Mambabatok Acquisition
I guess you can say it was love at first sight. On our trip last month to the east coast and back, we stopped at a Filipino Community Center in northern Chicago that was having a display of local Filipino art work. I learned about it through an artist friend of mine that I have known for nearly 18 years. Our goal was to just see my friend's work, she is an extremely talented artist, and to check out others with ties to the Philippines.
There was a lot of great work hung up on the walls but the one above was the one that grabbed my attention and that of my wife as well. It is an oil painting entitled Mambabatok which is the name of a traditional Filipino tattooist from the northern Philippines. Not only that, but the person in the painting is none other than Whang-od, perhaps the most famous of them all and is still alive and doing these traditional tattoos at 106 years of age!
We admired the painting with embroidered tattoos and then moved on but kept gravitating back. I noticed that the label next to it mentioning the artist's name and biography, also stated it was not for sale. Many other artworks were for sale but just not this one and I guess I could understand why an artist might not be able to part with it.
Later, in a conversation with my artist friend, I mentioned that painting and the artist and offhand, said we would be interested in purchasing it if someday it were for sale. My friend, talked to the artist (who was also a friend of hers), and found out she would indeed be willing to sell it. Introductions were made and a price was agreed upon. But the art show was to continue until August and so we had to wait until then to complete the deal. The show ended, the deal proceeded and a day later, a heavily bubbled wrapped box arrived on our doorstep and the following day, this painting was hung up in our living room as seen above.
We love it and for now, it is one of the few exceptions to our rule of only hanging our own artwork on our walls. Seeing that it is an original oil painting and connected to us in culture and in friends, I'm okay with that exception. My only complaint is that it isn't signed... at all. So I will probably make up some sort of tag with the name of the piece and the artist's name as well and tuck it in the frame on the back of the painting for some future person to discover at some estate sale decades from now. Or perhaps someday it will be selling for millions at Sotheby's. Either way, I won't care because I will no longer be here.
It looks like a very fine piece.
ReplyDeleteNow, for your grandfather's cap gun -- someday.
I'll get to that one soon.
DeleteI love having artwork with a story behind it. You'll be telling this one for years to come. Your comment about "few exceptions to our rule of only hanging our own artwork on our walls" makes me wonder: are you and/or you wife artists?
ReplyDeleteNot serious artists. I have blown up a few photographs for our walls and my wife has done a few paintings over the years. Quite a bit of our walls are covered with artworks done by our kids over the years.
DeleteHow wonderful that you were able to purchase the painting! I like it.
ReplyDeleteIt really is the first original work I have ever bought. Prior to that it was only the occasional print in my younger years.
DeleteMy eyes notice something new the longer I look. Amazing work of art. 👍☘️♥️
ReplyDeleteWhen the light changes and becomes more oblique, the stitching that is the "tattoo" really stands out giving it a unique look.
DeleteIt is a beautiful and meaningful addition to your home.
ReplyDeleteWe think so.
DeleteCongratulations! The most important element of collecting art is that you love it.
ReplyDeleteAt least love it enough to pay for it.
DeleteI thought you were going to tell us it was AI generated! I'm oddly relieved it isn't. :) I can definitely see the appeal, even on it's own artistic merit. But considering all the personal connections, that makes it even more special. I'd love to see more work by this artist.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.instagram.com/jmaearts
DeleteThat is a painting with a story and a connection. It was meant to be yours. I'm sure that your girls will want it one day. But it is strange that it is unsigned.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing she is new to selling her artwork. She is fairly young and not far out of college according to the internet.
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