It's common that few attend


It is not something new that very few people attend at art talks. I've been to many of them.

Sometimes you can count the number of attendees with the fingers of one hand. But I think that is just the image that “art” gets from most people. Not only the “masa” but also, unbelievably, from art students, art practitioners  creative professionals, etc.


Art it seems to be for most Filipinos is very scary and elitist and very exclusive and very intimidating.

rare occasion, must have been a class requirement 



I must say that I also felt that way before. I can also say that that limited view from the outside may have some truth to it.


Most art talks I’ve attended would be started by the organizer or the artist trying  to push his 50 page CV unto you, pushing that he is credible, that he is an expert in this field, that he is a genius. I don’t think they do it consciously but they give me the impression that they too are threatened and thus want to establish, get it clear, that they are the authority here.


Though not all start out that way.


Some start out very open. Open in a sense that they stop and look at the response of the listeners. And open in the sense that they give you those stories that you would normally just hear in front of a round of beer. Those stories that make you want to love the art world more, make your hair stand in fear and excitement. It’s like hearing those great adventure stories told in the books.


And if the talk does not start that way if it is long enough and the questions given by the listeners are smart and specific enough the speakers open up too.


So there don’t hesitate to attend an art talk when you can. Give it a try. Especially if the topic rings a tune to you.




Disqus for Gerome Soriano