Our children took us to eat at a newly opened Filipino restaurant on Richmond and Church, right close to the neighborhood where we live. Makilala.  It means to recognize, or to get acquainted. It featured a basic Filipino menu and of course, karaoke. I told my children that when Filipino entertainers were going to Japan, they brought with them “minus one” cassette tapes that accompanied them when they sang. Of course, the Japanese improved this with Kara (minus) oke (voice). A must for every Pinoy gathering.

This week, we passed by this place in the daytime and saw this tray on display.  They said that they feature Philippine talent in their restaurant and I understand they took in several of my father’s wood carvings and serving pieces.

This tray is one of my father’s earlier work in serigraphy, using his own photographs and silk screened onto wooden trays. It was his work in silk screen that led him to go to Chicago to meet and work with other artists such as Andy Warhol.

It was also the first time I heard of plagiarism when some guy copied this work and tried to sell them as though it was his own. Until of course my father showed the court where his signature was, hidden in the artwork.

On another note, I discovered that it is a bad practice to hide your signature in the artwork especially when sharing a studio with other artists but was so happy that Natalie, the clay girl, showed me a little guy I thought I lost.

It is a good week.