On Dreaming, Hoping and All In Between

The Art of Vince Martin Macatangay

by Noel Sales Barcelona

This writer’s first encounter with the works of Vince Martin Macatangay was during the group show of Vice Versa Artists Group in Artablado, the gallery space run by Robinsons Land, Inc. in Quezon City. While the exhibited pieces of Vince were small, they have big stories to tell.

In an exclusive email interview with Agimat.net, Vince shares his journey to the world of art.

“Perhaps, it all began when I have learned about how varied, profound, and vast Filipino art is,” he told Agimat.net. “That the world of painting is bigger than what I have imagined before. Because of that, I have appreciated it more.”

For Vince, painting gives him more freedom to tell his stories, his dreams, and aspirations as an artist, and of course, as a human being.

“In my opinion, this gives painting [as a medium of expression] a higher value,” he said.

His Mother’s Love and Support as Fountain of Inspiration

For this young artist who hails from Padre Garcia, Batangas, he considers his loving mother as the fountain of his inspiration and has had a great impact on his journey as a visual artist.

“She’s very supportive of me,” referring to his mother. “As early as three years old, she helps me how to draw. I am so proud that I have parents that are truly supportive in honing my talent as an artist,” he added.

But it was Vice Versa Artists Group, particularly its founder, Joseph Albao who patiently guided and mentored him in painting.

“It was Mr. Joseph Albao who served as a beacon for me when I was just starting in the art scene. He helped me develop my style, has given me the opportunity to meet more artistic people, and introduced me to the art world. If not for him, I will never dream of becoming a painter,” he shared with Agimat.net.

Centered on Filipino Culture, Values

Harvest is the recurring theme of Vince’s paintings. What makes his works more interesting is that the Filipina takes the center stage on his canvases.

“My paintings focus on Filipino culture,” he said. “Through the stylized image of a Filipino, I can tell the world about my thoughts, my experiences, and my stories. But it’s not all about me, but it is also about the stories of other people. Although my style is still being developed, I want them to become the vehicle of my messages, my dreams, and my aspirations; and also the dreams and aspirations of the ordinary folk, the solution to societal problems in our country,” he added.

His paintings remind me of the old kundiman, Dalagang Pilipina, popularized by the King of Kundiman, Ruben Tagalog. It says:

Ang dalagang Pilipina
Parang tala sa umaga
Kung tanawin ay nakaliligaya
May ningning na tangi’t dakilang ganda

Maging sa ugali, maging sa kumilos
Mayumi, mahinhin, mabini ang lahat ng ayos
Malinis ang puso, maging sa pag-irog
May tibay at tining ang loob

Bulaklak na tanging marilag
Ang bango ay humahalimuyak
Sa mundo’y dakilang panghiyas
Pang-aliw sa pusong may hirap

The lyrics show how strong the Filipino women are, and how good-natured are they. However, it is more than about the Filipina, it is also about the Filipino nation. The Filipino is known to be good-natured and possesses that resilient and strong fighting spirit. These are also evident in Vince’s paintings.

Painting as Freedom

For Vince, negative criticism should not bother an artist. He says, instead of focusing on them, the artist must focus on himself, on his work, and most importantly, the freedom to create meaningful pieces of art.

“For me, you should not succumb to negative criticisms. You need to exercise your freedom as a creative person. I love painting so dearly that no one can ever stop me from holding my brush and paint,” he said.

In the next 5-10 years, Vince sees himself continuously creating pieces that will bring happiness to those who will see and collect them.

To his fellow artist, Vince says: “Just follow your heart. Do not let anyone stop you from doing the things that you love. When you choose this path, you should pour your time and effort into achieving your dreams as an artist, to free your mind and reach the summit.”