Emmanuel Garibay’s The Guitarman may lack his characteristically sharp social critique but it is still imbued with the Filipino values rooted in sociology that permeate his works. “It is the richness of the poor that I am drawn to and which I am a part of, that I want to impart,” he had said and The Guitarman portrays that richness perfectly.
In his expressionist figurative style, Garibay depicts a man cradling his beloved guitar, his eyes closed as his fingers slide down the fret and the strings. The guitar’s place in the national cultural consciousness goes unquestioned – for many (and especially for the working class and the masses), it is the first instrument they learn, perhaps even the only one. The family guitar passes from grandfather to father to son, nostalgic as it is the instrument they have used to woo their women. In the quiet of the night, one could hear the faint strumming of the guitar as a group of drinking men pass the time.
Garibay’s The Guitarman is a reminder to take a respite from the fast-paced life. For many Filipinos (who are often joked to be naturally musically inclined), this rest means picking up a guitar to play a tune or two. Garibay portrays how everlasting the image of the guitar is in our culture and how one must enjoy the music the callused fingers pluck on the metal strings – with our eyes closed and hearts open, feeling every note and emotion from within. (Hannah Valiente)
Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot