National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva Functional Sculpture at Power Plant Mall

National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva - Let’s have a guessing game. Undoubtedly beautiful and sublime, the sculptures boggle the mind as to what can they be. The concentric circles represent a satellite dish? An aerial scanner of some sort? A metal driving wheel? A metal depiction of a cinnamon roll? What?!? Checking the carved letters on the wooden platform reveal the title of this magnificent sculpture that takes center stage in the exhibit of National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva — Chair for a Sublime Drinker Sit on it and you’ll soon be swaying as if you’re on a ship, for the chair is balanced on balls that move under the platform. My sister testifies that you will NOT fall off. I can’t do the same thing because I vacated the chair immediately after a couple of seconds.

A phalanx of wooden blocks representing Stonehenge? But remember, it’s functional art so it can be used for something. We read the info and guess what — it’s a Fruit Tray.

Keep in mind that it’s functional art.

Well, if you imagine yourself beside a running stream washing clothes, these look like the ones you can pound on wet clothes. Wait, that will damage the sculptures. Can’t be.

You can squeeze wine bottles in between to keep them steady. Or display one near the door and whack an intruder with it.

But what are the grooves for? It’s a giant comb!

I give up. And then I find out that the grooves are for letters! They’re Letter Racks!

Dinosaur bones? Smoking pipes? Smaller versions of the musical instrument that’s blown from the top of the Alps Mountains (or from some other European mountain)? But there are no holes. And there’s a mirror at the end of each sculpture.

You’re supposed to keep it hidden in your pant leg or dangling from a belt loop (somehow) and then whip it out when you need to check your teeth or hair with the mirror?

This one left me totally bamboozled.

The sculptures turn out to be Security Checks. Huh? Like the ones the security people put under the cars to check for bombs. Ohhhh…

Take the children and all the adults to the North Court (near Mango and above Rustan’s Supermarket) at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center Makati. The exhibit is on its last weekend, i.e. till 23 September 2007.

It’s an interactive exhibit where people are allowed to touch and sit on the art pieces. The only other time I’ve been able to sit on an Abueva was in the UP Diliman Business Administration Building. This is a historical opportunity that will unlikely pass the general public’s way again.

I would like to thank Ms. Kimberly Rocha of Yellow Door Gallery for her assistance and Ms. Rowena Lopez for arranging for the photo session.

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