ABOUT THE WORK

Elmer Borlongan in the 1990s described his art style as “figurative expressionism.” As the decade moved to the next century, his style only evolved, further incorporating the elongated figures and the bald everyman in his oeuvre. This 2004 piece depicts Borlongan's signature figures. Two people sat cozily on a sofa, with the woman lying on her back with her head resting on the man's lap. Her face is solemn and serious as she reads; meanwhile, the man plays the piccolo, accompanying her with the melodious harmony. Their closeness is evident, physical or otherwise, as they remain in their own bubble while they do their own thing. Borlongan also clearly portrays the austerity of this couple’s living situation. They are dressed comfortably, if a little simply, and the wall behind them is bare of any decorations. In fact, if one looks hard, they can notice how unadorned the whole place is. And yet, the two do not seem to care – their relaxed expression portrays their contentment in their silent serene space. “The genius of Elmer Borlongan is the fact ... he is able to paint a supposedly sad situation and make it into a happy artwork,” Borlongan collector Julius Babao says in an interview with Rica Bolipata-Santos (published in a volume of Borlongan’s monograph Elmer Borlongan: An Ordinary Man, An Extraordinary Life) “It makes a statement about society that even in the darkest times, there is still space for happiness and to be able to enjoy life...He admits that life is dark sometimes but it doesn’t have to be. There is room for humor. There is room for happiness. There is a story to every piece that he makes.” Indeed, Borlongan approaches the austerity of the couple’s place not with solemn resignation but with content acceptance. There is despair and longing in their faces but there is hope and satisfaction in their simple lifestyle. He displays remarkable authenticity with his portrayal of the Filipino everyman – he does not shy away from the melancholy that seems to follow the common man but he does not withhold from them the simple joys they experience every day. It is a balancing act, to strike the balance between these two conditions, but Borlongan manages to strike gold. The human condition is portrayed realistically in his body of works, held in high esteem and profundity as Borlongan is wont to do with his depiction of the common Filipino masses. (Hannah Valiente)