Art of a champion
On court, he dribbles, shoots and scores to the deafening tsunami of cheers from a sea of blue. Off the court and after the final buzzer bleats, Jobe Nkemakolam of the Ateneo Blue Eagles has a different ballgame altogether. While his teammate Chris Tiu attends to his various engagements in the media or to the screams of fan girls, Jobe has a completely different advocacy.
What started as a project for his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies turned to a newfound passion and love for the arts and a long-lasting friendship with the artists whose zeal for the color and brush transcends class and canvas space. His thesis saw Jobe entering the world of The Realist Painters of the Philippines, or TRAPP.
Striving to fulfill its modest goals of preserving culture, family and tradition and eventually passing them on to the next generation through their craft, the TRAPP artists paint contemporary and seemingly ordinary scenes of Filipino life in broad and colorful strokes.
“Dalagang Filipina” for example is a painting that touches on the everlasting blooming beauty of the feminine face amidst the presence of lush flowers within the sacred domestic space. “Gulay ng Buhay,” on the other hand, is a fresh portrayal of a young Filipino vendor who at an early age musters the strength, resolve and, at the same time, solitude to earn his keep amidst the hustle and bustle of wet market life.
For the Realist painters of TRAPP, then, “art is a way of conquering the heart.” That art provides us with the opportunity to temper and transform stress of contemporary life into a rich brand of aesthetics drew Jobe into the artistic discipline. He shares that when not handling the ball, he picks up a brush to hone this second skill. “Painting is my therapeutic response to the stress of academics and athletics,” Jobe says. Through painting he is able to “balance the heart through art.”
His newfound friendship with TRAPP artists like Orley Ypon, Ronilo Abayan, Cocoy Paano and Ojing Obemio earned him not only four new fans donning with pride the “Nkemakolam No. 10” jersey; the experience also gave Jobe a newfound advocacy to champion. He now works and travels with TRAPP artists to find audiences which, like him, would like to discover the dulce et utile of realist painting. Canvassing for venues to house some of the TRAPP’s paintings in periodic exhibits as well as contacting curators and art collectors are some of the things that TRAPP and Jobe are into now. Among the list of TRAPP’s fans are top politicians and business leaders like Senator Miguel Zubiri, the Lopezes, the Marcose and the clans of Medialdea, Jose and Araneta. Paintings will also be given to civic-oriented causes like Gawad Kalinga.
On court, Jobe will always be blue. But when the “Go Ateneo” cheer drums its last and students and alumni alike return to their normal lives, Jobe enters a world where all colors — blue, red, orange, yellow and even green — harmoniously paint a life enriched with tradition through values, compassion through passion, heart through art.
* * *
Felix Catarata’s exhibit opens today, 6 p.m., at SM Art Center, fourth floor, SM Megamall A, Mandaluyong City. The show is on view until Oct. 27.
Miguel Lizada lectures on English language and literature at the Ateneo de Manila University. He also works as writer for the Ateneo website. A self-confessed Ateneo Blue Eagles fan, he shares that Jobe is a good friend but his favorite players are still Nonoy Baclao and Jai Reyes.
