Melvin Culaba’s 31st solo show “Pinoy-Traits” dove deep into Filipino identity, weaving together the Filipino resilience and humor, with a touch of political commentary. The exhibit, which ran in August at the Pinto Art Museum, showcased a range of works that capture the life of a Filipino, from his historical influences to his contemporary struggles.
At the heart of it is his piece Portrait of a Mid-Career Social Realist Artist. This self-portrait, executed in charcoal, offered a close-up view of Culaba’s unshaven face, marked by fatigue and contemplation. The monochromatic tones and tilted angle reflected both his personal and societal crises.
Culaba explained that this work was born out of two significant events: the passing of his father during the Covid-19 lockdown and the political turmoil that surrounded the 2022 presidential election.
“This painting had several stories. This was done a year after the death of my father in 2020 due to pancreatic cancer. It was submitted for a competition for 2022, after the presidential election,” explains Culaba. “This was also my first time to enter charcoal on canvas in the Philippine Art Awards Competition. I usually paint in the manner of Horror Vaccui in composition, but on this particular painting, I focused only on my face in contemplation. This is my eighth entry in the competition and it got a Juror’s Choice of Excellence award. It’s a reflective counterpart of myself in crisis. The portrait not only captures my personal grief but also critiques the political climate, filled with fraud, deception, and social media cunning.”
Beyond this, Culaba continued to explore the Filipino identity, a theme that has long been central to his work. “My themes were always about Filipinos and the political climate of our time,” he says. “Through the exhibit, I wanted to examine both the beautiful and less admirable traits of the Filipino, portraying a variety of characters, from babies to senior historical figures. It’s a continuation of my depiction of Filipinos—our country is my source of inspiration.”
Culaba’s commitment to social realism is evident throughout his career, but in Pinoy-Traits, he balanced the heaviness of his subjects with a touch of humor. “My social realism work is often dark and difficult to market,” he admitted. “To make it more accessible, I would inject humor into my pieces without sacrificing the seriousness of their message. Yet, humor is not always a formula to success. There was a struggle to balance artistry and economic sustainability.”
His titles were also as meaningful as his works, offering layers of interpretation among the viewers. One such piece in the exhibit is Born with a Golden Turo-Truth in His Mouth, a Legitimate Filipino Citizen, alludes political dynasties and societal gullibility.
“The title plays on multiple meanings,” he explained. “Golden refers to Marcos, the legitimate Filipino citizen is the issue about Alice Guo and POGO, and the rest critiques the political landscape, like how people are once again misled in the elections.”
Despite the sharpness of his commentary, Culaba remains hopeful. “Through my repeated portrayals of government corruption and certain Filipino traits that are not ideal, I hope for change,” he intimated, acknowledging both the challenges and his belief in the possibility of transformation.
Looking ahead, Culaba plans to continue exploring the themes of social realism. He admits that while his focus remains on the Filipino experience, he has no concrete ideas for new subjects just yet. For now, he remains committed to using his art as a medium for social refection.