Foot and Fire

One of the first activity we had when we arrived at the first falls aside from admiring the gigantic falls which sprinkled us with early morning cold waters was to have a family portrait wearing the famous weaving of the T'bolis called Tinalak. Strictly, the tinalak weaving is the one worn by father (center). The black with specks of white are worn by the elderly women while the colorful ones are worn by the young ladies. There are no difference in the skirt's design for the young and old women. At a minimal fee of P50, one can rent the costume from head to never-mind-the-toes and take unlimited selfies and groupies. It is also in this area where one can request a photo of mock-zipline which they cleverly offer to those who are afraid of the heights. ***   I stood in the center so that the falls which is supposed to be the backdrop was covered! *** MOMSY AND SISSY DUO: That's the falls between them! *** POPSY'S SOLO ACT: He wore ...

Theaterrampe.de  sent its "solid regards" to the cause after knowing about the serendipitous intervention, that is, someone who believes in the theater's program superimposed a sticker on the "obscene detail nobody wants." This was how the art company concluded when it was informed through this blog (see link below) about the superimposed sticker on the infamous poster. The theater company did not actually commissioned the sticking of the sticker. In fact, the sticker carries the theater's own political and critical claim. However, despite this non-commission from them, Theaterrampe sent its approval, which, this blogger believes sprang from their spirit of art appreciation tempered with artistic ethical responsibility. Its brief, but very relevant letter, goes, "Thanks for the hint! In fact Theater Rampe did not put the sticker on the "detail nobody wants". But we do like this intervention. The sticker spreads our programmatic ...

The detail superimposed with the words "Walk, the past is behind you."  Germany-based Nurse and Filipina Naomi Billard, the proponent of the idea to scrap the poster bearing the misrepresentation of Manila from the public exhibition in Stuttgart-Ulm Rail Station as well as its immodest and unethical inclusion of the photo in public considering the defecating person in the detail (See related post links below), sent me this latest photo above. A sticker was super-imposed on the spot where we wanted it to be. The sticker reads: "Walk, the past is behind you." (translation by Naomi). Below it is the word  Theaterrampe.de which is a theater company or group.  Definitely, this act of superimposing the sensitive portion of the photo is NOT the decision of the exhibit curators or organizers led by the Turmforum and the Stuttgart-Ulm Rail Project Society. But this bold act of superimposing the sensitive portion of the photo from an art company or gro...

As a support to the Filipino community in Germany, I am again running the topic on this photo that launched many opinions, most of them are resigned to the fact that poverty is a reality in our country. But no matter how few and wide is the voice that clamors for under representation (or misrepresentation), it is still a national concern that Manila is represented by poverty ALONE in an exhibit in a foreign land entitled Mega Cities. Singly, the photo actually has, admittedly, its strength as a message to the Philippine Government in getting its efforts together in eradicating poverty in the country. However, let it be remembered that this photo is exhibited together with other photos under the title MEGA CITIES, and the exhibit is not about poverty or about poor governance.  The exhibit is about culture and progress as shown in other photos included in the exhibit.  All photos are  here.   Any professional curator will reconsider balance in deciding what to...

         If we are to adjudge what Manila is from the lone photo in a photo exhibit entitled, "Mega-Cities" mounted by Turmforum and the Stuttgart-Ulm Rail Project Society at the Stuttgart rail station in Germany, poverty is the only representative of Manila.        The lone photo above that represents Manila was taken by German photographer Stephan Schubert and is supposed to embody Manila as a "Metropolis" or one of the big "Cities of the World."             Most Filipinos in the Philippines won't mind clamoring about this photo being singled out as the best representative of Manila because it is more of a reality check. However, when one is in a foreign soil, one needs to clarify things. This is what Naomi Billard did in our behalf.          In an earlier related  story , Naomi's grounds in asking for the removal of the poster are: One, it is the invas...

Photos of people from my travels remind me of how different  and how similar we are at the same time.  We are separated by our differences in culture but bound by our similarities as human beings. --Gerlie M. Uy *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***