NOSTALGIA
8th solo exhibit of Bryan Yabut
Tribute to my Friends
All lives are funny, we are God's little animated cartoons! - Tom Hanks from the movie "Big"
In this gloomy and depressing time of pandemic Bryan Yabut's exhibit "Nostalgia" comes as a breath of fresh air. It is as if we are transported back in time to our friends which we have forgotten as we busy ourselves in the adult world. Sometimes it nice to never lose our child's heart and our sense of wonder. After all we have learned so much from the character we lived with during our early years as we celebrate the joy of being young again.
Charlie Brown taught us to accept our flaws and overcome bullying. Snoopy personified dogs as man's best friend. Richie Rich taught us to be kind and compassionate. Astroboy, the robot with human like emotions showed us what it takes to be a hero. Likewise, Popeye gave us our sense of adventure and be brave as well as eat healthy foods to be strong. Betty Boop encourages us to be comfortable with our own skin. Beavis and Butthead showed us that it is ok not to be perfect.
It was the little prince who said that adults are so busy with matters of consequence that they fail to see what is essential in life. They also have forgotten to laugh, smile and be happy and journey through life with good friends like Astroboy, Richie Rich, Dennis the Menace and many others. Though life may not be perfect for these characters they have continued to fascinate audiences young and old. There is actually nothing wrong with having our second childhood as adults. They just simplify the things which make us happy and content just like eating ice cream, dancing in the rain, holding a balloon or just watching these characters live their adventurous but imperfect lives only to come out victorious in the end if not content and satisfied.
One can't help but have goosebumps seeing our cartoon character friends come to life in the colorful canvases of Bryan Yabut and reminisce how these characters have made us laugh, cry, accept our flaws and overcome our problems and frustrations. The childhood lessons we learned from them are still applicable today. Much like Fulghum's vital life lessons which we learn during kindergarten. Cartoons are never that different, we just have to find the Popeye, Astroboy, Richie Rich, and Dennis the Menace within us and learn to enjoy life and triumph in an imperfect world. Allow Bryan Yabut once again to entertain you, as we celebrate the child within us all and just enjoy the journey of what we call life!
