Category: Arts, Places and Events
It was Wednesday, the first day of Christmas vacation when I cruised around the campus to observe the different works of art. I’m not really concerned about it in the first place when our professor told us about it. Of course I am well aware of the more famous ones like the oblation by Guillermo Tolentino, the representation in front of the Business Administration and the Faculty Center Building. I was quite in awe when I discovered that there are a lot of arts inside the campus which were crafted by some of the famous painters and sculptors in our country. Well, I'm just going to ponder a upon my favorite artwork for now.
UP is very famous for its U.P. Oblation. It has become a major remnant in every UP campus. It has also become a symbolic link for the hundreds of thousands of the alumni and the Alma Mater. As far as I know, the nude figure of a man is a symbolic gesture of sacrificial offering of service to the country and humanity. It was a masterpiece of Filipino sculptor Guillermo Tolentino. It has also been said that Guillermo modeled the oblation after the late Fernando Poe Sr. The oblation, being the mascot or symbol of the whole UP system became a major rallying point point for all kinds of disagreements, protest actions, and social reproach, as well as expressions of public service, national loyalty, and patriotism. It also became the representative of the U.P. student’s unity, mission and vision.
I have also done quite a reading and research as to what the different parts of the statue represent. And I was very amazed to learn that the oblation wasn’t only about the gesture of offering. Instead, the nude man with outstretched arms and open hands, with tilted head, closed eyes and parted lips murmuring a prayer, with breast forward in the act of offering himself, is Guillermo’s own interpretation. The statue stands on a rustic base, a stylized rugged shape of the Philippine archipelago, lined with big and small hard rocks, each and everyone of which represents an island. At the foot of the figure he also put a cluster of he katakataka plant, symbolizing the deep-rooted patriotism in the heart of our heroes. The 3.5 meter height of the statue is representative of the 350 years of Spanish rule in the Philippines.
Indeed, I’m become very proud whenever I see the statue of the oblation. I don’t know why. One reason might be having the feeling that I’m a UP student and a part of the system or another is that seeing the gesture makes me feel patriotic myself. But I have a question though. Why did they added a leaf in the nude figure? Why did they leave it as that? If it is really a must to have a leaf in that part, then why did the oblation runners doesn’t have a leaf to cover their sexual organs? My..my it’s a wonderful thing to think about isn’t it? Maybe someone suggested to put a leaf for art’s sake and the runners doesn’t want to put the leaf because the run won’t be as thrilling and the view won’t be as breathtaking than what it was. Anyway, the oblation is the best work of art in the campus for me. :-)
Written By: Lani Diana Santos
Date: January 2002
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