MEDIUM RARE 

Easter Bunny. Easter eggs. What’s the connection between an egg and a rabbit?

Rabbits don’t pop out of an egg, but since ancient times, the tradition of an egg hunt in spring, particularly after the somber season of Lent, speaks volumes of mankind’s concept of life, birth, and rebirth. A trick question that was quite popular during the last century asked: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

According to our friendly naturalist, Samuel Alibrando, DZFE’s daily 90-second lecturer, the answer is chicken, chicken being the species. The good Lord created the chicken, and from there the hen produced her eggs.

So how do you like your eggs, springtime, summer, winter or fall? Hardboiled, soft-boiled. Poached. Sunny side up. A la Benedict. Maybe an egg salad as sandwich filling. Why not an omelet?

Dr. Emilio C. Yap III, president and vice chairman of the board of this newspaper, takes a different direction. The egg not as food but inspiration – an Eggshibit of paintings done by established and aspiring artists -- has been hatching for six years now, and still hatching. The hatchery has been growing (without challenging San Miguel Corp.’s poultry farm) and so has its roster of painters, sculptors, and mixed-media practitioners, not to mention their eggalitarian followers.

How wonderful is the egg’s oval shape as a canvas to draw on? Go take a look at Manila Hotel, where they will stay until April 7. This year’s basket includes the works of 16 artists representing different media, including Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo, Kidlat Tahimik (who arrived on opening day in full tribal costume with his son Kabunyan), Bea Policarpio, Maxine Syjuco, Marcel Antonio and Glenn Martinez.

Most of the fiberglass eggs were daintily perched on pedestals, like Kidlat’s tiny figure of Dr. Jose Rizal ensconced in an eggshell broken in two. Vice Mayor Servo’s work, done in metal with lots of airy spaces in-between, was titled “Manila in Manila”.  Bea’s entry was the most colorful of the lot, awash in bright pastel colors that matched her dress, lipstick, eyeshadow, and blusher. Maxine, who is also a poet, presented a bold rendition of the human anatomy with an egg beside it in bloody red, white, and black.

In all, an eggxiting collection!