PURR
Not black, not white
Babak Niaraki with one of his works.
Babak Niaraki's exhibit “Not Black Not White” received many accolades from critics when it opened at the Crave Restaurant's Gallery recently. There were several pieces of nude black and white photographs on canvas modeled by Niaraki's friends (we kept guessing among the guests at the opening, and we were able to identify three). The poses were tastefully made.
Niaraki studied fine arts, cinema and photography in Iran, where he lived for 20 years. Niaraki experienced a lot of censorship in that country, thus he has adapted his creativity at such a limited environment. But, when he went back to the Philippines, he experienced freedom. He said that “Not Black Not White” is about the ongoing struggle of freedom against boundaries. “We are humans and it's part of our nature to seek freedom.
Oskie Nava, Cesar Hernando, Ray
Gibraltar, Queenie Gibraltar, Che
Villanueva and Eli Gegantoca.
Freedom allows us to express and communicate with each other. Above all, we need freedom to feel alive. On the other hand, boundaries are needed to give us a sense of direction, guidance and control over our lives. Without the boundaries, we lose ourselves,” he said.
“To be free, one needs to break the boundaries. To not lost control we need to create boundaries for ourselves. How could we be free when we are surrounded by laws and boundaries? How can we have control and direction when we are running freely? We live in a world that is not black, not white. We live in a box, trying to break free,” he concluded.
Marcel Milliam and Myke Pinto.
QUOTE: When people scream at us, hurt us or think ill of us, don't retaliate. Learn to love instead and see beyond the surface. Pray for that person so that he or she may be free from whatever hurt that he or she is feeling. For love is the only thing that sets people free so they can be happy. Love of self, of neighbor and of God. - Anonymous