Same interests

People who live in the same area are called a community. However, in the English language, 'community' can also describe groups of people who share the same interest. For example, a group of people whose job is in relation to business can be called 'the business community'. People with common interests who participate in it together can also be considered their own community. In this sense, communities can be brought together through common interests, which can be expressed through paintings. When looking at community in this light, one starts to notice how many paintings have the element of community incorporated into them, making it a much more popular theme or subject than the casual viewer would think.

This first work "Fiesta’ is a mural by Carlos V Francisco, although he is more popularly known as 'Botong'. This piece is a portrayal of two dancers as well spectators and people playing instruments at a fiesta, which translates to festival. This painting captures the spirit of when people come together to socialise and enjoy themselves. It shows how people come together to have fun together with their community rather than spend it in smaller groups, exemplifying how a common interest can bring different people together.

Francisco’s use of bright colours emulate the spirit of the culture and tradition of the Philippines, which is also used to capture the attention of the viewer. The painting has warm undertones and the predominant colour used is yellow. This work was painted in a modernist style. Francisco had painted according to how he saw Filipino culture and had steered away from making the painting look realistic like how he was taught by traditional painters in Art College. Despite breaking away from realism, the colours are well blended and it can be observed that long strokes were used to paint.

Carlos V Francisco

Oil on Concrete, 1946

This work is a neo-impressionist painting done by Georges Seurat and it portrays a scene at a circus mid-performance. This painting embodies the feeling of community in the sense that the community seen here is a community of people who share the same interests coming together to enjoy themselves. However, it can be said that there are two communities in this piece. One community in this painting is the circus community and the other being the community watching the performance.

This oil painting uses pointillism which is ideal to imitate the bright colours usually seen at the circus and to emulate the atmosphere and the feeling of the circus.

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Georges Seurat

The Circus, 1890-1891

Oil on canvas

2.8 in × 59.8 in

Pointillism makes the painting appear brighter due the pure colours used to paint the dots, which is further explained in the post about people. Although the technique used in The Circus differs slightly from A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte as upward strokes were mostly used in this piece. This was most likely used to emulate the energy of the circus, which has a great deal of movement.

Georges Seurat

Le Chahut, 1889-1890

Oil on Canvas

26in x 21.6in

Another painting by Georges Seurat is Le Chahut, this time capturing a scene in a cabaret. This scene is depicting yet another type of community, this time the show business community. Cabarets used to be a form of entertainment mainly for working or lower class people. This piece shows community in a way which can be separated. Meaning that within large communities, there are always smaller communities with different interests which set people apart. It shows that communities do not always have common interests, and that even though they are a smaller group of people, it does not make them any less of community. In this case, the cabaret community brings together people of mostly middle to lower classes which share the interest of cabaret performances.

Again, this piece was painting using oil in the pointillism style. Like The Circus, upwards strokes were used as it was thought that upward strokes suggested a feeling of happiness. To further add to the feeling of happiness, mostly warm colours were used as Seurat believed that they were uplifting and pleasing. This painting is very linear, which can be observed through noticing that the dancers' legs are all pointed in the same direction, the instruments held by the musicians are leaning towards the left as well. The painting manages the capture the seedier side of cabaret performances through the man on the bottom right corner of the painting. His wry smile while watching the performers (which suggests he may even be looking up the performer's skirt) portray how some people with ill-intentions may also appear to such performances, and how their interest is similar yet different to the rest of the audience.