Carnal images of astonishing redness
Posted: 11:21 PM (Manila Time) | Feb. 08, 2004
By Constantino C. Tejero
Inquirer News Service

WHEN you happen to pass by this gallery, you'd think it's still the Chinese New Year, as its walls are splattered with red and gold. And it's not just red--the color planes are of such redness that it astonishes.

"It's a color associated with sensuality, with sex," says painter Fernando Escora, the purveyor of these writhing images of love and lust.

Then you realize it's not the Chinese New Year but Valentine's that the artist is celebrating in "Amorous," his series of six pieces in oil on canvas in Crucible Gallery at the Artwalk, 4/L, Bldg. A, SM Megamall, until Feb.15.

All symmetrical in composition, the paintings depict lithe naked bodies entwining. With titles like "Bicycle," "Butterfly," "Little Wings," you'd think these are explicit how--to illustrations of sexual positions. But Escora says they're actually about relationships.

"I started this series in 2002," says the artist. "It is explorative of sex, of liberated sexuality, but each piece portrays a principle of relationship."

"Equal" ostensibly shows two lovers in a 69 position, like a ball of flames in a sea of red--yet it can also be a comment on the equality of the sexes, and, yes, even in bed.

"Undecided," showing three lovers, is self-explanatory, while the multiple entanglements and impossible positions in "Bicycle" and "Butterfly" must be hinting at the complexity of relationships or the cyclical nature of love.

The two lovers in "Little Wings" are as impassioned as any. In their lovemaking they seem to fly a little, so that their feet appear dislocated.

The afterglow recedes as the two lovers in "Sleeping Together" turn their backs to each other presumably after sexual intercourse. This is a poignant comment on human nature. After all the avowals of love, soul-mating, physical union and consummation, it comes to this: Man is essentially alone.

Escora's style here looks new. He uses only two colors, which is a departure from his previous multihued works. And though the color tone is bright, the whole composition has a heaviness and solidity not found in the brightly colored figures of the past.

Also, unlike the previous paintings which often looked busy, these ones use minimal details. The naked bodies are mere outlines of flowing strokes and highlights of ochre, yellow, brown, on a solid color plane of brilliant red.

"Maybe ang composition nagbago, also some elements of the figures, and now I'm using minimal colors," agrees the artist. "My style is always bright colors, 'yun lang. There's no intention or self-consciousness on my part in using these colors, they just come out, just an expression of myself."

Two artists he admires the most are Michelangelo (for the figures) and National Artist Vicente Manansala (for color and composition, concept).

A graduate of Fine Arts major in Painting from University of the Philippines, he also acknowledges the role of his teachers in his art-making: Roberto Chabet, Benjie Cabangis, Fildelacruz.

"Amorous" is the third of his successive exhibits of erotic paintings, after "Gestures" and "Moment." He is looking for a new direction for his art.

"'Pag nagsawa na ako sa series, I stop, ayaw kong ulitin," he says. "I explore other subject matters to tackle."

He is also into printmaking, which he learned from Fildelacruz. He also does children's book illustration--quite a turn from his erotica.

He has taken up Basic Photography in UP, and is planning to construct installations out of his paintings and photographs. And that would be another turn in the development of his art.

He is still exploring, you see, like anyone who is in love.