BEN CABRERA SPEAKS

                                     (1942-Present)

THE ARTIST'S BEGINNINGS:

 ======================

 CHRIS: When did you want to become an artist?
 BEN: Oh, ever since I was little. I was inspired by my brother, who was a painter. He died in
 1986. He was older than me, but just watching him draw on a blank piece of paper was
 almost like magic. It is magic. I was just laughing because I couldn't believe it. 

 CHRIS: What did you start drawing first?
 BEN: I drew from comics. I loved copying comics. I loved the action in them. American
 comics were very popular in my early years, Superman and all that. I was into illustration
 to begin with. When I took Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines, I was discouraged
 by the Professor, who said, “Why don't you take up advertising as there is no money in art?”
 So I took advertising, majoring in illustration and my only goal was to have a job at a
 magazine, illustrating and all that. Becoming a painter came slowly.
 

CHRIS: When you started painting, did you  have much support from your family?  BEN: No, there was not much support, but I  think that my parents appreciated the potential  of art as a livelihood. To begin with my brother  was already an illustrator and painter. He was  doing well. When I started doing my painting,  my father said “Even if you give me that I will  not accept it.” He found it not good enough,  but when I started making money from my art,  that was when they really appreciated it.  My parents were simple people, and my art  emanates from that simplicity and the  appreciation of reading comics.  The first time I won an award, I was in primary  school. It was the first prize in a human rights  poster competition. I got a 100 pesos and that  was the start. I must have been eleven or twelve  years old. Art was the only thing that focused  my mind. To begin with, to draw was really  an obsession for me.  As we were poor, the family could not finance  my education, so all the schools I went to  were free and state sponsored. After high  school, I put in for a university scholarship  and was one of five finalists. I did not make it.  I remember that my father had to borrow from  a student council for the university tuition fee.  At an early age I was already, on the side,  earning a bit of money, as I was sketching  James Dean and Elvis Presley portraits and  selling them for ten pesos to supplement my  education.

Carrying a Banga, 1998 Acrylic on canvas, 122 x 71cm, Private Collection, Manila

CHRIS: And where were you were selling   drawings?  BEN: To my rich classmates, not in the street.  In my second year, somebody got me to  illustrate in the artist bar called the Cock and  Bull Tavern, where a lot of writers and  journalists go. I was sketching the clients.  I was earning something like seven pesos,  working nights. It was very good training.   I was doing 14 portraits a night. My father  refused to allow me to continue as I wasn't  going home. I was getting drunk. You see,  it was a bar! The owner would paste the  pictures on the wall.  I was also the assistant to Professor Joya  at University, making stage set designs.  He designed and we executed the design,  so at age 20 I was really already skilful.

Joey ‘Pepe’ Smith, 1995  Pastel on paper, 92 x 64cm, Artist’s Collection

 CHRIS: Do you see a real difference between commercial and fine art?
 BEN: With commercial art, usually you are commissioned to do a particular subject.
 There is creativity- a challenge to the subject that you are given and to communicate a
 particular idea. It is emphasizing communication. I think that the main thing in fine art
 is that it is about having a personal art, coming from your experience and from your
 soul. Somehow my work reflects what is around me. I realize why my work is
 popular- it is because I touch people's ordinary experience as well.

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