Elmer Borlongan makes his European debut in an exhibit held in Paris.

Written by Jay Bautista
Date of posting here

Among the disciplines of philosophy, science, and art, it is only art that tangibly bears witness to realities in our society, said Giles Deleuze. Of the three, it is also art that tells the ongoing story and valued learnings of our people. A true artist reacts to what is happening around him, finding deeper meaning within different contexts, and seeing truth and beauty even in the quagmire. 

With a committed art practice spanning more than 30 years, Social Realist Elmer Borlongan has been consistently focused on producing painting after painting of the everyday Filipino and his constant struggle to survive with dignity. His subjects are the nameless masses who suffer, as he advocates for their genuine emancipation. 

When Time Stood Still, Borlongan’s solo exhibition at the Galerie Geraldine Banier in Paris, depicts how Filipinos get by in their day-to-day existence in the midst of the pandemic. The artist presents our collective narrative for the first time in a European country and demonstrates the bespoke visual style that’s all his own. A master of melancholic composition, Borlongan places his subjects against a stark background. The foreboding and alienating atmosphere of his paintings suits the timely theme well. 

Beginning in March 2020, the coronavirus spread quickly around the world and affected many people who were unknowingly infected at a faster rate than expected. Borlongan captures the intense situation at the onset of the pandemic in “Time and Patience” and “Boxed In.” He depicts grim uncertainty as deaths were piling up and as Filipinos waited in gloom during the forced lockdown. 

As anxieties grew, people adjusted to being confined in their homes—and trying to keep sanity and well-being intact. We can all identify with “Bookworm” and the pleasure and escapism found in of reading, as well as the need for “Connection” and staying in touch with our loved ones. People couldn’t go to the gym so doing “Indoor Exercise” became the norm. Others found solace in growing plants and flowers in their home gardens, as seen in “Plantito.” Taking care of pets was also therapeutic. “Coffee and Cat” and “Nap Time” are cherished pieces for Borlongan, whose pet cats and dogs are like family to him. They roam around his studio, providing warm comfort and cheer in the midst of his solitude. 

Many found themselves unemployed during this difficult period. As a way to augment meager earnings and support their families, people set up their own home baking business online. Homemade bread and baked goods not only nourished people, but also kept them afloat financially. This is depicted in “Panadero.” Borlongan also tried his hand at making bread, joining his wife and brother-in-law in giving out pan de sal to underprivileged families. 

As the pandemic entered its first year, “Melancholia” started to seep in and apprehension enveloped us, as if we were drowning in our own sorrows. In “Lunar Eclipse Over Bohol,” the blood moon that was witnessed in several parts of the world serves as a premonition of darkness to come.

During the pandemic, Borlongan rediscovered his love for printmaking, which he first practiced during his college years at the University of the Philippines. As a medium with mass-based distribution, printmaking allows art to be made accessible to all. Indeed, Borlongan’s prints are more easily acquired than his paintings. Each print is an original from a plated source. With Neil Doloricon and Orlando Castillo as his influences, Borlongan employs different techniques and enjoys the painstaking process.  

Borlongan’s prints reflect the grim Covid situation in black and white and leans into rawness and rough textures. “Desolation” and “Pensive Mood” capture desperate helplessness. “Beast of Burden” and “Quarantine” speak to those who have gotten infected with the coronavirus, who have experienced the isolation of quarantine or been treated with discrimination. As we move on and face our fears, acceptance of our predicament is expressed in “Replenish.”

By the second year of the pandemic, as he was preparing for his Paris show, Borlongan produced “Give Me Hope” and “Love and Hope”—signs that he finds fresh cause for optimism. Despite the bleak context of the pandemic situation, Borlongan sees the light at the end of the tunnel. When Time Stood Still is a testament to Filipino resilience, our strong sense of community, and the remarkable power of the human spirit.