Reclaiming The Healing Arts of The Ancient ... - Wacana Seni

More documents

Recommendations

Info

74Wacana Seni Journal of Arts Discourse. Jil./Vol.11. 2012position, his inert, meditative stance is set in striking contrast to that of Thoranee, who isshown effortlessly, sensuously, wringing her hair, thus unleashing a deluge on the forces ofthe evil Mara. While the Buddha connotes sublime tranquility, Thoranee is depicted as anactive power – the embodiment of nature's capacity for creation and destruction.STORY 3: INCARNATIONS OF THE BABAYLAN IN WOMEN ARTISTS OF THEPHILIPPINESLet me now fast forward to 2004 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Manila,right before I left for this fellowship. During the opening of a major exhibition by womenartists in the Philippines (which I curated), we invoked the many-breasted goddess we callMebuyan through a performance ritual (led by Racquel "Kleng" de Loyola, and other youngwomen artists Maan Charisse de Loyola, Ramona dela Cruz, Teta Tulay, Vivian Limpin andLea Lim). In the ritual, Mebuyan moved with the spontaneous rhythm of percussions andguitar effects; and the chanting of prayers composed by participating artists – prayers thatexpress women's deepest longings, desires and visions for the future. Mebuyan then proceededto "paint" the empty wall with fluids squeezed out of the many breasts of her rubber latexbody suit – signifying women's life-giving powers, capacity to nurture, create and re-createthemselves by fusing the ordinary and sacred in art. As she turned on the lights of the gallery,the exhibit formally opened and Mebuyan welcomed the guests to a space, which was turnedinto a metaphorical house by more than 50 women artists, working on a wide range of styles,themes, images, artistic media and coming from diverse, geographic, artistic and philosophicallocations.
75Flaudette May V. DatuinThrough movement, sound, and light, Mebuyanperformed the theme of embodied spiritualitywhere body is not just anatomy but a social,psychic and spiritual space that is characterisedby fluidity and wholeness. Through Mebuyan,we summoned the figure of the babaylan, theancient priestess/healer, a figure that compels usto remember that once upon a time, there wereshamans who were mostly older or menopausalwomen, or men who aspired to be womenor binabae. The babaylan is usually an olderwoman, because her expertise in rituals, includingmemorisation of songs, poems, stories, beliefsand complete medical knowledge required longyears of training and practice.Photo 2 Mebuyan de Loyola (Curated byDatuin, 2004)
Page 1 and 2: Reclaiming The Healing Arts of The
Page 3 and 4: 65Flaudette May V. Datuinancestral
Page 5 and 6: 67Flaudette May V. DatuinIn the mea
Page 7 and 8: 69Flaudette May V. Datuinin Sri Asi
Page 9 and 10: 71Flaudette May V. DatuinFar from b
Page 11: 73Flaudette May V. DatuinTradisexio
Page 15 and 16: 77Flaudette May V. Datuinthe lowlan
Page 17 and 18: 79Flaudette May V. Datuinthe night,
Page 19 and 20: 81Flaudette May V. Datuinetc). It w
Page 21 and 22: 83Flaudette May V. DatuinPhoto 4 Ay
Page 23 and 24: 85Flaudette May V. DatuinIn these w
Page 25 and 26: 87Flaudette May V. Datuinme who I a
Page 27 and 28: 89Flaudette May V. DatuinIn Memory
Page 29 and 30: 91Flaudette May V. DatuinDe Zegher,

Reclaiming The Healing Arts of The Ancient ... - Wacana Seni

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?