art. what it is and what it is not.

The Kukuks Nest, my humble abode for the last two months, is also the home (and source of income) of the writer, actress and painter Bambi Beltran. Being surrounded by art and it´s beauty is something I´ve experienced throughout my life, growing up in a house filled with the innumerable sculptures of my father. The pictures, statues, remind me of my childhood.

I´ve come here to understand life - I´ve followed the example of my father in looking for the unconventional, gathering impressions that then need to be condensed and remixed into works of art in order to transmit their essence.

I also happen to enjoy good stories, and Bambi´s telling of the Dream of Euleuteria Kirschbaum is one of the best I´ve read in a while. Told from the naive perspective of a Philippina of humble origins, it describes her plight as she journeys to Germany in hope of a better future. Her fears and hopes crumble when she comes to realize her suitors true nature: An alcoholic jobless overweight that lives with his mother.

What makes this story so touching is its reflection of the truth. It´s a story that happens all the time, again and again, not only here in the Philippines.