Carating’s art becomes exquisite with age

Norberto "Lito" Carating’s mastery to capture and nuance textures foregrounds his art. He is impeccably virtuous in handling what now has become his identifying medium – acrylic. The use of metallic acrylic pigments – gold, silver, copper and bronze, to cite a few – allows him to explore with textures in his compositions. Carating generously applies layers upon layers of metallic acrylic to his canvas in almost concrete fashion as masonry to serve as slates for his textural inscriptions and incisions and thereby achieving a rarefied combination of antique, iridescent, dark and bright finishes.

His proclivity with his subject matter – mostly depictions of the various times and moods of the day – and his coherence in manipulating the medium empower his paintings with queries and corresponding responses, eye-popping revelations and respites in well-appointed places. Whether in terms of color or in the stimulating juxtaposition of geometric shapes, his pictorial field constantly remains visually engaging.

Carating approaches painting from a polyptych point of view. Two or more panels are joined together to create an imposing panorama of textured grooves of verticals and horizontals. The delicate linear patterns achieved are almost reminiscent of the fragile crisscrossing of the wefts and warps in a sinamay weave. The paintings successfully provide not only physical but perceptual textures. The textures are perceptibly moving, even vibrating. When light – whether natural or artificial – falls on the works, they assume a multi-faceted visuality, throbbing and pulsating in the glow of light.

Carating’s art has become more exquisite with age. The excesses in his works of early years are carefully excluded to make room for further visual articulation of the moment. The discarded ones are not exactly obliterated from memory. They are simply stacked somewhere in the furrows of his constant jostling mind, only to be resurrected to stage their re-appearances in his canvases every now and then to suit a particular intent, if not to remind his audience of his artistic roots. It is in this regard that Carating’s art has matured. In his present works, the mood is subdued.

Carating charmingly transforms his pictorial field into grids, in contrast to his all-over application of visual elements in the past. Appropriating the process of fresco painting of the Renaissance, Carating works on his pictorial field giornata after giornata, where the buono rather than the seco technique is favored. This way, his lines are accomplished in one gestural sweep, without disruption nor hesitation. Working on smaller units enables Carating to literally go around the canvas inasmuch as he works on the floor, instead of resting his canvas on an easel. The chosen process affords Carating to personally interact with a work in progress.

Carating obtained his bachelor of fine arts from the UP College of Fine Arts in 1970. A consistent winner in practically all the national art competitions, including the 13 Artists awards in 1990 from the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Carating time and again has represented the country in many international art events in China, Cuba and the United States. He has extensively exhibited from coast to coast in the United States and Canada, in Germany and most recently in Spain in Europe, as well as in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Carating officially started his career as an exhibiting artist with his first solo exhibition of lamanglupa works at the Galerie Bleue at Rustan’s Makati in 1974. From his earlier works to his recent ones, Carating’s paintings are mesmerizing. Even if one looks at his works over and over again, the viewer does not tire nor get exhausted from the visual experience they inhere.

Carating’s Alma Matters comes 30 years after the last time that the artist mounted an exhibit on campus with Antonio Daroy, Roy Veneración and Nestor Vinluan in 1974. It was a farewell exhibit for the group’s traveling show that visited Europe and the USA.

Alma Matters which signals Carating’s homecoming exhibit in UP also launches the University’s fundraising drive to build a University Gallery that will house the contemporary art collection of UP.

Gracing the event during the artist’s opening reception on Feb. 12 were members of the UP faculty, UPD Chancellor Emerlinda R. Román, and artists like Gus Albor, Roy Veneración, Nestor Vinluan, Phyllis Zaballero, Dan Raralio, Jonah Salvoza, Benjie Cabangis to cite a few. Soprano Nanette Moscardon-Maigue provided musical intermezzo to the celebration.

CFA Dean Virginia B. Dandan, in a prepared message, gratefully acknowledged Carating’s decision to show in UP, an indication indeed that Carating has a special place in his heart for the college.

"Indeed these paintings do belong here. They pulse with a quality of abstract life quite distinct from the lives they have led elsewhere. I have always believed that great art is great because the artist leaves a part of his or her soul in the very depths of his or her creation," as she herself quipped.

As a parting shot, she invited everyone to "encounter the soul waiting to engage the senses in Carating’s paintings." The exhibit runs until March 5.

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