Novereich Agustin
AN ARTIST uses his hands and mind to create new things. But, more importantly, Novereich Agustin wants his artworks to speak of his “individuality”—be it through drawing, painting, beadwork, or poetry.
Here we begin to appreciate the role of the creator in his creations. And somehow we see Novereich’s personality, however ambiguous, behind every work of art.
Three years after his first solo art exhibit, Novereich puts up his artworks again, this time with three new ones, in another attempt to decode the (complex) “Language of Flowers.”
In the exhibit are flower-inspired pieces featuring womanly faces, made up and delicately adorned with with jewelry and blooms.
Next to the framed works are the artist’s poems.
He made the faces using air-dry modeling clay that he formed, painted, lacquered and set to dry. The result is a doll-like countenance that is kind of enchanting.
But what we did not expect to hear was his account of an incident pertaining to one of his works.
During Novereich’s show back in 2013, one of those who saw his works online claimed that the face in “New Beginning” bore an uncanny resemblance to a dead aunt. This was a complete stranger. “When I make the faces, I don’t have an existing person in mind. I just work until it gets done. So I never expected that to happen,” he said.
A case of art imitating life? Or life imitating art?
No matter. The artworks may have taken a life of their own, molded by the viewer’s imagination or aroused by deep emotions.
Just like the language of flowers that need not be heard but only has to be felt through the soul.
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“The Language of Flowers” was held at the Museo Sugbu on MJ Cuenco Avenue the entire month of October.
