Tarlac student artist “The Art of Maku” has reimagined Pinoy superheroes teaming up to fight Coronavirus in an effort to cheer up the Filipino nation, showcasing how Filipino talent shines amidst the on-going enhanced community quarantine in the island of Luzon to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Young graphic artist Mark Gerard “Maku” Quizon of The Art of Maku used his creativity to uplift the Filipino spirit in this time of global health crisis through his artworks inspired by the heroes and icons of Pinoy pop culture.
Just days after the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine was implemented on March 16, 2020, the 22-year-old student from Tarlac State University posted on social media his artworks featuring the characters inspired by the Pinoy classic and fictional comic characters such as Panday, Captain Barbel, and Darna.
Panday was created by writer Carlo J. Caparas and artist Steve Gan during the late 70s, while Captain Barbel was a brainchild of writer Mars Ravelo and artist Jim Fernandez in the early 60s.
Darna, which will have its upcoming live-action installment with Jane de Leon playing the titular role, was also created by Mars Ravelo with artist Nestor Redondo.
In Maku’s illustrations shared on March 20, the Filipino superheroes teamed up to fight a huge coronavirus.
“My beloved Philippines,” Maku said on his post, “we can do this! For so many years nakaka-survive tayo sa gutom, madumi, mainit, masikip, even sa kurakot na gobyerno. We are so trained to be a survivor.”
In his latest work posted on March 27, Maku featured the well-loved Sang’gres, namely Amihan, Danaya, Pirena, and Alena, from GMA Network’s top-rated and award-winning fantasy-themed series Encantadia.
The first Encantadia series aired way back 2005 with Filipino pride advocate Iza Calzado playing the role of Amihan, the queen of Lireo and keeper of the jewel of the air. The series’ requel aired in 2016, and now due to the cancellation of TV productions, the Kapuso primetime series temporarily replaced the Pinoy adaptation of Korean hit series Descendants of the Sun.
In the recently posted artwork, it can be seen that the sisters were also fighting the coronavirus using their magical powers based on the four elements of nature – air (Amihan), earth (Danaya), water (Alena) and fire (Pirena).
“I am starting to feel the changes,” Maku wrote in his post, “just wanted to lift up my mood in a very creative way. And to the kids.. they deserved to see wonder. Keep going!”
In an interview with Good News Pilipinas, Maku shared that he has been using local elements to somehow uplift the morale of the Filipino people in the midst of crisis.
“These are tribute works for us Filipinos,” Maku said. “I wanted to cheer up our country using material that they can relate, to remind that there is another perspective to escape the fear & sadness feeling that COVID-19 brought us, that perspective is the wonderland, to bring them the light feeling, the mind of a child inside us.”
The Tarlac student artist also added: “To at least filter the bad news taken all over their social media feeds with these characters that we have known as our childhood heroes.”
Filipino artists have also initiated the #ArtForMedPH online campaign to give away artworks to people who have donated to COVID-19 frontliners in the Philippines.
SEND CHEERS back in the comments below to The Art of Maku of Tarlac for making art to cheer up the Filipina nation!
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