The title of the exhibit fully exploits the power of words: the paintings and the resin casts serve as a whole journey not only for the viewers but also and most especially for the artist himself, Mr. Joey Velasco, who strives to see more of God’s light of love through his works.
From his first exhibit of paintings with real life stories as his chosen theme to this second set of magnificent creations, Mr. Joey Velasco not only establishes himself as a talented Filipino artist; more importantly he proves through his brushstrokes that it is possible for us to experience God in everything that we do for the sake of our brothers and sisters, regardless of time, resources, social status, fame, background, talent, or even occupation. He shows us this through his real-life experience as manifested by his beautiful paintings in vivid colors of paint, waiting for unwary spectators to allow them to leap off the canvas through the beauty of every story depicted in them.
And so it is. Every picture and resin cast in the exhibit of Landas tells a story. From a glimpse, it told me the tale of a father who strived to be the best he can be for his four kids. It told me the story of an aspiring artist who, in his own struggle with unwavering doubts and bouts with the Lord, finds freedom through the expression of God-given art. With a closer view, I was made to see through the eyes of invisible multitudes of suffering souls like his and mine- through the eyes of child laborers, broken children, oppressed farmers, hungry beggars, innocent prisoners, sick patients and many, many more who come in all walks of life. I was surprised to read through the soul of the artist there as well- his earlier queries of life, his plaguing dissatisfaction with life, the answers he got along the way, and the way he was inevitably changed by his interaction with his art subjects who inspired his paintings.
Having been graced with the opportunity to take the similar journey, I was definitely moved beyond what any reflection paper can tell about. I was reminded to lay everything down at the foot of Christ’s saving cross, to say, “Thy will be done,” even if it necessarily meant self-deprivation. It stripped me of my feigned callousness with my parental issues upon the sight of the painting inspired by Juris, whose hands seemed to reach out of the canvas to hold mine and my soul, reminding me to ask God in my every unresolved pain to release me from such bondage. It compelled me to reflect on my personal standing with God through my ongoing relationship with Him in my daily struggles and ask myself, “Is He still my King?” It beckoned me to turn my head to see child laborers who have Jesus as their ally, their Kaalagad who carries their sufferings with His own. It made me see strength in allowing others to love us, as much as Christ does. It reminded me to keep a firm hold on the most precious element of true happiness in life which secures us for life, sustains us for eternity and makes us rich beyond our dreams- Christ. It allowed me to go back to the simplicities of life which made me experience the grace of God in the smallest things- helping others, eating together in a simple banquet with my family, my classmates and my friends. It revolutionized my concept of compassion, which was defined by the artist in Mga Munting Simon Sireneo not as a ‘reaching down to the less fortunate,’ but as ‘going to where there is suffering and building a house there.’ It unraveled the beauty of God’s plan in every one of us through Raymund, whose imprisonment made him spiritually mature and close with the Lord. It rattled me with the reminder of Christ’s love for all of us, of which no other kind of love can come close to. It invited me to look back to the times that I saw God through the darkest of my moments, especially when my broken family background feels like a heavy cross which I am forced to carry. It lifted a smile on my face as I saw myself as someone functional and beloved in God’s eyes, convinced and reminded of how God is pleased even with the smallest efforts of compassion that I may do. It gave me time to think through the injustices of the nation and how I unknowingly contribute to it in the smaller scale.
But the painting that taught me the most was that of Shiran’s. The depiction of his hand joining Christ’s just before the nail is hammered down felt familiar to me. My personal struggles surfaced as I stared into the painting with silent awe. His story of courage and coming into the light moved me and encouraged me to hold on to the Lord through my trials, not to give up even when it seems like the only way out, and to allow my God-given friends to love me and give me emotional support in my difficult times. Recently I had a realization that I have a tendency to keep my problems and need for companionship to myself. When I suffer in silence, I unconsciously put up this thick impenetrable barrier between me and the rest of my world. I thought it was just right to feign strength despite the awareness that I am losing it. This painting drove the message of love home; it became the highlight of the exhibit to me. It told me to be strong. It told me to allow others to love me. It told me to shun off pride in order that I may grow more through life. It told me to allow Christ to be with me through thick and thin. It reminded me that I am never alone in my inner turmoil.
Past the hour of my viewing pleasure which turned into a personal mini-retreat, I then understood the true value of Joey Velasco’s paintings, the lives that sprang out of each canvas and the hand of God over all of them. I now perceive them not as a collection of art, but God’s message of love conveyed in strokes and shades. ϋ
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