeing first hand at the Iranian Embassy, some of the most intricate works of art in the form of handpainted vases, wood carvings, and of course calligraphy, and especially Dr. Tandis’ calligraphy,” Lucero said.

“From a Filipino’s perspective, it is mesmerizing to see calligraphy being celebrated the way Dr. Tandis and Iranians celebrate it, because we Filipinos we don’t do it. In comparison, our Iranian brothers and sisters they celebrate their writing, they celebrate their alphabet, as proven in their celebration of the National Calligraphy Day.

They show their writing system so much respect, they decorate it with intricate patterns, they illuminate it with gold — and when I say gold, I mean real gold — not gold leaf, or gold paint, that is an example of how they greatly honor their culture, they show it [with so much] love,” he explained.

“This is something we Filipinos can learn from. And this is what I try to aim for through my artworks. I want to show the world how beautiful our culture is, how beautiful our writing is.

Hopefully this exhibition and our Iranian brethren’s love for their culture, may inspire us to be more loving and caring of our culture by celebrating, propagating, [and] continuing it,” the 30-year-old artist ended.