Art exhibit lends helping hand to punk icon Bobby Balingit

Pinoy punk pioneer Bobby Balingit was rushed to the hospital on Thursday afternoon, after he complained of difficulty breathing and blood in his urine.

 

By Thursday night, his friends had put up an instant exhibit at Kalye Art Gallery in Manila. While they were still waiting for an official diagnosis, Balingit's friend and neighbor, gallery owner Elmer Acebedo, said they decided to act quickly.

 

"Naghahanda kami kasi ang hirap. Hindi natin alam kung ooperahan siya or something. Kaya kami, naghahanda kami na 'yung paintings niya, ayun ang source ng parang billings niya kung sakali," Acebedo told GMA News Online on Friday afternoon.

 

The impromptu fundraiser featured paintings by Balingit as well as pieces donated by his friends. Among Balingit's paintings were small abstract pieces that cost P2,000 as well as larger paintings that cost up to P10,000.

 

On one wall of the gallery were Balingit's portraits of Filipino artists such as Cynthia Alexander, Jess Santiago, Gary Granada, Gelacio Guillermo, Nonoy Alcalde of Waling-Waling, Axel Pinpin, and Joey Ayala. 

 

Acebedo said all the proceeds from the exhibit will be used to fund Balingit's hospitalization and medicines. Balingit is most known as the frontman for The Wuds and Juan Isip, but he is also a visual artist and poet. However, the lack of a regular job makes it difficult for him to be financially stable.

 

"Wala naman siyang trabahong regular, eh. Freelance artist na nagtuturo maggitara, classical guitar, nagpipinta, tumutugtog din. Kaya lang di naman ganun kalakas yung mga kinikita niya," Acebedo said.

 

Balingit, who turned 50 last year, learned to write songs at 12 and started playing the guitar at 15, Soliman Santos wrote in a “Pinoy Weekly” article in 2008, which was posted on the Violent Dispersal blog. 

 

Asked about the Philippine music industry, Balingit said that it is a struggle for musicians who have something different to say. 

 

"Halimbawa, kung makabayan ka, walang susuporta sa iyo. Samantalang yung mga kantang walang gustong sabihin na hindi mo naman maintindihan, gustung-gustong iparinig sa mga radyo. Ito rin ang pinapatulan ng mga record company kasi ito ang kumikita," Balingit told Santos.

Formed in the early 1980s, The Wuds were a pioneering punk rock band in the country. Their 1994 debut LP “At Nakalimutan Ang Diyos” is hailed as a seminal record that has influenced many contemporary Pinoy punk and hard rock bands. Two decades later, The Wuds are still making music, often about political issues. As of last year, they were working on a new album, "Metamorphosis."   

"Kapag nag-iisip ka, kapag may gusto kang sabihin sa mga kanta mo, walang makikinig sa iyo. Ganoon yata ang gusto ng mga tao sa industriya, bawal mag-isip. Dapat tanggap lang nang tanggap. Sabagay kahit naman sa lipunan natin, yun naman ang gusto ng mga nakapuwesto. Tanggap lang ng tanggap,” Balingit told Santos.

 

Apart from music, Balingit had many other activities, Soliman wrote. He was involved in various NGOs, and would participate in anti-drug campaigns. He had a part in Behn Cervantes' "Lapu-Lapu," the article said. He tried to put up a multimedia group for artists, but was unable to gain enough support. Later, he joined artists in the Arrest Gloria campaign, and collaborated on a song with writers and other musicians, Soliman wrote.

 

Balingit told Soliman that he was heavily influenced by punk painter Lito Mayo. He shared how Mayo would always try to find a different way to do things.  

Balingit never let go of this way of thinking, and his unique perspective can be seen in his paintings. In "Sa Ibang Mundo," Balingit not only produced a painting, but composed a song to accompany it. He also wrote a poem that was inscribed on the painting in Alibata, the early Filipino alphabet.

 

Acebedo said he hoped the exhibit would help support Balingit so he could get better. In the past, Balingit would also donate his paintings for fundraisers for other artists, Acebedo shared. "Minsan niloko namin, 'yung mga gawa niyang ganyan parang ano lang ata 'to eh, pininta mo para lang sa pagdonate, kasi wala naman kaming nabebentang ganito," he said, referring to Balingit's smaller abstract paintings. This time, the paintings can be sold for his own fundraiser. – KDM, GMA News  

 

The fundraising event is at Kalye Art Gallery, 1220 Estrada Street, Manila. For more information, contact Elmer Acebedo at 09159473506 or visit The Wuds Facebook page.  All photos by Manix Abrera.