"Paglatas Sa Katuigan"

CEBU, Philippines — In a time when catch-up trends have become trends in and by themselves, can it be said that the ‘nothing really sticks anymore’ norm has become en vogue?

Can it be said that in as much as the ‘next best thing’ is highly valued, its actual value lies in the very anticipation for its big unveil and nothing more?

These musings are among the many raised by an ongoing exhibit at the Cebu City Museum.

Titled “Paglatas Sa Katuigan” and presented by ArtCebu and the Cebu City Museum, the show features works made by artists affiliated with the ArtCebu organization, a circa-2006 online art portal that’s all about promoting the creative prowess of Cebuano talents to the world.

Classified by the organization as one of its “offline galleries,” the exhibit is mainly composed of landscapes and local life-in-the-countryside scenes – renderings which its exhibiting talents identify as indelible Cebuano elements which defy the ‘nothing really sticks anymore’ mindset.

Harping on the ebbs and shifts of the years, the show seems to enjoin viewers to reflect on the changes that have come and gone – to single out what continues to be in life from the next big distractions that have come and gone.

In showcasing lifescapes that have, are and will continue to be in the years to come, “Paglatas Sa Katuigan,” in a way, frames life’s changes by drawing focus on what lasts and what is lasting.

Invariably evoking the wisdom in the saying “the more things change, the more they remain the same,” the exhibit casually informs viewers that they don’t have to chase every single wave that breaks.