Ascend with Manny Garibay: A Post-Event Exclusive Interview

A storyteller is much more than someone who narrates tales. They breathe life into words, weaving narratives that evoke emotions and spark the imagination. Through their stories, they invite listeners to explore new perspectives, feel deeply, and connect with the underlying truths of a situation. They craft experiences that resonate, leaving a lasting impact on the hearts and minds of their audience. Manny Garibay is one of them, who narrates stories using canvas and brush.

Emmanuel “Manny” Garibay is a Filipino artist born in 1962 in Kidapawan, North Cotabato. A renowned artist in the Philippine art scene, he is a master of expressionist figurative painting with a deep commitment to social realism. Manny’s beginnings in Davao City, where he began to have an idea of life and the world, had a big influence on how he perceived art.

Manny admits that he never set out to become an expressionist figurative artist, but he acknowledges that he always had a deep desire to paint a human figure.

Reflecting on his work, he expresses his thought that the expressionistic quality in his pieces often emerged serendipitously.

“There was little effort or striving to polish the work because I saw in it a quality that was enough to convey attention,” he explains.

Manny finds that his artworks are mostly spontaneous and strive little to polish, allowing his pieces to evoke more powerful emotions without any enhancement or refinement.

The Richness of the Poor

Manny’s art is rooted in social realism, portraying Philippine daily life with unvarnished and unfiltered realism. His paintings depict common people—newsboys, street vendors, jeepney riders—stripping away idealized perceptions of poverty and showcasing the “richness of the poor,” or their resilience and dignity. In his words, “The whole idea of the richness of the poor is another way of saying, if you have less care in the world, you are actually wealthier than rich people whose main concern is to become richer.”

“The richness of the poor,” as expressed by Manny, is all about the idea of simplifying the lifestyle and not being attached to material things.

From Idea and Imitation to Emancipation

Art is about more than just expressing an idea—it’s a way of seeing the world that invites others to appreciate a particular perspective. Manny points out the difference between simply presenting a concept and constructing a form to embody it. While words stay external, creative forms have the ability to be internalized and transcend simple depiction. For him, art carries a liturgical quality, capable of touching something deeper than language alone can express.

He also shares that his artworks have not always been about “colonization,” though, he admits, that he has always romanticized the idea of American soldiers—a subject that fascinated him as a child that he began by imitating and copying what he saw—and this influence gradually became a part of him.

However, as he grew older and started reflecting on how these early influences felt instrumental in shaping his perspective, he became consciously driven to extricate himself from that state of boundedness. He sought emancipation, a process of breaking free from external impositions to reach a state of being fully himself.

The Optimistic Side of Manny’s Work

For Manny, he views his works as an expression of optimism. As he is an optimistic person, he sometimes feels bothered that others see his work as dark or often views it as negative.

Despite the overwhelming obstacles and uncertainty of the future, he remains essentially optimistic. According to him, he likes to do artwork that says things the way they are and lets the viewer read stories into it instead of telling them what it is. His elements often infuse so many elements that lead the audience in some directions at the same time, giving them enough space to decide on what story to read.

On “Ascend”

Manny shares his perspectives on the meaning of “ascend,” as this year’s theme of Tubô Cebu Art Fair.

For him, “ascend” signifies elevation. He believes that artists should strive to reach the highest level of their craft, as truly impactful art elevates the ordinary to the realm of the sacred. This transformative quality makes art compelling and magnetic, drawing viewers in with intense focus.

“The ascending quality of the art takes you to another realm that’s why artists should be conscious of this power,” he remarks.

In 2000, the Cultural Center of the Philippines honored Manny with the prestigious Thirteen Artists Award for his significant contributions to Philippine art. His work has gained international acclaim through exhibitions across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

As a featured artist at the Tubô Cebu Art Fair 2024, Manny continues to inspire and engage viewers, encouraging them to actively participate in the narratives his art presents. His creations stand as a testament to the power of art to drive social change and convey compelling stories.