The Sensational Oeuvre of the Former Man of God
By Reesy Garcia-Ferrer, The Philippine Star
Ink Blot 02, 2005, by Danny Castillones Sillada
POET, PAINTER, PHILOSOPHER, art critic and a former seminary Formator Danny C. Sillada mounts his latest works, “Everything and Nothingness”.
Utilizing an expensive metamorphic rock or slate as a medium, his art has evolved into a more abstract and contemplative form. Albeit, his paintings are still in the surreal mode, he employed Rorschach-like inkblot images in relation to Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis on id, ego and superego.
The inkblot series has a seeming playful and child-like quality. The viewer cannot help but take a second look at the perturbing imagery, as it offers a poignant and peculiar encounter of one’s psyche and subconscious. As a result, the psychology charged descriptions leave an indelible mark in one’s mind, and stir uneasiness and emancipation all at once.
Sillada’s two paintings, for instance, titled “Metamorphosis” and “Adam & Eve” seem to appear as photo negatives or slides. His whimsical portrayal of imagery and symbolism is further enhanced by free-flowing strokes and unrestrained lines cascading on the sheen of metamorphic rock and handmade paper.
The resultant images of his works, according to the UP professor and art critic Reuben Ramas Cañete, are culled from manifold, eclectic sources, as diverse as his biographical experiences, exploring the depth of his tortured subconscious by juxtaposing the relationship between symbolism and experience.
Sillada is a recipient of Pasidungog Centennial Award in the fields of Literary and Visual Arts in his hometown in Mindanao. An existentialist, he is the author and thread starter on the most visited forum on the Web titled “The Nostalgic Idea of God” at Philosophy News Service.
Sillada obtained his degree on Philosophy at the Queen of Apostles College Seminary, Davao, his theological and postgraduate studies at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila and his MBA at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, Makati.
Most of his works are in the collection of former SSS Chairman Carlos Arellano, and other collectors such as Eric Cruz of FF Cruz, Ms. Gina de Venecia, and the President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, to name a few.
About the author:
Reesy Garcia-Ferrer is an interior designer and freelance writer.
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How to cite this article:
Garcia-Ferrer, Reesy. “The Sensational Oeuvre of the Former Man of God.” The Philippine Star (Manila): May 2005. Print.
Online link to Asia Art Archive: http://www.aaa.org.hk/Collection/Details/20168