Environment and Art: Nature in Murals at SPUQC

Environment and Art:  Nature in Murals at SPUQC

By Abe V Rotor

                Tropical Rainforest, wall mural in acrylic by AV Rotor (8' x 10') 2000

Watershed, Wall Mural, St Paul University QC, (12' x 14') AVR 2007.
The murals have suffered rapid deterioration due to direct exposure 

to the elements and poor maintenance.

Nature represents the idea of the entire universe in a state of perfection. Nature is one: it unites heaven and earth, connecting human beings with the stars and bringing them all together into a single family. Nature is beautiful; it is ordered. A divine law determines its arrangement, namely the subordination of the means to the end, and the parts to the whole.

After putting down my brush, I took a view of the mural from a distance. The scene – unspoiled nature – one spared from the hands of man and typified by the tropical rainforest, flowed out from a wall that was previously white and empty.

In the course of painting the mural, which took all of seven days and in the days following its unveiling, I took notice of the reactions of viewers. It must be the stillness of the scene, freshness of its atmosphere, and its apparent eccentricity that attract passersby as if in search of something therapeutic. It seems to slow down busy feet, soothing tired nerves. There is something I thought was mysterious beyond the levels of aesthetics. For the huge scene is a drama of life completely different from city living. It is respite. It is transformation from concrete to greenery, from cityscape to landscape.

Yet, I found it difficult to give it a title and an explanation that captures both its essence and message. This time many ideas crowded my mind. At the start of my painting labors, the challenge was how and where to start painting. Now that it is completed, what else is there to say after one has “said” it all in colors and lines, hues and shadows, perspective and design? What more is there to declare for after the last page of a book? For a painting, it is the same.

Relaxation did not come easy for me after many hours of concentrating on my subject, dealing with a fast-drying medium of acrylic. What made it more challenging was the unending attempt to capture those fleeting impressions and recollections that pervaded my mind as I painted. I then took a pen and slowly wrote my thoughts. From the mural, I saw the scenery of my childhood on the farm, views of my travels here and abroad, imagery from my readings, and views drawn out like a thread from the mass of a golf ball. It was imagery and memory working jointly.

Tropical Rainforest Model

I chose the tropical rainforest scenery since it is the richest of all ecosystems in the world. The Philippines, being one of the countries endowed with this natural wealth is a treasure, indeed. For this reason, I believe that, the tropical rainforest closely resembles the description of the biblical paradise. It is not only a living bank of biological diversity; it is the most important sanctuary of living matters on earth.

To paint such a big wall is no easy task. It is not unusual to face a blank wall, literally speaking, and not knowing what to do first even with all the colors and tools on hand – and a predetermined topic in mind. Shall I start at the center and move outward, or from both sides slowly progressing inward? Or do I divide the wall into parts, working on them one by one, then unifying them at the end?

…and Heaven and Nature Sing

Christmas was already in the air and the Siberian winds were bringing in the chills. Carol music was now being played in malls, schools and homes. I was engrossed in my work when some students, watching me paint, sang a familiar song. On this particular occasion, something about the song chimed inside me, directing me towards the central theme of my mural.

“…and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.”

- Joy to the World

What does this mean? Is it the idea of nature representing the entire universe in a state of perfection? Or is it nature as one? Does it unite heaven and earth? Does it connect human beings and the galaxies as one family?

Little did I know of my ecology. As a subject I teach in college and in the graduate school I depend much on formulas and equations, principles and case studies. My knowledge about the environment is structured and formal. I use module maps or course syllabi based on accepted teaching techniques and references. My approach was comparative analysis. I was a judge of the beautiful and ugly, the do’s and don’ts. At times I am a Utopian; at others, conformist.

Little did I realize that the order of Nature is not merely determined by natural laws applied as ecological tenets, but as a divine law which determines its arrangement, the subordination of the means to the end, and which the assimilation of the parts to the whole. Many of us are ignorant of this law, or if we know it, seem to forget or disregard it as we relentlessly work to exploit the earth.

In our apparent failure to preserve nature, perhaps it is time to look at ecology with the essence of this popular Christmas song – a song that makes everyday of the year, Christmas. Ecology is “heaven and nature singing together.” Only then can we truly understand the term, balance of nature – a kind of dynamic equilibrium that leads to homeostasis where there is stability among interdependent groups that characterize natural processes, and the period in which they take place. The ultimate conclusion is always a balanced system. We have to look beyond books to understand biological diversity, and its application in nature, to find the common phrase: In diversity there is unity. The general rule is that the wider the diversity is in terms of number of living species, and in terms of the number of natural species and their habitats, the more closely knit the biosphere becomes, resulting in a richer, more stable environment. Undoubtedly, all this is part of a grand design inspired divinely.

A Hole in the Sky

Looking at the mural from a distance one notices a darkened part of the sky, apparently a hole (though this is not the ozone layer pierced by CFC pollution). It gives one a feeling that it is a tunnel to infinity as if to link both earth and heaven. Through this hole, one envisions a Higher Principle. From the foreground, which is the placid stream of a downward meandering river, its tributaries and banks lined with trees and thickets, the eye soon reaches the forested hills and mountains shrouded by clouds.

But it does not end there. Here the cloud is a curtain laden with the radiance of the sun, and the life-giving provenance of rain, useless each without the other for life on earth to exist. This is the crossroad. The cloud opens with a backdrop of infinity. The universe, whose limit is unknown, bursts open a foreground that reveals a whole drama of life on earth. After that, the eye repeats the journey. In the process, the viewer becomes sensitive to the details of the painting. He searches for things familiar, or situations that later become a new experience.

Creatures in the Forest

Creatures in general are not as visible as they appear in books and on the screen. They blend with their surroundings mainly for predatory anticipation and protective camouflage. But there are other reasons too, that are not well understood. Take the case of the butterflies. Their beauty is extravagant for their basic function as pollinators. Fish jump for mere pleasure, dragonflies have wings that split light into prisms. Birds stay in the sky longer for the sheer joy of flying, and not just to cruise in search of a prey.

Among the animals suggested to me while painting the mural are flying lemur, Philippine monkey, heron, monitor lizard, boa constrictor and hornbill. I painted these - and many more, the way I imagined them in their natural habitat. I put a touch of Noah’s Ark, painting them in pairs. For the rodents, ducks and doves I made them in amiable groupings that exude a familial atmosphere.

Whenever I see viewers seriously searching for these creatures with walking fingers, I am tempted to add to the collection of creatures, making them even more difficult to find. But that might change the ambiance to fun and puzzle solving, rather than of meditation and recollection.

People in the Mural

The trees and the massiveness of the scenery dwarf the characters in the mural. They appear mindless of events and time. They care not for the chores of the day. Those who are engrossed fishing with a simple hook-and-line do not show excitement even as they land their catch. Others patiently wait for a bite. There is a sense of tranquility and peace to all characters, whether they are promenading or just passing the time away. Their faces show only the slightest hint of anger or sadness.

I noticed viewers trying to identify themselves with the characters of the mural. Some construction workers envision themselves fishing. High school students are drawn by the promenades. But there are those who simply imagine themselves part of the scene. “This place is familiar to me,” one would say, apparently recalling provincial life. “We have flying lemurs in Davao,” says another.

Where does the water flow, and what does the mural mean to us? Water is everywhere. It is free to flow. Tributaries abound as if there were no limit. Trees are everywhere and far into the backdrop is a vast virgin forest. There is no sign of man’s destructive hand. At the foreground is a placid pond where Nymphaea and lotus grow. It is in contrast to the lively pulse of the river. This is a corner where life is peaceful and serene. It is here that we draw strength in facing the river and beyond.

What really is the message of the mural to us?

Quite often, images of nature enrapture us. These are reminiscences of childhood, a re-creation of a favorite spot we may have visited or seen, or products of the imagination greatly influenced by the society we live in.

These images reflect a deep seated biological longing to be part of nature. Putting it in the biblical sense, it is a natural searching for the lost paradise. They are a refuge from city living, a respite, and an escape from the daily grind.

But these images do not only tell us of what we are missing. Rather, it reminds us what we are going to miss, perhaps forever, if we do not heed nature’s signal towards a fast declining ecosystem. If we do not change our way of life from too much dependence on consumerism, to one more closely linked to conservation of nature, we may end up building memories and future archives of a lost world.

The warning is clear. The painting challenges everyone to do his part to save Mother Earth so that her beauty is not only kept in the form of images, but a scenery of real life enjoyed by us and future generations. ~

Museum and Humanities: What Students Say about Humanities

By Dr Abe V Rotor
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The SPUQC Museum is the ideal place to conduct classes in Humanities. The following findings were derived from the perception and reaction of students who took Humanities in the summer 2005 at St Paul University QC. Humanities or Applied Aesthetics, formerly Introduction to the Arts and Music, is a three-unit subject offered in the second year as part of the general college curriculum. The findings will shed light to the general impression that Humanities is one of the least understood subjects.
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Humanities Today was written by Kristine Molina-Doria and Abe V Rotor, and published by C and E Publishing Inc  for the K-12 curriculum 

Introduction
As a professor in humanities, the author looked into how functional knowledge and skills derived from the course could be best cultivated, and how the historical and philosophical perspectives are inculcated in the student. He believes that this can be done by formulating an effective way of teaching this broad subject which comprises four major fields, namely visual art, literature, stage play, music and dance.

One can only imagine how, in a semester’s time – or in one summer period - a college freshman or sophomore could imbibe the subject from the level of appreciation to actual application. But the author believes in the potentials of the course – if only it could be taught the “effective” way.

The other consideration why this study was made is to determine to what extent can awareness in the arts be built in so short a period, and how such awareness would affect behavior and perception of the student, not only in the arts, but also about life itself. It would give both teacher and students the idea when appreciation begins so as to influence attitudes and values.

Does Humanities bring out awareness of culture and history as well? To what extent does it influence ones perception about the environment, society and the changing times? Is the syllabus of the course sufficient in bridging art’s traditional history and conventional styles with one that is progressive and liberal in keeping up with the call of the times? If this is so, are the students prepared to critique art, not so much for art’s sake, but for its relevance and application in their lives?

Profile of the student-respondents

There are 43 students, all female, with a narrow age range of 17 to 20. The average age is 17.71. The students are in their second year taking up the following courses.

IT (Information Technology) 31 72%
HRM (Hotel and Restaurant Management) 8 19
MC (Mass Communication) 3 7
Biology 1 2

Total 43 100%

Of the 43 student-respondents, 26 of them or 60 percent are bona fide residents of Metro Manila, while 17 (40 %) have provincial addresses. Thirty (80 %) live with their parents, while 5 (12 %) live with their relatives. In general, the students belong to small families as shown by the computed average number of brothers and sisters, which is 1.69 and 0.87, respectively. This is equivalent to three children per family, two girls and one boy.

What students say about the venues of the course.

The Likert Scale (1 very poor, 2 poor, 3 pair, 4 good, and 5 very good) was used for each question or item.

1. Classroom (3.67 = Good) The classroom is on the fourth floor of the Administration Building. It is quite small for a class of 43. It is newly repainted. Two air conditioning units (window type) units and two ceiling fans maintain favorable room temperature. Lighting is adequate.

2. Museum (4.42 = Very Good) The school museum has a floor area equivalent to two large classrooms. The ceiling is high and floor plan is ideal for lecture-demonstration and workshop. Exhibits and panel boards are movable to allow students to sit on the floor, or work in groups. One advantage of the museum as a venue for Humanities is the availability of teaching aids and subject models, like paintings, and its convenience in exhibiting the works of students. The museum also served as “Little Theater” for drama skit presentation.

3. The Eco- Sanctuary or Botanical Garden as venue for on-the-spot drawing and painting garnered 4.4 or Very Good rating. This explains the enjoyment of students in outdoor exercises and to be close to nature. The Eco-Sanctuary is a miniature replica of a Tropical Rainforest with waterfall and running stream, surrounded with trees. It has a spacious lawn between small trees, wooden benches and pathways which are parts of the landscape.

4. The Instructional Media Center (IMC) is the venue for the viewing of The Little Prime and My Fair Lady. The students rated the IMC with 3.54 or Good. Two facilities were used: Audio-Visual Room 1 has carpeted floor, and the TV Barn, temporarily made for film viewing. Both conventional and panoramic screens were used. The films were highly defined, so with the sound system.

As a whole, the students rated the venues - classroom, museum, Eco-Sanctuary and IMC - 4.0 or Good. This shows the awareness of the students on the need for school facilities in the enhancement of the teaching of Humanities.

What students say about the conduct of classes.

Four methods of instruction were used. These are the ratings obtained from the respondents for each method.

1. Lecture- Demonstration 4.38 Very Good
2. Hands-on and on-site 4.16 Very Good
3. Group dynamics 3.93 Good
4. Film viewing and critiquing 3.86 Good

Preference to lecture-demonstration, followed by hands-on and on-site instruction is shown by the ratings, but the scores are not significantly better than those obtained in the other teaching methods. On the average the instruction methods garnered 4.08 or Good rating

What students say about the teacher.

Three aspects about the teacher were evaluated, namely competence or proficiency, attitude towards his students, and professionalism becoming of a true teacher and Christian.

As an information background, the professor has been teaching humanities at SPUQ since 1994. He holds a doctorate and masteral degrees, and two BS degrees in arts and sciences. He is author of several books, a columnist, painter and violinist. He served for 15 years as curator of the former SPCQ museum. He also taught at UST and DLSU-D. He was chosen one of the Outstanding Teachers of the Philippines by CHED in 2002. These are the scores for the following criteria.

1. Competence (knowledge and skill) 4.38 Very Good
2. Attitude/ treatment to student 4.35 Very Good
3. Professionalism 4.52 Very Good

Continued...

Museum and Humanities: A Night of Music in the SPUQC Garden

By Abe V Rotor

Written at the former Eco Sanctuary of Saint Paul University QC, c.1998. The garden has been reduced into a mini-park surrounded by high walls and buildings replacing the old grotto, two greenhouses and an arboretum.

Long-horned grasshopper or katydid (Microcentrum rhombifolium)

What makes a garden an ideal place for the relaxation may miss the eye. Beyond the beauty of flowers, the diversity of life forms, and the comfort a garden may bring to a tired soul, there is one more thing a nature lover must not miss - a night of a music, courtesy of nature’s miniature musicians.

I refer to these principal singers, the cricket (Acheta domesticus and Gryllus sp.) and the long-horned grasshopper or katydid (Microcentrum rhombifolium), all belonging to a large group, Order Orthoptera, to which the grasshopper is a typical member.

Since childhood I have always been fascinated by insect music. Stealthily, I searched for the singer. I found out that these insects are ventriloquists and a slight turn of their wings or bodies would deceive the hunter. And when I succeed and get nearer and nearer to the source of the music, the singer would abruptly stop.

Then I finally succeeded in pinning down with a flashlight the little Caruso in the middle of his performance. He is well hidden behind a leaf, brown to black, compact and sturdy, nearly two inches long, with a long tail and a pair of antennae. His front wings are raised 45 degrees above his abdomen on which the hind wings are folded. This is the cricket’s fiddling position. Now he rubs the two leathery wings against each other in a back and forth motions, a process called stridulation, which inspired man to invent the violin. On closer examination the base of the front wing in lined with a sharp edge to form the scrapper, while the ventral side has a file like ridge, the file, which represents the bow of the violin.

And what about the stereoscopic sound effect? A pair of tympana, which are drum-like organs, found at the base of the front tibia, are actually ears which, together with the raised wings, serve as resonator, sending the sound to as far as a mile away on a still night.

Now let us analyze the music produced - or is it only a sound that is mistaken for some music qualities? The cricket's sound produced by a single stroke called pulse. Each pulse is composed of a number of individual tooth strokes of the scraper and file. Pulse rate is from four to five per second, but on warm summer night the rate becomes faster. Thus, crickets are not only watchdogs (they stop when they sense an intruder), they are also indicators of temperature – and perhaps the coming of bad weather. It is for these reasons, other than their music, that the Chinese and the Japanese love them as pets.

The pulses of cricket are relatively musical; that is, they can usually be assigned a definite pitch, varying from 1,500 to 10,000 hertz, depending on the species. Those of the long-horned grasshopper or katydid are more noise-like; that is, they contain a wide band of frequencies, including clicking and lapsing, and cannot be assigned to a definite pitch. The monotony of its sound must have led to the coining of the insect’s name, katydid-katydid-katydid…

There are three musical pieces the cricket plays. Calling songs are clear crisp, and loud, which, of course, suit the intention. When a female comes around and nudges the singing male, his music becomes soft and romantic, lasting for many minute to hours, and he forgets his role of warning the presence of an intruder or telling of the coming of storm. Anyone who is love- struck is like that.

But worse can come all of a sudden. This sentinel falls silent as he takes the bride. And when another suitor is around, this Valentino takes a fighting stance and sings the Bastille, a battle song.

I came across studies on insect music. I began to take interest, imitating it with the violin. It is impossible and the audiospectrogram tells why. Biologically, only the members of the same species understand one another. No two species can communicate vis-à-vis this auditory means. This is one area in development biology, which has not been fully explored. How did this mechanism of species communication evolve? With computers today, can it be explored as an alternative and safe means of controlling destructive species?

The garden meets sunrise with fluttering butterflies, so does it enters the night with an array of concerto and orchestra music, and the garden becomes a place for meditation. I say that the music produced by this insect is a sound of peace and praise for life. When the students have gone home and the offices are already closed, I usually spend hours waiting for my color-coding time at the SPCQ garden. The chores of the day vanish easily, and I find the evening so relaxing that I do not complain of the traffic on my way home.

The great Charles Darwin himself expressed his deep feelings for these night’s musicians in his book, “Cricket at the Heart”. He said, “I love it for the many times I have heard it, and the many thoughts its harmless music has given me.”

Carolus Linneaus, the father of taxonomy, was more affected by these insects. He kept them to send him to sleep. Japanese children delight in collecting crickets, as American children do with fireflies. Caged crickets are sold in shops. But in a mall I found a battery- operated cricket in a cage. We are indeed in Computer Age! Poet David McCord laments, “The cricket’s gone. We only hear machinery.”

As for me, I still find peace in the garden with these humble companions in the night.

x x x

Thoughts before a World War II Memorial, St Paul University QC

Two images of the WWII Memorial at SPUQC

Dr Abe V Rotor

Xerxes' aide a thousand times
whispered, "Remember the Greeks!"
to keep memory of Darius, but -
revenge is all but the weak seeks.

A thousand times we cried in rage,
in hopelessness as countless died,

"Remember the Japanese!"
and left to time sorrow to subside.

Our cry died on marbled floors,
died in echoes and in the shade
of high rise buildings and halls
that the new generation made.

The memorial stands tall and mute,
cold as steel against the Flame;
three beams of a chapel before,
now a triad devoid of fame.Shh... hear the cries in the dungeon,
the comfort women, their muffled moan,
the ashes left by countless souls,
bombed buildings against the moon.
Remember the tortuous Death March,
the saga of the Corrigidor,
the ghosts in concentration camps,
the nameless heroes on the shore.

Short is modern man's memory
amidst malls, cars and easy life,
multimedia and the university;
yeah, the Good Life sans strife.

Where does faith in Providence abide?
Goodness, lessons from childhood lie,
where once in the home and school,
Now along with evil they lie.

A new breed has risen - puzzled,
sitting on a fence in a throng -
remora on the manna of capitalism
and subsidy from the strong.

By design or chance or deceit,
gambler's luck, one waits for time
in idleness knowing no enemy,
without the essence of time.

Isn't the essentials of history
to refresh memory before it's gone?
Look up hard at the memorial
to trace the roots of freedom.

But it is harder to look back now;
nothing can be done with the past;
but revolution has a story to tell,
never, never the die is cast.

To tell us why we are here today;
Darwin also knew of such a test,
why fallen victims too, survive,
and once more live with the fittest.

"Remember the Greeks!" we may say,
or "Remember the Japanese!" -
two things different in their own way.
Look! The cold steel is never at ease.~

NOTE: St. Paul University Quezon City served as garrison of Japanese soldiers for four years (1942-1945), and was razed to the ground on their retreat and subsequent defeat. The author recalls the darkest hour of Philippine history - and of the whole world for that matter - when man's inhumanity to man eclipsed love, justice and hope - which represent the three pillars of the memorial. The memorial reminds the post-war generations that history has the capability of repeating itself. Another interpretation of the triad is the trilogy of the 18th century French Revolution - Egalite', Fraternite', Liberte' (Equality, Fraternity and Liberty.)

Museum and Humanities (Painting and Poetry)

Dr Abe V Rotor

Sailing Vintas in acrylic by AVR

Release your hurt, loneliness and pride,
Each stroke, each line, a current
That takes you out for a pleasure ride
Away from the world a moment.

Ride on the wind, catch the passing breeze,
Surf to yonder and back at peace
Fresh to face life's challenge with ease,
All enshrined in a masterpiece.~

Poem and Painting by Dr. Abe V. Rotor

You are an artist,
you paint and mould life at its barest
On weathered rocks and ancient trunks,
or some forgotten crest and cliff,
that through seasons howl or sleep,
or cry like a beagle, or the chameleon
that mimics sunrise and sunset
with colors divine.
Bless you, pioneer of protolife,
Pathfinder of the bryophyte and the vine,
Precursor of forest primeval,
home of the eagle and fireflies,
Probing what good is rock if it loses
the essence where life rises.

Lend me your color

Red, red flower -
how lovely you are!
Lend me your color
that I too, shall shine,
under the sun
and in the hearts of men
gleaming to a wonderful world
lovely and divine.

Rachel, model; photo by Nicole Paredes.

Poem & Painting by Dr. Abe V. Rotor

You lose your crown that you may gain
Freedom to reach out for the sky;
For the sun to bathe your whole being,
To raise the lowly where they lie.

The sky and ground now become one,
Renewing faith in new life to beam;
Rises the sun the prime mover all,
To flow through the living stream.

You litter the floor, keep in the rain,
Feed the microbes, the brute you tame,
Breaking the carbon back to its form,
And the genie for the next game.

Seasons may come and go, obedient
And humble are your ways untold;
Your old gene, it’s the key to loving
Your kin, and fighting the bold.

Against the wind and scanty rain;
The inner signal comes around
Ticking, then it comes, it is fall;
You have earned a bigger crown. ~