Inspired by the term “ibabaw,” meaning “on top,” a sign commonly seen on public utility buses, Daniel Coquilla take this top-view perspective in his latest oil pieces that pan through crowded scenes. The main subjects include flyovers, overpasses, underpasses, beach scenes, fiestas, the Santa Cruzan, parades, and even escalator scenes. One of the works, “Uzi,” features the scene when former President Joseph Estrada was convicted guilty on plunder charges, depicting anti-riot policemen staying on guard as the so called “usiseros” (bystanders) watch from the top of an overpass. Coquilla plans to use this approach in future works, with a better grasp of utilizing landscape sizes and macro images. A video editor for the UP National Institute fro Science and Mathematics Education Development, Coquilla enjoys pursuing different outlets. “Shifting from digital technology to traditional paint materials isn’t a problem. The upside is that you become more creative. Especially when you find video editing work already too tasking, painting then becomes another outlet. Although they’re different fields, your access to both tools is always there, and in many ways, I find it advantageous to shift from one discipline to another. I’m looking forward to be able to use both disciplines in one artwork one day. The result will not be only a piece of digital art, but even what’s behind digital art and centuries-old art forms like painting.
Documentation
