Ibangon si Ina

Ibangon si Ina

An oil painting on a 36 x 48 inch canvas

It was probably two weeks ago when I started my painting which I intend to be my entry for this year’s GSIS Art competition.  It was my friend, Lander Blanza who reminded me that the competition is forthcoming.  I was just ordering a smaller canvas for me to paint on and form my collection anew when he suggested for me to make a painting for the competition.  This will be my third time to join said completion. My first entry was “Welcoming Kauai” who was still to be born at the time.  My second was about three years later, the different faces of Marcus, who was then a few months old.  I never placed in any of these paintings. 

Of all the paintings I have made, this is going to be the most painful not only for me but my wife and most of all, my children.  The reference picture is that of my mother-in-law on her death bed.  She was celebrating her 95^th birthday when this was taken. She shall perish the day after.

Reference pic for cropping

Why did I choose this picture?  Since the theme is open, I decided I would do something patriotic or some semblance of it for my entry.  The idea is to represent the country as an ailing mother.  I told my wife that my idea was to stage a sick woman in her hospital bed.  It was her who suggested that maybe I can use my mother-in-law’s picture during her last days here on earth.  She said there must be a picture like that from our children.  True enough, it was Mickey who supplied me with several pictures of her.

I selected one picture I liked, cropped it to make it more dramatic and started painting. 

Final pic reference

Painting is a continuous process of creation and thinking.  While I was putting on layers of paint, I was thinking of several ways to make not just a painting of a sick woman but a representation of the motherland.  First off, I thought the title shall be “Ibangon si Ina”.  While this title is very clear in Filipino I was thinking of what would be the more appropriate English translation for that is how a bilingual artist operates.  Several ideas came to mind.  “Raise Mother”; “Revive Mother” and “Lift up Mother”.  Based on the context of my intention, I do not think I like to use the word raise as this may also mean rearing children.  I do not like to use revive either.  My idea is that the country is almost beyond reviving.  I need a word that would depict the sinister effects of our present situation and how we can rise above.  I am more likely to choose “Lift up Mother”.  Why Ina and not Inay? They both mean mother.  The idea is that ina is more a generic mother, hence, the motherland as opposed to Inay which can be a specific mother of someone.  That settled in my head and two days after, I decided that the title shall be “Tulungang Ibangon is Ina” or "Help lift up Mother". This way the painting would be directing the audience to action.  But then again, several days after, I decided that would not only be too long, but stating the obvious.So at the moment, I tend to use the original title I had in my mind -- "Ibangon is Ina"

AS can be seen her head is being caressed by a man, probably a son (citizen) who kneels down on her bed to reach her and be closer to her. He clutches her hand assuring her that he is close by and ready to help her.

By the second week, I was halfway through.  It was at this time that I had another idea.  Why don’t I give her the Philippine flag for a blanket?  So, I did.  I managed to make a small portion of the sun appear to show a glimmer of hope and yet, not a single star would show depicting that we are not yet within the aspiring age -just at the threshold of survival.  Then while working on the blue portion of the flag, I had another idea.  Why don’t I include rings on both ends of the red and blue suggesting these to be the connection of the country being finally raised to greater glory in the future.

 Why an old mother to represent the country? The country in its existence has been in turmoil from the time of colonization of Spain to the present time from the hands of our own countrymen.  So, the Philippines, while comparatively a new nation with barely more than a hundred years of existence as an independent nation, has yet to see better days from the time of the its discovery till the present time.  It may also be a picture of Melchora Aquino, a heroine among the annals of our hstory who may not have played a direct fighting stance with the oppressors but has changed the course of history through her efforts nonetheless.  

Although my mother-in-law died the day after her birthday, I know the woman she represents in this painting will not. If only we will all learn and know how to take care of her, she will blossom into a fine, elegant woman again after having been born anew.   

My next problem is the submission.  I don’t know why but the organizers have decided to have the submission of entries done in one day – April 26 2025.  This is a very big problem because this is the day we leave for Sapporo, Japan for a fie day stay there.  When I mentioned this to Lander, he was good enough a friend to suggest that he will submit this on my behalf.  God bless his soul. 

So I continue to finish the painting which I believe would be completely done next week, do the paper works and send it to Lander’s house and pray that something good comes out of all these efforts exerted.