THE ABSTRACT VISIONS OF SIR BUDS

By Arnel Mirasol

I first saw an artwork by Buds Convocar during an exhibition, if I remember correctly, at the University of the East Main Campus at C.M. Recto Avenue, way back in 1983. The title of the piece - again if I remember correctly - is "The Enigma of the Automated Man". It is a mixed-media piece, painted in monochromatic hues, depicting the skull-like or maybe robotic face of a man. Attached to this face are wires and springs, while relief cut-outs of lightning-like images adorned the artwork's upper part. I wouldn't venture an explanation of this artwork, but I suppose that I detect a thematic pattern in Bud's art.

 But before delving deeper into Bud's recurring thematic concerns, let me expound a little on the issue of what really is abstraction. I noticed that some artists, even those who styled themselves as abstractionists, are confused about the true nature of abstraction. There is a guy who insisted that an abstract painting contains no recognizable objects, whether natural or man-made, in it. Nothing could be more wrong. To clear things up, the thing we should do is to first look up what is really meant by the word abstract. A dictionary defines abstract as having only intrinsic (basic) form with little or no pictorial representation; as a verb, abstract is also suppose to mean "to summarize". I emphasize the word "little" in the first definition because that is really the operative word, the key to abstract's real meaning. So there, an abstract painting is also allowed to have a little pictorial representation. And summarizing an artwork by the way doesn't mean erasing completely the recognizable images of objects, but merely simplifying or reducing them to their simplest and most basic form. Let's allow the art critic George Heard Hamilton to have the last word on this issue. He wrote: "Abstract is a more general term. An abstraction may be non-objective, but the word also refers to many kinds of non-realistic paintings and sculptures, especially to those in which references to nature are remote or oblique, as in Cubist, Futurist, or Expressionist art." Also, according to him, those paintings with totally new forms having no relation at all to objective nature, are more precisely referred to as works of non-objective art - or nonobjective abstraction (below).

Painting by Kasimir Malevich

Painting by Piet Mondrian

Painting by Helen Frankenthaler

Now, going back to Buds - I said that I detect a thematic pattern in his art making. Well, anyone who'll look closely can also see that. Gino Dormiendo, who once wrote a review on Buds art, have written on it extensively. He wrote that the paintings by Buds then on show were inspired mostly by Erich von Daniken's book, Chariots of the Gods" ( below right),

which tells of von Daniken's theory that extra-terrestrial astronauts have visited the earth during prehistoric times, and were responsible for the sudden emergence of ancient civilizations. According to von Daniken, the flying angels or divine beings mentioned in the bible and other ancient books were really the ETs or extraterrestrials of ancient times who share with the primitive earthmen their superior knowledge and technology.

And Bud's way of depicting that supposed fact was by including in his paintings the images of dials, knobs, wires, gauges, and other gadgetry of a high-tech alien spaceship. Also, to further reinforce that element of extra-terrestrial or cosmic mystery, Buds teasingly gave his paintings esoteric and arcane titles. Well, those elements were present in the "Enigma of the Automated Man", and his quite recent and current abstractions. It looks as if Bud's main thematic concern then and now is what effect technology would have on the future of mankind. Of course, he veered off somewhat from that theme when he did images of musicians, carousel horses, fishes, monkeys, and the like, but still, the automated or robotic attributes of those images are still very evident. (below: sample paintings by Convocar)

As to technique, Buds's method is as sophisticated as his theme. His paintings are well thought out, impeccably composed, harmoniously colored, and neat. He is no exponent of the slapdash bravura espoused by and excelled in by many abstractionists. Let's admit that many a five year old painter wannabe could also churned out artworks resembling those made by Jackson Pollock (below) and the other abstract expressionists.

As an example, I remember a sculptor's "two-man" exhibit with his then five year old granddaughter. This granddaughter exhibited a suite of abstract paintings which on the surface were all appealing and competently done. But of course, all of us serious artists and also the art critics ought to dismiss those paintings she did as insignificant - for now. I, for one, am of the conviction that an artist should first be well-honed on the intricacies of drawing and the other fundamentals of artistic techniques, before he should venture out to take the modernist or abstract route. But the granddaughter's precocious foray into art, despite its being limited to the drip and splatter technique was a good start. Who knows, this granddaughter may decide later on to pursue art as a full time career. If that happens. then the abstracts she did when she was five would gain enormous significance, especially if she got elevated to major painter status.

Many of you would asked why I called Buds Convocar, Sir Buds. Well, the answer is he really was my sir. Although I'm four years older than him, he was one of my teachers when I resumed after seven years my art schooling at the UE School of Fine Arts. I remember him then as very exacting and strict, which on hindsight I now see as a reflection of his self-discipline and no-nonsense approach to life - traits which were the exact opposite then of the attitude of a very undisciplined me. Almost thirty years have passed by and Buds went on from being an art teacher to a full-time professional painter who've garnered awards in several prestigious art competitions. He was also a president once of the Saturday Group and the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP), which attested to the respect accorded him by his peers in the Philippine art scene. Seeing his single-minded devotion to art, and his persistent striving to perfect his technique and invent new forms, I must admit that it would be difficult for me to dissociate myself from Sir Buds and cease being his fan.

 - April 9, 2011