"Linggay"
Acrylic Paint on Canvas
30x24 inches
May 2015
This painting is a true story of a girl named Linggay. After the devastating loss of her father instead of mourning she was forced to do a 'Bulaklakan dance'. Wearing remnants of cloth that her mother sewed with her grieving eyes. Few cheap paper flower attached to her Arc Rattan just because she couldn't afford more. Searching for a familiar face in crowd hoping to find her mother to strengthen her feet. Eyes on her. Music started play. Hiding the pain underneath her beauty she lifted her wounded self and sway with the rhythm.
In this moment of her life, the sun sets upon her. Darkness was seconds away. Caused her to stumble or step on the rocks leaving her dancing wounded on this unstable paradise we call 'Pearl of the Orient'. Still she danced gracefully with her own rhythm.
We, Filipinos, we are known because of our courage. Filipino is one of the happiest people on earth, considering we live in a third world country. But we tend to hide our true inner conflicts just to survive the everyday.
Filipino is considered to be one of the happiest people on earth But we all know that behind every smile, we carry a painful load
We are all like Linggay in a lot of ways. We Dance on this paradise we call Pearl of the orient. The sun will set and absence of light causes us to stumble or stepped on the rocks leaving us wounded. Still we manage to dance gracefully with rhythm of life hiding every agony.
After our painful loss like the tragedies of Yolanda, Maguindanao Massacre, and Fallen 44. We lost many of our loved ones. While our Government is too busy pointing fingers for those of us who were left behind. We remain dancing on this unstable, and rocky paradise. I believe that our 'Agimat' is the strength, faith and perseverance we Filipino naturally possessed.
It's not the make-up and accessories that makes a woman beautiful. It's her courage and her passion that makes her beyond words to describe. Showing her beauty not in superficial, not in violence, not in rebellion, but through courage to continue dancing with rhythm of life no matter how painful the obstacles maybe.
In my eyes, Linggay is one of the most beautiful woman I've ever met. A Dancer and a warrior in her own ways.
