The Happiest Way to Be Sad: “Great Scott!!” by Bryan Yabut and Rymnd Gev at Art Elaan
Think of the happiest ways to be sad, and you’ll likely arrive at nostalgia. “Great Scott!!”, a back-to-back show with Bryan Yabut and Rymnd Gev opens at Art Elaan on September 9–29, with comic book paintings (before they were rebranded as graphic novels) and interactive art inspired by the zeitgeist at least 20 years back.
Nostalgia was once thought to be the antithesis of progress and innovation. And yet the progress and innovation we have seen in the digital renaissance that took place within a condensed period of time compared to the years that preceded it might just be the cause and subject of this cultural retrospective.
Taking its roots from the Greek word nostos meaning “to return home”, and algos meaning “pain”, it is this painful longing to “go home” which explains what marketers won’t tell you: nostalgia sells.
As many would agree, millennials are said to be the most nostalgic generation. Somehow, we’ve managed to make the ’80s to 00’s never end, whether we’ve lived through it (cue: age reveal) or pretend to have lived through it. So yesteryear is making a comeback. Welcome back to the future!
Don’t miss “Great Scott!!”, a tribute to the young and young at heart, because you’re only young once!
About the artists:
Bryan Yabut takes his inspiration from everyday life and his son’s world of cartoon characters. He graduated Fine Arts major in Advertising at the University of the East in Caloocan and worked as a graphic designer for Dickies apparel. He was a finalist of the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE) multiple times and has been participating in exhibits since 2016.
Rymnd Gev is a visual artist who specializes in interactive mixed media art. Advocating that anything can be art, he combines painting and vintage Pinoy toys to translate personal memories into art. He has won multiple awards including 1st place in Shell National Students Art Competition for the sculpture category, 1st place in Rotary Club of Intramuros Painting Competition, Philippine Art Awards shortlist, Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE) finalist, 1st place Manila Bulletin Sketchfest, and more. He has been participating in exhibits locally since 2019.
