Bountiful Batanes

No sadness to deal with, no happiness to suppress, no fears to conquer, no standards to conform to and no expectations to meet is what Batanes seems to be though you’ve only seen it through paintings and other artistic styles in the recent exhibit in Metropolitan Museum.

Dubbed as Glorious Batanes, it featured more than 70 recent works inspired by the visits of artists Lito Baldemor, Araceli Limcaco Dans, Alfred Galura, Felipe Mayoya, Justin Nuyda, Azor Pazcoguin, Tito Sanchez and Janice Luison-Young to the northernmost part of the country.

Invited by Butch Abad—owner of an ancestral home in Batanes—the eight artists spent eight days to see what the charming place has to offer.
“We fell in love with the place as soon as we got there. We want to propagate to Filipinos what Batanes is all about. Its like you’re not in the Philippines at all. Though the province is constantly swept by wind and rain, it is still very cultured. The word ‘beautiful’ to describe it is still superficial,” Dans says.

Though the artists only have one subject, they managed to express and appreciated the island with different styles. Besides paintings, there are sculptures, figures and sketches.
Just by looking through the artworks, one can feel the seaside town and its breezy atmosphere. Its rolling hills and mountainous province surrounded by pristine waters were very apparent in the masterpieces.

Included in the collection were the artworks such as Hiyasang Maliliit na Bato ng Batanes by Nuyda, Dala ng Agos I & II, Tumitingin Papaloob I & II, Mag-ina by Dans, Tabing Dagat sa Batanes by Galura, Magandang Huli sa Umaga by Pazcoquin, Nag Iisang Batanes by Mayoya, Dahon ng Saging I & II by Baldemor among others.

Typical representations were also seen including the vakul or the raincoat made of straw worn by Ivatan women, the tataya or the unique outrigger-less boat, the abundant catch of arayu or dorado fish and the cal y canto or the Ivatan native houses.
“One of the outstanding sites to see are the ancestral homes that were built four centuries ago. Made by the Ivatans, it was meant to surpass typhoon and its indigenous design simply tells that the makers have high intelligence,” Dans beams.

Dans shares how Ivatans are very fluent in speaking English and admired their honesty and hospitable attitudes. She had an amusing experience when she was able to see the “friendship/honesty store”—a small store with different grocery goods such as sugar, vinegar and canned food among others—with no person looking after it. Payments and change for the purchased goods are placed in a little basket.