Josua Cabrera

Artist

He is a Visayan visual artist from Massin City, Southern Leyte who currently lives in Cebu City. He’s a cartoonist/satirist, graphic and publication designer, poet and a short story writer writing in Cebuano language. He authored a poetry book entitled “Kisaw”, illustrated poetry book entitled “Sa Bukid sa Mahayahay” and comic strips “Latagaw” and “Jimsky Komiks”. He received awards for his poetry and political cartoons, and a palanca award for his Cebuano short story entitled “Sesyon ''. He is a writer fellow of several local and national creative writing workshops. He had several group and solo art exhibits here in Cebu City and abroad, and was selected for an artist residency in Paris, France along with another 8 Cebuano artists in 2013 and was offered to hold a solo exhibit after the residency. He was the former art chief of SunStar Cebu and former president of Bathalad, Inc. (group of literary writers writing in Cebuano Language).

HIS STORY

The myth of Habagat, Amihan and Buhawi is one of the many myths that encourages me to work on a series of sketches I called “Unos”. From what I’ve heard, the clash of Habagat and Buhawi created strong winds and heavy rain. After Habagat won, Amihan happily went with him to the Himpapawiran. In “Unos”, I focused on the romantic part of the story. Using pen and ink on canvas, I tried to imitate the chaotic and easy movement of the weather that morphed into the shape of two people locked in an embrace. The red acrylic in the background implies sensual feelings.

One of the important parts of the process in making the series of sketches is the writing of a poem. A poem is a visual experience expressed through language. Before I begin with the visual studies, I would write a poem first and in this instance, I wrote a poem which I titled “Unos” also. I just like the word for the title as it also sounds like “eros”, which has become the theme of the series.

This poem was my guide in going through the first and succeeding works up to the time I charged towards the end of the series. It also helped me not to fall off course while I assess the whole concept and the details. I listen to it closely to make sense of the shade and shape of the poem’s murmurings. Creating a work of art, whether a poem or a drawing, is akin to an immense disorientation, where one needs to look at all perspectives to find the way to various possibilities and truths. But, it’s also worth remembering that there are times when straying off course results in a fascinating journey and discovery of an unintended destination.