Ang Mamumundok at ang Mahomanay
Digital, 17x11 inches, 2018
The Mahomanay called friends of hers – two brown horses from the field in the valley – to help her and her newfound friend, a mountaineer and his intrepid dog, to reach the mountain peak just in time for the sunset.
Being an animal guardian and a resident in one of the richest and purest forests in the Philippines, she knew what the vantage point would be to witness the magnificent magenta, orange, red, and yellow of the skies.
But being such a beneficent creature, more animals joined in the fun in the rush to the top: butterflies, an eagle, and a wild boar! They loved the Mahomanay so much, and they were equally curious about the mountaineer and his funny dog.
Colors became blurs around them because of how fast they were going. The mountaineer knew that this was his best climb yet. He was a photographer, but he kept his camera inside his bag.
He’d rather let his eyes rest in the beauty of the Philippines’ mountains, forest, animals, and his friend – the Mahomanay.
This piece was for the art exhibit Re_Tale: Philippine Tales Retold by Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang InK) at the Sining Makiling Gallery, DL Umali Hall, University of the Philippines – Los Baños, Laguna. The exhibit is from Feb. 6 – Mar. 3, 2018.
Ang InK artists retold the myths and legends of the Philippines’ rich tapestry of stories and creatures through illustrations and 3D works. I chose the Mahomanay for their beneficent nature and their being guardians of forest animals. For a modern take, I decided for her to interact with a kind mountain hiker (mamumundok) and his intrepid dog who both love to climb mountains in the Philippines. The Mahomanay, along with her animal friends, helps the hiker and his dog to reach the peak to catch the sunset.
Timelapse
Here is an art vlog of mine where I included the timelapse video (2:18) of working on this artwork: