On the Verge of Lunacy

The scenes were quite appealing to me although I could not understand what they actually stood for. What was clear to me however was that the Apprentice was trying to overcome some tests (for what purpose, I found out later when i read the synopsis ). It was really unusual to see a performance like that. It's like looking at an abstract expressionist work for the first time. You just see splattered paint all over, not knowing how to make sense of it. Getting used to conventional or traditional interpretations and recreations of the world has its downsides. When confronted with something rare or new, we either reject it or refuse to see it. Matthew Barney is just one of those artists who continually revitalizes the world of art. It is through these changes (or revolutions) that a new breed of artists are born. Through their skills and new insights we are able to see the world from another perspective.

Based on the articles by Friedrich Nietzsche(Birth of Tragedy), Sigmund Freud( On Oedipus Rex and Hamlet) and Robert B. Hailman (Melodrama) Where do artists, or in this case playwrights, get their ideas? The simplest answer may be that there is a source of inspiration. A triggering factor that demands to be written and that plagues the writer with ideas. In Sigmund Freud's article however, inspirations from everyday scenes and events are not the only sources of ideas. Perhaps some of them come from primal urges that have long been suppressed because tradition tells us that such an idea, or desire, are unacceptable. And it is only through art that these secret hopes and fears are realized. Perhaps this is why Oedipus Rex had such an impact on ancient Greeks and the generations that have read Sophocles' masterpiece. Friedrich Nietzsche once said that "artistic creativity, like all creativity, is an expression of power; it is the overcoming of passion. Without passion, w...

PLOT At first glance, the story might be about Sam and his friends, but it was only through them that a more important theme of the story has been told. The musical play was all about the small community in Jolo, Sulu whose bloody history was long forgotten by the generations that followed after the massacre. At the end of the story we see that Sam and Amrayda's marriage was more important and symbolic. What seems to be an ordinary concern of a young Tausug complicates to challenges that led to self-discovery of great proportions. CHARACTERS The actors were well suited to their roles considering the fact that they are real Tausugs who carry with them their culture and tradition. Sam appeared to be the protagonist of the play but he was only the instrument through which the story was told. DICTION The dialogues were appropriate for each character based on the personality they have established from the very beginning. They might have changed views in the end but their lines refl...

" The greatest artwork man can create is himself" - Nietzsche On Rich Kiamco's Unaccessorized Rich Kiamco's performance was superb. He was able to deliver his message clearly. Even with a few props he able to capture the attention of the people from beginning to end. The audience were not just outsiders. His interactions made them feel like they were part of his story. Although the tone was comical he was able to handle sensitive issues very well. It was really worth watching. (I even asked for his autograph...hehe!)

The beat of the agong might have been a requiem for the Tausugs in Jolo, Sulu on March 6, 1906. The sound of the guns have been the last music they danced to.But tragedies can be a source of inspiration. And the incident was what inspired 2-time Palanca awardee Arnel Mardoquio to write the Antigong Agong for its centennial celebration. The music, the actors and the story of the Bud Dahu massacre made the musical play an unforgettable experience (or maybe it was just the effect of sitting in the front row).At first I thought it was just another corny love story but I'm glad it turned out differently. Sam's ordinary problem of getting the money for the dowry led to bigger and more important discoveries. The musicians did a great job. I enjoyed the songs that contained comments on social issues and how the characters themselves made fun of their misery.The play is full of social commentaries that are bold and amusing. The songs and dialogues are meant deliver it with grace a...

I guess what makes art Art is that it is a level above or below reality. It either enhances the image of the object to give more essence to its existence or the artist strips down ordinary things to make them look more ordinary. I think this what Aristotle meant by the "essence of the ideal". Whatever that ideal image is, it can only be seen or felt by looking at how and why the object was made. And by that he pertains only to the physical appearance of the object because the the truth itself can only be seen through its physical manifestation. He was trying to say that although we only imitate the ideal, the essence, even it is much farther removed from the truth as Plato claimed, is still within that object. If that is the case then we should look at art as to how it is imitated. There must be something in a piece of work that we do not like that we must have overlooked. Just like what the director did to the story in the movie "Tuhog". To him the story is more ...

People vary in responses and opinions on what is beautiful and not so pleasing to the eyes. Not everyone finds Brad Pitt attractive and not everyone likes dark skin. These judgments reflect familial, cultural, religious or political conditioning. But even people in the same background vary in their preferences. Most girls like me do not consider guns as works of art. Not everyone likes the sound of it. For most people it symbolizes violence, cruelty and death. But to me, they are no different from paintings or music or literature. So what do people look for when they judge its aesthetic value? There are two things or categories that people use to evaluate objects. It can be what most would label the “objective” perspective where the person looks at the elements like lines and colors in a painting for example. The others try to attach meanings and compare them to experiences and memories of people, objects or events that appeal to the emotions. It was this emotional part that Plato ...