Editorial from newly updated
maARTe!!!
How well do you take criticism?
I’d like to believe that I thrive on constant feedback on my creative endeavors. I tell my friends, “please be brutal!” But I know they’re not. If the tables were turned however, I don’t know if I could be that honest. How can you tell your friend that their latest short story put you to sleep by page one? We find ourselves complaining about how awful this film is or that play is—but how often will we tell the artist behind it how we really feel? When we aren’t upfront, do we contribute to the fact that this artist will continue creating work that is mediocre or just plain bad?
Criticism was a topic of heated discussion as we put this new issue together. When I was writing the review of American Adobo, I was very reluctant to share my honest yet not-so-kind criticism. Is it possible to be supportive of artists if we criticize their works, pointing out the good as well as the bad? And on criticism in general, should we leave that to the “experts"? Do regular audience members like me have the right to even write these kinds of reviews? I’d really like to know what you think.
In this current issue, there are quite a number of reviews. Some are very positive, and others are not so pleasant. Is it enough to show support for the work of Pinoy artists by patronizing their performances, exhibits and film screenings or purchasing books and CDs? Perhaps by being upfront with how we feel about the works put out there, we can bring our support to a deeper level. We’ll let you be the judge of that.
I’m excited to introduce our partnership with Art Manila in the form of two articles--an interview with well-known critic, Alice Guillermo and one about the top painters in the Philippines. Since Art Manila is a newspaper based in Manila, we are so honored to be able to share their insightful work to a wider audience on the web. Look out for future articles from Art Manila in upcoming updates.
You must check out contributing writer Rene Ontal’s bar hopping adventures with Manila’s hardest working actor, Joel Torre, this issue’s cover story. Associate Editor, Stephanie Rosero revels in the intricacies of Gregory Raymond Halili’s work and chats with the unlikely spoken word heroes, Kontrast. We’ve also updated our regular features, Band Profile, the Poetry section, Being maARTe, Accidental Artist, and Ask MaARTe Stewart. If you’re looking for an eclectic mix of Pinoy music, be sure to check out maARTe Radio, managed by Associate Editor, Heidi Gutierrez.
As always, we want to hear from you. Looking to rant, rave, and discuss? Then, join us in the Talk section. We sincerely hope you enjoy this issue – and don’t forget to let us know what you think!
