Beyond the brush of Abe L. Orobia

Artist and art educator ABE L. OROBIA believes that forging one’s own path is of greater significance than relying on inherited fame

During the height of the pandemic, artist Eleazar Abraham L. Orobia, better known as Abe, was one of those artists who didn’t stop teaching art, even though there was difficulty communicating it. A lecturer at the College of St. Benilde, Abe had a full setup, a dual cam and recorded art sessions via Zoom. “Even though sometimes the sessions are long, my students appreciate it. Other online study sessions were stressful for students during the pandemic. Maybe, our sessions made them happy since it was something new,” shares Abe.

Abe hails from a lineage of artists. He belongs to the Luna bloodline; yet, Abe believes that one’s greatness should not solely rely on having a prestigious family member. “Whether you’re a son or a grandchild. My mantra is to make your own path to become great yourself. Where you’re good at, that’s your goal because the circumstances of the time given to you are different,” he says. At the age of five, he achieved the distinction of being the youngest participant in two group exhibitions organized by the First Filipino Good Samaritan Artists. These exhibitions took place in the Philamlife Pavilion at U.N. Avenue, Manila, in 1989. Abe, a Fine Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, has participated in various group exhibitions and developed his own solo exhibitions. He was the recipient of the TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines) Award in 2022 for his long-standing artistry, education, and cultural activities. His recent showcase titled Unconquerable at the Pinto Art Museum in 2023 explores the themes of time and nature, emphasizing their all-encompassing nature. However, the exhibition primarily focuses on the tenacious strength of the human soul, portrayed by crumpled papers.

Last year, he also created several pieces for Kinetix+, the first luxury boutique gym in the country, which he collectively named “Bodies of Motion” featuring grayscale line art pieces of people participating in strength training. “It’s about energy. It’s about power and strength,” he shares. Know more about the artist as he shares his creative process and upcoming exhibits.

How long have you been painting and what prompted you to start painting?

I came from a family of artists so at a young age, I was exposed to arts, because of my dad, and his peers. I was exposed to exhibitions early. When I was five years old, I was already participating in art exhibitions. I had my solo exhibition at six years old. What prompted me to paint was because of the environment that I am in. In college, I had an organization which I handled. I was the founder of Surit Sining, Surit, to search in art, the deeper meaning of art. Our advisor was the UST Museum Director and the Secretary General at the time of UST, Father Isidro Abano.

What is your favorite subject to paint?

I really do symbolism. And then nature subjects. During the pandemic, my love for bicycles came back. I’m from Muntinlupa. I’m able to bike to Rizal, Laguna, and Batangas. Anywhere, actually. Nature got deeper for me. It became all-encompassing since so much was lost during the pandemic. Nature became a healing thing to me. Human figures are also there but I prefer nature as a subject matter, currently.

I had an exhibition at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the title was Images of the Nation. I championed the farmers, the maritime people, the health workers, the policemen, everyone that got affected by the pandemic. I painted human figures. Then, there are floating papers because floating papers represent the life of a person, it’s short; it’s beautiful but it’s short. We’re just in transit in the world. In my nature subject, those floating papers are still there. But eventually, I changed the material of the papers into aluminum foils from the tube of my paints. Human presence, it means that humans have a great influence on nature. We should take care of it.

As an artist, I don’t change my style. I just like to add details even if it’s black and white.

As an educator and lecturer, what do you teach others about arts?

I have workshops in Ayala Museum. We work with the collections of the Ayala Museum. There’s Amorsolo, Juan Luna, Lozano. I tour people around, my students in particular. When I tour them around, I tell them about the factors about the artworks. The “stylism” at the time.

There is a lecture portion, and they were pleased that I taught them how to apply the method, style, and draw. And then as an educator, I encourage my students to always be passionate in what they do. Time is really essential. In reality, it is irrelevant whether one is wealthy or not; it is crucial to strive for excellence. If you’re already putting in effort but not giving it your all, it’s a waste. Maybe that’s why kids learn so much from me: I always show them demos. However, they may become overwhelmed with me at times due to my high expectations. Nevertheless, I’m generous. I’m just stern, I really warn them.

For example, your student is not sure what medium they want to use. How do you inspire them? Or how do you make them decide on which medium to choose?

Actually, what I always say is, I might be your teacher but I’m just one of many. I don’t give myself much praise. I’m only one of the artists they’ll be acquainted with once they start working professionally. What I’m teaching is just an eye-opener. I introduce many mediums that students may use. There are pastels, oils, and acrylics. I often think that the most vital aspect of a good painting is your ability to draw. If you’re not skilled at drawing, you’ll struggle to paint. I encourage them to experiment with several mediums until they find one that they appreciate. Others may struggle with one medium but excel at another.

I encourage them. I supply them with videos that I own. I allow my students to record how I work. Especially during the pandemic. My lectures are like a workshop for them. In areas such as anatomy, I take a scientific approach rather than simply painting. I split things down as much as possible into modules. And, during the pandemic, I ask my head to lead a plenary session. It may seem arrogant to say this, but we were the professors who were most sought-after by pupils following the pandemic. We never saw each other in class throughout the pandemic since it was all online. I mean, when they began attending school in person, they looked for us. They said that even though teaching them was all online, they really learned something.

Out of all the exhibits that you have done, do you have a favorite?

Maybe my last two exhibitions, Images of the Nation, because I was able to showcase creative voices in a disenfranchised population. Art is crucial. Doctors are the most important thing during the pandemic. However, if there were no painters or photographers at the time, no one would have been able to provide an update on what was going on in society. Through my paintings and poems, I was able to demonstrate the value of art amid a difficult time such as the pandemic. And then, my last exhibition at the Pinto Art Gallery, “Unconquerable.” These are my reflections of the pandemic. “Unconquerable” is the human spirit. I was inspired by Ecclesiastes, a time for everything. There are things that are meant for everything. A time to die, a time to be born. The floating papers are also present.

You did artworks for Kinetix+, which are collectively entitled “Bodies of Motion.” Is there anything more that you can tell us about it? What was the medium that you used for the artworks at the gym?

My work in Kinetix+ was commissioned almost by the end of 2022 and I finished it in the latter part of 2023 which was revealed to the public during the gym’s soft launch in October 2023. I asked for a creative brief. That’s what I always do. My client asked me if I can portray body builders in motion doing workouts. He wanted the color to be in gray, use monotones to fit the interior of Kinetix+, more on lines, and no faces. I went through several studies using ink on paper and acrylic emphasizing on movements while I was guided on the proper forms. First, I also textured the canvas with an acrylic medium. To add more depth and layers. I enjoyed that process. That’s where you can show less is more in grayscale or black and white. It’s big but when you look closely, you can see the depth, the texture. The lines that I created were powerful because the lines I made were suggestive. The ones that were lifting the barbell, I really showed the raw energy. Even the ground was exploding. The ones that were bench-pressing, there were lines pointing up to create an impression that there was struggle. You can tell a lot by doing the simplest things, lines then black and white. It was right not to put faces on the subjects to represent everyone. The linear element gives quality about the movement and power.  I really appreciated my client’s attention to detail and it really helped me understand the science behind it. When I say science, the correct postures like in the three major depictions of the series deadlift, back squat and bench press since we both agreed that my paintings will not just be mounted to adorn Kinetix+’s walls but also serve as a visual guide. Kinetix+ is more than simply a gym; it’s a sophisticated and smart gym with professional and skilled coaches to help any fitness enthusiast. Going back to the other three paintings, the decision not to include faces is really appropriate. It depicts as if the lifters are truly zoned in. In addition, I developed a rationale for the greyscale portrayals of the figures in my series. Grey denotes control, insight, and self-worth, all of which gym-goers strive for. They would feel more skilled and exemplary after completing Kinetix+’s training.

What advice can you give young artists or your co-artists if they find themselves uninspired to continue a certain artwork or to start an artwork?

First and foremost, you must be fundamentally skilled, since if you do not develop yourself fundamentally, you will struggle to progress. Sometimes you have to force yourself to work. It can help if you’re more versatile as an artist, know more subjects, or simply doodle every day. At the same time, in terms of skill, having confidence is essential because many artists lose faith in themselves. Also, don’t let what you see influence you. Simply continue doing what you are doing. The more distractions there are, the less productive you will be. If you have to lock yourself in your room, do so. Remove any distractions that may interfere with your ability to concentrate. Remain focused.

What are you looking forward to this year?

I’ll be having a solo exhibition at Art Verite next year. I’ll be attending the Mindanao Art Fair this year. I will also attend Art Dubai next year.

For updates regarding Abe L. Orobia’s work, visit https://www.facebook.com/SiningWithABE.

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