CULTURAL ....

chitecture which I am fond of. Yes, even places which have changed so much either with modernization or of dreadful neglect. These precious visual reminders help shape our understanding of our culture, history, and the real identity of the people who appear in the pictures.

For the contemporary artist Almer Moneda, life in the past is his greatest inspiration for his artworks. His latest art exhibit at Galerie Raphael-Davao is what he describes as “empowering nostalgia” as his paintings depict how life is about going back to those slower, more meaningful activities that would remind us of the good, old days. Through his visual arts, he brings viewers back to the years before cars were even invented and people had to travel riding a calesa or horse-drawn carriage while enjoying the country’s still fresh air without the need for air conditioning like we do now. It only reminded me of my happy experience riding a two-wheeled, emaciated horse-drawn calesa going around hot Intramuros de Manila during my curious student days in the late 1970s.

“Notions of nostalgia have always been present in Almer Moneda’s paintings. Visualizing archival pieces of history into palpable novelty pieces of art allows the viewers to effectively experience glimpses of a bygone era through the language of colorful imagery and aesthetics. In this particular exhibit, Almer Moneda makes it a point to manipulate yet emphasize a way of life in the bustling streets of Old Manila,” commented Don Andy Tuason. Galerie Raphael’s favorite host/ emcee, Marissa SalongaTionko, added, “Indeed, the viewer experiences an inward reflection of the past as well as witness a cultural heritage through art and history. The use of carabao or horse-drawn carts and wagons, the use of music and melody with the harp or the bandurria, the practice of commerce by bringing their wares to the street market was also a form of community dialogue otherwise known as chisme, noticia o comentario verdadera o falsa! Most

notable are the conservative attires of Filipinos in those days with the women in baro’t saya while the men looked dapper in barong Tagalog.”

“I want to thank God for this great exhibit that I have with Galerie Raphael here in Davao. I am truly amazed. Thanks to my family who have always supported me in my artistic journey. Thanks to the GJ groups. Thanks to art collectors who have been collecting my paintings, and also to all art patrons. Mabuhay ang Sining! Salamat po ng marami sa inyo,” expressed Almer Moneda with obvious joy expressed through his face.

Chosen to cut the ribbon with Almer Moneda that bright Saturday

afternoon were Davao’s bright and hardworking entrepreneurs namely the Queen of artisanal cheese Olive Panaligan vda. de Puentespina and primero vendedor de joyas Emil Vincent Sitjar of Emilia Sitjar Jewelllery. But it was Olive who went home with a wide smile on her pretty face as she was the lucky raffle prize winner of an Almer Mondeda painting that afternoon.

Carmina Mapa-del Rosario of Mindanao Butchers fame, another Galerie Raphael favorite, provided nutritious pika-pika for the event consisting of bola-bola, delicious crispy adobo bao, queso y pimiento sliders, croquetas de bacalao, and suman tablea. What a joyful Saturday it truly was.