Moving from the camera to the canvas | The Final Word
From working with the camera at a young age Actor Reb Belleza has moved to the canvas now expressing himself through painting.
Reb tells us about his next art show and more here on The Final Word.
Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/
Follow our social media pages:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines
Reb tells us about his next art show and more here on The Final Word.
Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/
Follow our social media pages:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 This is The Final Word on CNN Philippines. I'm Rico Gizon.
00:03 From working with a camera at a young age, actor Reb Belieza has moved to the canvas,
00:09 now expressing himself through painting, the visual arts.
00:13 Reb tells us about his next art show and more right here on The Final Word.
00:19 Reb, great to have you with us.
00:21 Thank you. Good evening, everyone.
00:23 Thirty-second solo exhibition. And this thirty-second one is called "It's All Connected."
00:31 "It's All Connected," yes.
00:32 Why did you name it this way?
00:35 As I was having a conversation with the gallery owner,
00:42 we were talking about how the four styles of works that I was presenting to them were all connected.
00:50 And she goes, "I like that. Why don't we name it 'It's All Connected'?"
00:54 And what are the four styles being showcased in this "It's All Connected"?
00:59 I've been inspired by this Filipino painter, Nenasagil.
01:06 She worked on a lot of dots.
01:09 Figurative to cosmic artworks.
01:13 Yes, and Bridget Riley, who worked on optical illusions.
01:22 So when you look at the work, it kind of fools the eye or vibrates.
01:30 So I have ten or eleven works that are going to be curated in such a way that it's connected.
01:38 And then there are works that are abstract, full abstractions.
01:45 Some, I think, give an oriental feel.
01:50 Some are very, very strong painterly abstractions also with color theory.
01:59 What I want to say, the context.
02:02 How many total works do you have for "It's All Connected"?
02:06 We're counting 40 pieces.
02:10 From a 6x4 to 4x4s to 2x2 feet.
02:18 You are a multidisciplinary artist.
02:21 You're not just a visual artist, but you're also a performance artist and an installation artist.
02:28 What is your true passion from these multidisciplinary platforms?
02:34 It's my language.
02:36 At a very young age, I learned art from my godparents who took it upon themselves to teach me another kind of language.
02:47 Maybe thinking that I wouldn't stick it out in cinema.
02:51 But cinema is still a big part of my productions or my exhibitions because I'm the director, I'm the producer.
03:01 I'm everyone.
03:04 You're the whole production team.
03:06 I'm the whole production team.
03:08 But you don't anymore work for a production team.
03:10 No, no.
03:11 You're not anymore in front of the screen.
03:14 You're not on the silver screen.
03:16 You're not anymore on the television set.
03:19 Yes.
03:20 I'd like to work behind the scenes because I suffer from mental challenges.
03:33 I have bipolar, so I don't think they can accommodate my working hours to film or to join a teleserie.
03:42 I was asked, but I politely declined.
03:46 So, I'm sticking it out with the visual arts or ang sining because…
03:54 Where you have your own time.
03:56 Yes, yes.
03:57 You can work at any time of the day.
04:00 Yes, and there's no retirement.
04:02 I know.
04:03 Visual artists continue to paint on works, on canvas, at any time of the day.
04:11 And we even have our national artists.
04:14 Our only living national artist for the visual arts, Ben Cab, who is now at 81 years old, and he continues to paint.
04:22 Yes.
04:23 Describe to us this painting on your left.
04:26 It is a clown with polka dots.
04:29 Yeah, this was exhibited in Pinto Gallery, in Pinto Museum in Antipolo.
04:36 I work on clowns because the context is, it's a metaphor for cinema, actors, the sad and the happy face, or being a jester, or trying to say something.
04:53 Because my paintings always have context.
04:57 Probably something I write on the back of the painting or something has to do with the title, etc.
05:05 It has context, it has meaning, and it has an impact.
05:08 Especially this painting right beside you, "Higher Communist Human Esprit."
05:14 Yeah, the spirit.
05:16 The spirit, I mean, I think all human beings are equal.
05:22 I believe in human beings being the same.
05:26 When we close our eyes, we see the same thing.
05:29 We bleed the same color.
05:31 So, I think it has a lot to do with also my readings of authors, of philosophers.
05:43 It's not just painting, and it's not just like I'm staring at the canvas and I want to paint my formula that's a clown.
05:56 No, it's always different.
05:58 There's always a meaning behind the face, behind each and every palette that you use on your canvas.
06:04 Yes, yes.
06:05 I don't want to sound deep or pseudo-intellectual, you know what I mean, but there's always a process.
06:11 There's always time to meditate on what you want to say, actually.
06:19 Because for collectors, there are some who like decorative pieces.
06:22 Yes.
06:23 There are others who want it to be talking pieces.
06:26 Yes.
06:27 Looking beyond the eye of this clown.
06:29 What is it trying to say?
06:30 Some talk to you and they want a story.
06:33 Yeah.
06:34 I'm happy to oblige if they take the time to get to know me.
06:41 If they like the artwork at first glance, that's good for me.
06:47 But if they'd rather talk to me about it, I'd give them the context and what it means for me.
06:54 Maybe it can mean something different to them.
06:58 You've always been known as that young child in Kaluskusmus.
07:02 No one will ever forget you, but now you are in the art world.
07:07 A lot of our Filipino visual artists have made great strides, not only locally but also globally.
07:14 Where are we at, do you think, Reb, in terms of art in the global art market?
07:19 The contemporary modern art world here in the Philippines is in tune,
07:24 or maybe I can say not only in tune but we can do more.
07:32 We can, like, how do you say this?
07:38 We can collaborate with all the artists around the world because we know the language.
07:44 We know the language.
07:46 And then vis-a-vis they can compare and then they can say the Filipinos, wow, super.
07:54 And we have the history.
07:55 Yes.
07:56 We have the depth.
07:57 Yes.
07:58 And we have the insight.
07:59 Yes.
08:00 So, Reb, tell us about this exhibit and advance happy birthday to you on August 7.
08:04 Thank you.
08:05 Tell us more about the exhibit and where they can see and view your artworks.
08:10 Yes, please, if you have time on August 6 at 5, we open at the Art Circle Gallery, UP Diliman, Bahay ng Alumnay.
08:20 I think DJ Kokoy Puyat is going to play.
08:26 Some people are going to come to cut the ceremonial ribbon and we'll just have a good time.
08:34 A great time.
08:35 Yes, a great time.
08:36 Music and art.
08:37 Yes, of course.
08:39 And after blood, sweat, and tears, the output, it's there.
08:42 Enjoy.
08:43 Art Circle Gallery at the University of the Philippines, 40 artworks from Reb Belieza in his exhibit entitled "It's All Connected."
08:53 Thank you so much for joining us on The Final Word.
08:56 Thank you.
08:57 Thank you.
08:58 Thank you.