I finally saw UPlift yesterday and there’s only one word to describe the experience: fascinating.

I was scheduled to meet friends for isaw at Mang Larry’s so I decided to go there early to go round the campus and take some pictures.

Going back made me realise one thing: I will always be in love with UPD. There’s something about the tree canopies, the academic oval, the old buildings, the even older sculptures, and the fresh scent in the air that calms me.

I had no idea where Uplift was so I just took my time going round the academic oval, avoiding Googling at all cost. Halfway along the tennis court, I saw her. Gold and slightly glimmering in the horizon.

I approached her the same way I approach any beautiful work of art: slowly, as if with caution. Not because I’m afraid that she will scurry away like a wild animal in the woods but because I wanted to contain my excitement and not ruin the moment. As if in slo-mo, I want the beauty of the artwork unfold right before my eyes.

And there I was. Inches from her.

Her body suspended in the air as if in a glorious dance with the sky; her long golden hair flowing from her scalp towards the pond, where her whole body was also reflected.

She looks like a water nymph. She is magnificent.

I’m just sad that she got surrounded by too much controversy when the artist, Ferdinand Cacnio, first launched her in the campus a year ago. Talks about plagiarism stigmatised what’s supposed to be an amazing work of art. The electronic pitchforks of social media hit the artist so hard and just disregarded the 10 long years he dedicated to create his masterpiece.

My take on it is this:

Art is universal.

And there will always be similar ideas. One look at an art collection of various artists and you will see this clearly. The Pietas, the dancers, the Venuses, the ricefields and the carabaos toiling under the sun for Pete’s sake.

Why?

Because art is the imitation of life and life is something that we all share.

As long as the piece of artwork spoke to you, it has done its job. And UPlift is one of those.

You need to see her to believe me.