Elmer Borlongan: 25 years of finding beauty in the ordinary

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila from January 22 to March 28 is hosting the silver anniversary exhibit of Elmer Borlongan. 

"An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary" presents an opportunity for people to meet a man who has been finding beauty in the streets, in corner stores, the back of trucks — in the mundane details of every day life in the Philippines.

The exhibit showcases over 200 works from 1979 to 2015, curated by noted historian Ambeth Ocampo, starting with a recreation of his studio in Zambales.

Recreation of Elmer Borlongan's Zambales studio. Photo: Aya Tantiangco

First we meet the artist, whose philosophy is "not a day without a line." His work station is tidy, he prefers working with natural light, and paces his brush strokes to the rhythm of rock songs. Among the personal effects are pictures and portraits of his wife Plet Bolipata.

Borlongan draws every day and his sketches are collected in a dedicated room. It's an invitation to study his process and an encouragement to flatter him by mimicry. Just as he and his wife were inspired by an Ang Kiukok exhibit, Borlongan hopes that sharing his work would do the same for people.

The task seems daunting, but the exhibit walks you through Borlongan's development. Those who might not feel artistically inclined, on the other hand, would still benefit in seeing the world through Borlongan's eyes.

As the writer Marcel Proust put it, “Thanks to art, instead of seeing one world only, our own, we see that world multiply itself and we have at our disposal as many worlds as there are original artists."

Borlongan's "Ang Pag-ahon"

Borlongan credits his mentor Fernando Sena for much of what he knows about art and additionally cites National Artist for Visual Arts Carlos "Botong" Francisco and "Los Tres Grandes" of the Mexican Muralist Movement (David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, and José Clemente Orozco) as inspirations for his art.

Borlongan was only five years old when Martial Law was declared in 1972 and, much like the three Mexican greats, his art became motivated by the climate and the subsequent political upheaval in 1986.

In 1987, he painted a mural dedicated to slain activist Lean Alejandro with Manny Garibay. Borlongan would later join political art collective ABAY (Artista ng Bayan) and in 1989, he is sent as a delegate to the International Conference on Human Rights and Democracy in Paris. The testimonies he heard in this conference stays with him.

Prior to his first solo show at the Boston Gallery in 1993, Borlongan won second prize twice at the Metrobank Annual Painting Competition. He has since been conferred various awards, including the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Thirteen Artists Award, and has exhibited in various countries.

Borlongan at the opening of "An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary", an exhibit celebrating his 25th anniversary at The Met. Photo: Aya Tantiangco

Prestige aside, Borlongan still recalls the early days in his career when he couldn't afford to buy the postcards used as invitations for exhibits. For his second solo show, "God Bless Our Trip" at West Gallery", Borlongan photocopied his sketch and handed them out as invites to friends.

Twenty-five years later, Borlongan remains grounded. Spending his time both in rural and urban environments, his eye captures moments often overlooked and he stretches reality over his canvas with the skill of a true master.

Meet Borlongan at the MET. — LA, GMA News

"An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary" is on display until March 28, at The Metropolitan Museum of Manila. Monday - Saturday, 10am-5:30pm. P100. Website