Let There Be UV Light!

Good times that October..and remember my kalimba friend who I love to tease?

He was just in time for another one.

-Mate, you didn't turn up in my weekend barbie (while he furiously stir up thick honey in his strong barako coffee)

-Sorry pare, I texted you didn't I? I told you I was busy painting for my solo exhibition.

-Yeah okay, but you don't seem to have done anything at all (looking around suspiciously). All I see are white canvas. Have you just put some white primer on?

-My friend, they are all finished paintings. You just need to turn on the UV lamp! Unfortunately lamps haven't arrived yet;-)

-Stop pulling my leg!

-I'm not! Come on mate, are you coming to my opening exhibit with your videocam or not? People will be there @the Basement Restaurant. They've cleared all the walls for me; Rodney helped install disco blacklights. Larrikin Band and some blues-rocker folks will jam with Juan dela Cruz.

-Harrumph, okay, but you better get working on those canvasses. See I've invited friends for you, also forwarded that email invite to all including those overseas.. but don't get too heavy an artist and show us close-up paintings of a snowfield!Opening night was awesome! Of course my friend was there taking still pictures, and discovered him checking his small camera screen; scratching his head wondering why it's all white. I suggested for him not to use his flash and find a tripod!

My goodness Wally Gonzalez, Pepe Smith and Ding Roces to open and cut the ribbon! What more can a guy ask for? I was in tears (Why? Because I need to go! The good side conscience cartoon on my right shoulder saying "take care of your bladder old man!") My lovely partner took over the microphone holding a huge scissor. I thought now that thing should cut the siopao wrappers neatly.

Artist-writer Alfredo "Ding" Roces then gave us a poignant speech, intent to answer a nagging question: "Why are Filipino artists invisible in Australia?" which he hooked up with my invisible paintings.
Read Ding's speech in this link:

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/mindfeeds/mindfeeds/view_article.php?article_id=25861

Then Peyaps (Pepe) sang his golden hit "Ang Himig Natin" which solemnized the whole event with patriotic pride. It was his gift for us Filipinos and Australians all. Of course theme of my UV art exhibition are portraits and images of Australian and Filipino rock music icons.

Later almost all rocker guys converged in the dimly lit, bricky Basement corridor we now call Yo!tube (well..yo, everyone met there on the way to the bathrooms).
Anyway Tally-Ho would be ideal sponsor of rock concerts as I decided to fumigate with thick, white smoke some flying insects that seemed to get attracted by the restaurant kitchen refuse outside the building. Holy council! What's the buzz? Nobody cared tho', band people were there exchanging email addresses just as a city train rumbled it's way back to Blacktown station.

So glad I've finally put up my work in public view. I was just concerned people might splash some barbecue sauce on my paintings:)

My friend congratulated me. I've finally convinced him that they are not mere white canvas.

-So did you sell any painting?

-Nope. But there were some serious inquiries. Perhaps sales come in later. I was just glad to put up the UV exhibit, meaning just to show my artworks. I really plan to show them in Manila and Tokyo. I thought I'd like to see first the public's reaction. So far everyone had a good time looking at the exhibit.

-Good luck bro, let me know if you need help in Tokyo;-)

Some more links about my UVart: http://thefilipinoaustralian.com/people.php

http://pinoycentric.com/?p=26

http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=25002

thanks to photographers Johan and Mario. More photos here:

http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2382370860063438932MuCYcJ