New Gallery

Fermins Brush with Flight by Jessica jalandoni robillos INQUIRER

fermin's brush with flight
Anthony Fermin
Fermin's brush with flight
The following is from an article by Jessica Jalandoni-Robillos in the Philippine Daily Inquirer of Monday August 23, 2004:
Once, Anthony Fermin trained to be a pilot. But he changed his flight plan and made paintbrushes fly across empty canvases. His strokes now mimic the movement of winged creatures. Sometimes flitting like birds, other times like butterflies gliding gracefully, awash with colors.
The result - pieces lively and effusive, like his other works showing festivities or children at play. His latest collection, in a show with Karla Gobin at the Food and Art Galerie in Makati, consists of acrylics and watercolors that explore the frolics of the young.
"Alibangbang" is a peep through what look like massive tree trunks, one of them strangely translucent, through which an orb can be seen. In between the trees is a pond that reflects the shapes of two girls trying to catch butterflies with a net. The orb seems [to be] the moon, bathing the clearing with light.
Arcs and dabs of color, from yellow and green to red and dark blue to violet, serve as the backdrop. Reminiscent of Russian painter Marc Chagall's expanses of swirly dark splashes, as in the piece gifted by Julia Roberts' character to that of Hugh Grant in the movie "Notting Hill."
Fermin, however, has become increasingly fond of using brighter hues even if he says he identifies with purple. Though the aubergine tone in its darkness connotes [a] nadir for most, Fermin contrasts this with yellow as his zenith. Yellow represents his dreams.
Symbolic color
In this sense, he shares Chagall's ability to utilize symbolic color. They may be non-descriptive, like his green, gray and orange skies but they convey gaiety nonetheless. Fermin's works invoke the recollection of games once played, as if to say no childhood passes without carefree, time and fatigue-oblivious activities. The same way Roberts' character was moved to say of Chagall's piece: "It feels like what love should be..."
Fermin admires Picasso, whose style inspired linears and angulars in some works of Chagall. Although the constantly raised arms of Fermins subjects is also a feature ofthe Russian icons, the parallelisms end there. There is no similarity in figuration, except perhaps in the former's earlier works.
In "Jumping Rope," movement is effectively shown in the direction of the brush, the curved rope echoed by arches of color that appear smoothly smudged. Buildings in the background are tall and shingle-roofed, testament to Fermin's memories of Europe.
In 2000, Fermin [headed] off to Germany with the earnings from a show in a Cebu beach resort and the help of a German patron. His main purpose was to visit an uncle. Fortuitously, from being inspired to paint by Europe's grand architecture, landscapes and rich history, he went on to represent the Philippines in the Expo 2000 Honover Art Exhibition.
Trips to France and Spain have afforded him greater exposure, buttressing his art.
In Hanover, his rendition of an ostrich egg gave him the chance to help South African children through the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He hopes to do the same locally, alleviating the lives of needy Filipino youth through his exhibitions - the nexus of his purposely naive art.
Fermin has a solid following in Cebu, where he resides. He has captured audiences in Europe and is exhibiting in Manila and Negros. Perhaps with the art that he creates continuously and tirelessly, his flight, with the ideal of promoting art and culture has reached it's destination.
The Food & Art Gallery is at GT Tower, Ayala Avenue, Makati. Call 02 752 5678
the author at: jejaro2002