Dreamscaping a seminal life of textures, colors, memories and reveries by taking us to realms amd domains never imagined or bothered, the Filipino University of Santo Tomas-trained visual artist Elmer Dumlao is back full cargo with a massive retrospective show deliberating his studied journey through time, space and media. The show, entitled "Ground Zero: An Artist Comes Home," on view at the Art Center of SM Megamall from April 1 to 11, symbolizes rebirth — quite timely on Easter week.
UST is also the alma mater of hero Dr. Jose Rizal, National Artists for literature Nick Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose, Bienvenido Lumbera and Cirilo Bautista, National Artist for visual arts Ang Kiukok, National Artists for architecture Leandro Locsin and National Artist For theater Rolando Tinio — auction superstars and the country's most prominent visual, advertising and industrial artists.
Attesting to Dumlao's reverse ascension from global to Filipino artist are UST's brilliant fine arts masters Raul Isidro, Al Perez, Cid Reyes, Mulawin Abueva, Johnny Hubilla, Butch Payawal and Marissa Pe Yang, who were among the unheard-of 33 openers of the gallery curtain. The list included fiscal Leynard Dumlao, dean Cristy Que, Evelyn Songco, Nivelle Dumlao, Rhoda Recto, Celeste Posadas, Carina Parial, Ida Robles, Rosky de Guzman, Lily Ong, Cez Chong, Gina Datu, Evelyn Adarme Uy, Wilma Lee, Steven Cua, Fely Pe Law, Mayor Geri Calderon, Fr. Sony Ramirez, Cindy Tan, Bel Tiutan, Flora Urquico, Linda Limpe, Wilma Lee, Edgar O. Cruz, Regent Father Edgardo Alaurin and Paulina Luz Sotto, as hosted by Perjohn Gomez with Mark Verheul of the Netherlands as guest speaker.
BAGONG BAYANI. From Batch 1981, Dumlao arose as the multi-awarded creative director for advertising, who held groundbreaking exhibits in exotic and esoteric Jordan. He was honored as Bagong Bayani awardee for 2011 and declared as UST Outstanding Atelier Alumni in 2016. He held this first-ever exhibit in his home country for the benefit of the UST Atelier Alumni Association Inc. (USTAAAI) with Marissa Pe Yang as president.
Despite his nationality-themed artworks, featured in the UST publication Vision magazine, Dumlao opted for overseas employment in 1994 as creative department head of the newly opened McCann Ericksson Jordan and went on to do solo shows in the Middle East in 2010 and joining group shows in Europe.
While many artists have sought to depict the nature of nature, he is the man who has deracinated art for the past 29 years, capturing the fine details of its differences and differentials with manic meticulousness.
Dumlao adumbrated stunning fresh and provocative takes about life, love and lust, as gathered from his leading-edge one-man shows "Jordan in the Eyes of Elmer Dumlao" (2010), Zara Gallery, Jordan; "Eye to Eye Series" (2011), Zara Gallery, Jordan; "Animan Series" (2012) Zara Gallery, Jordan; "Paper Play Series" (2013), Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Jordan; "Golden Dream Series" (2013), Intercontinental, Jordan; "Animangels Series" (2014), Zara Gallery, Jordan; "Generation Series" (2016), UNESCO, France; "Puzzles of Life Series" (2017), Nabad Gallery, Jordan; and "Skin Series" (2018), Art Center, Philippines.
H practiced greater democracy, showing what contemporaneous art is all about, mulling over the significance of idiosyncratic expressionism.
Although Dumlao only evolved the style in the latter years of his terrific artistic career, it profoundly shaped his art and heart that led to many of his greatest masterpieces. These works offer fascinating insights into his artistic vision, while allowing viewers a rare chance to see and savor the Middle Eastern aesthetics that so inspired and influenced him.
SALT FROM THE RED SEA. “Jordan in the Eyes of Elmer Dumlao” engages the senses in intimate and linked, journal-like postcards of the Arab kingdom anchored on history, culture and tourism.
The idea is to stir images in the mind, turning out a personal perception from the artist as received by the viewer. Unfinished art as much as it is informal, its synergy of static vision and perception makes it an exciting input/output.
The kind, unassuming and highly creative Dumlao, 56, is fundamentally a mixed media artist, the experimental type that reminds one of Roberto Chabet, working on acrylic, oil, graphite, found objects and recycled materials. His Oak Tree borrows Keith Haring's iconic angry dog. As art consultant of the King of Jordan, it is no wonder his uncongenial artworks updates the royal collection.
Dumlao shifts to advanced art in Eye to Eye, which macro pegs views as his pivotal art form in design manner. Depicting giant spheres with a view, they are his wild take of pop art with a pseudo-scientific edge. Although a form of artistic decoration based on rhythmic linear patterns often combined with floral elements, arabesque is Arabic in origin. As Islam prohibits human and animal forms in its arts, arabesque serves as substitute.
Dumlao uses arabesque by contemporizing it as optical art that uses illusions that give the viewer the imagined movements and hidden messages. He turns it into visual allegories that convey concealed or complex meanings through symbolic figures and imagery which when put together create metaphorical message the artist sends.
Especially remarkable is the inclusion of Eye to Eye Series 2, which, until now, is the sway of this powerful retrospective. Its appearance suggests the extent to which he viewed Arabic art as part of his very identity. Elsewhere in the exhibition, he incorporates a riotous, colorful array of motifs offering re-interpretations that the painter returned to in his works.
In the unreal world, Dumlao theorizes, our eyes are constantly subject to some level of dynamic vision in monochrome. Thus, technological leap is the important takeaway. His most original body of work to date, this is the one Dumlao will be anthologized for the longest time.
He started the surreal animal and man series interestingly coined as "Animan Series" in 2012 (that he expanded into "animan" as angels, the "Animangels Series," in 2014). Subtle hints of joyful music and rhythmic movements in the collection bring him closer to Henri Matisse and Alex Cadler in intent and international inkling. With it he shows the strength of the Filipino artist put on the world showcase.
Introspection and playfulness are inseparable from Dumlao's visual narratives of pleasures. Association is required to fully savor this sense. In considering the nature of certain content, separation is a must. A necessary stop-gap measure, Dumlao's art brings us closer to universality of beauty and away from politics, protest and propaganda.
This makes Dumlao's depictions great art, through time, without guises. Despite being increasingly globalized and media-driven, the art world brings us closer to many people's struggles. Although made to question reality and to express alternative points of view, Dumlao's art soothes instead of disturbs.
When Dumlao unhinges himself from the universal ambition and opts to indigenize his art to reflect his own identity and nationality, he will gain native narrative importance and be laureled for the boldness and bravery.
Philippine art needs rerouting to distribute and forward, which Dumlao's originality can very well provide. There has got to be an evident and clear difference. His Alma Mater needs a figurehead, and it appears for now he is the strongest candidate. It's about time!