THE STREETS ARE SAYING SOMETHING

The Streets are Saying Something

In this show entitled The Streets are Saying Something, I concentrated on quiet images and sceneries with unspoken elusive meanings. I focused on situations within the complexity of a chaotic and unstable society. I also focused on my own experiences and observations that can become my social commentary about people’s way of living, whether mentally or physically. These are everyday lives, past and present. The aim is to lead the audience towards the realization of our social system and surroundings. This is a language that is readable to my viewers, hear my thoughts and my interpretations.

The Streets are Saying Something will open on Monday, 6PM, March 2, 2009 at blanc makati. blanc is located at Crown Tower 107 H.V. dela Costa St. Salcedo Village, Makati City. For more information please call or sms 752-0032/0920- 9276436 , email info@blanc.ph or visit www.blanc.ph www.blancartspace. multiply. com

TAO AT KALIKASAN, MAGKAUGNAY

ATIENZA │ BESANA │ DELGADO │ VISTA │ SANGVIAJE

RUROK

The Makati Artist Guild returns to the SM Megamall Art Center with an exhibit entitled “Rurok”, opening on February 27, 2009 at 6pm. The show features new works from 14 guild members, each expressing personal reflection on the show’s title, the Filipino word for peak, which lends itself to both literal and figurative interpretations.

The works, mostly on canvases a foot square and four feet by three feet, fall into two extremes: age as apex and height as zenith. In the former, Mel Cabriana, Aina Valencia, Fanny Balnco and Abby Yao take youth as a point of departure. Their oil paintings revolve around livelihood, education and play inspired by their on childhoods, or those of their children and grandchildren. Conversely , Lita Gelano finds in elderly Filipinos the summit of experience and a life lived well despite pain and suffering, rounding out the value of wisdom and innocence as peaks that mark one’s lifetime.

Helen Marisol, Peter Sutcliffe, Obi Mapua, Stella Torres and Molly Yap offer various vantage points from which to view the heights of Rurok, from Mirasol’s places of spiritually to Sutcliffe’s “ice cream in excelsis”, from Torres’ birds on a wire to architect Mapua’s historic airplanes, and through Yap’s play with the Chinese characters for the wedded bliss. Rubee Alcantara successfully skims the two common definition of “rurok” in the exhibit by alternately approaching childhood and the sky.

Tess Mapua and Hardian Mendoza tackle their subjects by experimenting with the textures and dimension in their use of mixed media and ceramics, respectively. Like a satellite, the younger Mapua sees the storms unsettling her life as a Filipino artist, while Mendoza lets the rising heat of the kiln work its magic on his functional forms. Thomas Daquioag’s postage stamp of the Philippines personifies the country’s charms with recurring subject, the superhero, at glorifying the natural beauty of the Philippines and lamenting the urban scapes of a billboard state.

MAG was formed in 2002, an offshoot of art workshops at the Ayala Museum. Its members come from various professional backgrounds and range in age from the mid-20s to the mid-7-s, accounting for the diversity in their interests. Through the mentoring of Renato Habulan, also the exhibit’s curator, the MAG members converge through a common desire to create and exhibit their work.

Rurok is a co- presented by Britania Art Projects and will run until March 12, 2009. For more information, please call 387-6373/ 414-7446 or visit www.britaniaartprojects.com

TESSERAE: THE ART OF MOSAIC

TESSERAE: The Art of Mosaic

2nd City Council Art Gallery + Performance Space announces a national Call for Artists for Tesserae: The Art of Mosaic. Mosaic is an ancient medium and “Tesserae” are the small pieces used to make up a mosaic the tiny bits that create the larger picture. We invite mosaic artists from around the country to share their work as a window into this popular art form.

The exhibition will be a dialogue between artists working in all media of mosaic: tile, glass, broken crockery, ceramic, polymer clay, mixed-media, and more. The exhibition itself becomes the Mosaic. It reflects the diverse ways in which this exciting medium is used for artistic expression, creativity and growth.

This juried exhibition is open to all mosaic artists living in the U.S.

MOSAIC media only. No video and film accepted. Photos of mosaic installations, murals, or architectural applications are not accepted for this exhibition.

Exhibition: June 27, 2009 – August 5, 2009.
Juror: Lillian Sizemore. Please see bio below.

Entry Receipt Deadline: Sunday, May 10, 2009.

Reception: Saturday, July 11, 2009

Cash Awards: $500, $300, $200 and $100 plus the infamous eye opener award.

Entry Fee: $10 per entry for members, $20 per entry for non-members. Three detail images only per piece. Volunteer hours at the gallery or online welcome. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinate, Judy Cocuzza at 2ndcityinfo@gmail.com.

For a prospectus or more information regarding the exhibition please email Cheryl at 2ndcitycouncil@earthlink.net or visit our website at www.2ndcitycouncil.org

JUROR: Ms. Sizemore has worked as a professional artist for nearly 30 years, and has been working in mosaics since 1995. Along with co-founding The San Francisco Mosaic Studio, She has authored more than 20 articles, and has been featured in numerous books and magazines, including Mosaic Techniques and Traditions by Sonia King, and Mosaic Art and Style by JoAnn Locktov. Her travel book, A Guide to Mosaic Sites: San Francisco, along with her educational website www.sfmosaic.com Lillian has created and consulted on numerous site-specific mosaic murals, façades, and private commissions not only in the Bay Area, but internationally, as well.

For the past three years she has worked in conjunction with two of Getty Villa's exhibitions, Stories in Stone: Conserving Mosaics of Roman Africa, and Jim Dine: Poet Singing, conducting demonstrations and educational workshops for the exhibits. She is a frequent visiting artist and instructor at the Institute of Mosaic Art, in Oakland, California. Currently, her workshop, "Mosaics from the Mind's Eye: Connecting to Your Creative Power", explores one's secret inner biography by combining meditation with mosaic-making and the mandala form. She is a graduate of Indiana University with double degrees in Italian and Fine Arts Printmaking and has several new projects in the works.

Ms. Sizemore has reviewed and curated many exhibitions, and is excited to be participating in 2nd City Council’s first Mosaic Exhibition.

GUESSMATES │ UNTITLED (LANDMARK) │ INFECTIOUS

IMAGINATION IS AN OVERUSED CLICHE II

SOME ROOMS

THE SHOCK OF THE FAMILIAR

THE SHOCK OF THE FAMILIAR

Show by Bong Bellosillo, Ian Madrigal and Mitch Garcia

Form, design, and function: making a social or political statement through artistic presentation. Art and social issues have always gone hand-in-hand, from Egyptian hieroglyphics to the Bauhaus to graffiti. The ocular and emotional impact made by Picasso’s Guernica forces one to think about the horrors of war. Munch’s The Scream, depicting despair and anxiety in 19thcentury Germany, is today a commercial icon used to sell sports drinks. In the latter half of the 20th century, the extreme revival of poster art branched into record album covers, and the debate over whether popular art is really art, once again posed the questions: what is art, and what is its purpose?

Does art have, and should it have, a message? Perhaps one of its functions is to identify groups, group membership, and political or social attitudes shared by the group.

Membership of subculture groups, whose ideas and lifestyles are at variance with those of the dominant culture, is usually dominated by the young. For some it is fleeting and forms a rite of passage; others move through a series of subcultures, and some remain committed to one, long term. Belonging to a subculture can be liberating, offering, for example, certain freedoms in lifestyle, sexuality, and politics. By defining their own geographical, social, and sartorial boundaries, subcultures also provide a sense of belonging that is independent of the family (Haye & Dingwall, 1996) and thereby establish a sense of empowerment and self-reliance that most young people strive for starting around ages 11-15. Subcultures express themselves through their own art, music, and dress. The subcultures of the latter half of the 20th century would most likely identify themselves as being outside of any norm.

- Ian Madrigal

opens Friday, February 27, 2009 at 7:00pm

ends on Friday, March 13, 2009

GALERIE ASTRA

2/f LRI Design Plaza

210 Nicanor Garcia St., Bel-Air II, Makati City, Philippines

THE BENCAB MUSEUM INAUGURATION

After almost two years of construction, BenCab’s lifelong dream has finally come to fruition. National Artist for Visual Arts Ben Cabrera, or BenCab, had long been wanting to put up a repository for his collection of Philippine contemporary art as well as his treasured collection of indigenous artifacts of the Cordilleras, the northern Philippine highlands he has called home for over 20 years.

The BenCab Museum will soon open its doors to the sound of tribal gongs and the spectacle of a traditional canao ritual. Built on a promontory on Bencab’s farm and garden in Tuba, Benguet, the museum is a 15-minute drive from Baguio City center. It commands a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and the South China Sea in the distant west.

Apart from the permanent collection galleries, the museum also has galleries for changing exhibitions; a function room for art workshops and film showings; a museum shop selling art books and souvenirs; and Café Sabel, which offers fresh and natural food in an ambiance that will refresh your palates and feed your soul.

The farm and garden below the museum showcase organic farm produce and the typical indigenous architecture of the Ifugao, Kalinga and Bontoc. A river runs through the property, with cascading waterfalls on one end, and a forest with an eco-trail. There is an aviary housing peacocks and various birds, and a veritable animal farm with ducks, geese, turkeys, and other local livestock. Guided tours of the farm and garden can be arranged.

With its vision of bringing arts closer to the people, the Bencab Museum is committed to the promotion of the arts, and the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment, as well as the culture and traditions of the Cordilleras. It is an expression of the artist's gratitude to the country that nurtured and inspired an artistic career that continues to grow, mature and fascinate.

The BenCab Museum is a project of the BenCab Art Foundation, a non-stock, non-profit organization that supports activities related to the arts and environment.

___________________________________________________________________


Museum hours: 9:00AM to 5:00PM, Tuesdays to Sundays. Closed on Mondays.
Address: Km. 6 Asin Road, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet 2603.
Tel/Fax: (+63 74) 4427165.
Email: bencabmuseum@gmail.com.
Website: www.bencabmuseum.org.

TEMPORARY ESCAPE

TEMPORARY ESCAPE

Escape with the immaculate pen work of Fernando Escora to his crowded fantasy depiction of Manila and its inhabitants. TEMPORARY ESCAPE showcases exclusively at Utterly Art Exhibition Space, 229A South Bridge Road (2nd Level), Singapore 058778 from Thursday 26th FEB to Sunday 8th MAR 2009. The opening hours are from Monday-Saturday: 12noon - 8pm and Sunday: 12noon – 5.30pm. We can be contacted at 6226 2605 (Kenneth or Keng Hock) or through utterlyart@pacific.net.sg. The opening reception is on Thursday 26th FEB 2009 at 7pm. Members of the press are most welcome to attend. Attendance at the exhibition is FREE.

Artist's Statement:

Imagine you are still a child, living a life without worry. You are free to explore and discover things without considering bigger responsibilities. Spending the day without serious routine and enjoying it to the fullest. All these things are temporary.

When responsibilities arise, we realize that we are grown up. Slowly we see our world composed of many facets to every movement. Our eyes open to the reality of life… that life is not easy, unlike when we were a child.

Unexpected complications arise, responsibility becomes apparent. We start to be conscious of being alive. Living, and finally involving ourselves in society. We see things around us, sometimes criticize, react and make a decision.

And sometimes we look for a temporary escape.

About the exhibition:

The grass always looks greener over in another pasture. In the teeming metropolis of Manila, amidst traffic jams, slums and pollution, many Filipinos dream of working overseas, breaking away for a short holiday or finding success elsewhere. But Temporary Escape is not just about fleeing poverty and the urban grime, the reality is that sometimes we need to escape our present situation to reach for our own happiness or to discover ourselves.

About the artist:

Fernando Escora obtained his Bachelor in Fine Arts degree with a Major in Painting at the University of the Philippines, Diliman in 1999. He has been a fulltime artist for fifteen years, and has taught, illustrated books and magazines, and participated in numerous exhibitions in Southeast Asia. Temporary Escape will be his fifteenth solo exhibition and third with Utterly Art.

ITIMPUTI

The Yuchengco Museum, dedicated to encouraging a greater appreciation of Filipino art and creativity, is offering a new space to enjoy and buy original works of art. Dubbed the “Water Dragon Gallery at RCBC Plaza,” the modern, split-level venue at the museum’s second floor also provides artists and designers the opportunity to stage their own exhibits and showcase and sell their art to a wider audience.

The Water Dragon Gallery is an extension service provided by the Yuchengco Museum, committed to providing gallery exposure to established and emerging local artists, offering affordable fine art to the public, and supporting independent curators, art organizations, and other art galleries.

The gallery will host a new artist every two weeks, with a series of solo, group, and thematic shows throughout the year. Visitors to the Water Dragon and the museum will enjoy a wide variety of original artwork available for sale—from photographs, prints, and paintings to jewelry, new media, and small sculptures. Whether long-time collectors or first-time buyers, guests will surely find the right piece to add interest, energy, and color to their home or office.

The Water Dragon Gallery features two simultaneous shows until February 26. The first is an exhibit of 27 prints by members of the Philippine Association of Printmakers. Featured artists are Ambie Abaño, Charito Bitanga, Benjie Cabangis, Noell El Farol, Gig de Pio, Raul Isidro, Ojeng Jocano, Mario Parial, Adi Baens Santos, and Ronald Ventura, among others. Nature-inspired jewelry and home decor by Davao-based designer Ann Tiukinhoy Pamintuan are also on exhibit.

The Water Dragon Gallery at RCBC Plaza is located at the second floor of the Yuchengco Museum at RCBC Plaza , Corner Ayala & Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenues in Makati . Gallery hours are Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For inquiries, call 889-1234 or e-mail thewaterdragon@yuchengcomuseum.org.

SOLITUDE

It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great person is one who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. ---- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The 5th Solo Exhibit of Arden Tuzon Mopera encompasses the feeling of solitude. It is about being in a far place alone and contemplating about the things and experiences in ones life. It is about evaluating our past and planning our future in the absence of other peoples influence in our decision. It is about taking time to reflect on our actions that made us what we are right now and looking forward about our future dealings.

Solitude allows us to frame our emotions and ideas away from the influence of others. It allows us to see the world on a fresh perspective without bothering of the standards posed by society. Being solitary means having to internalize our environment and evaluate our experiences. Being solitary buys us the time to assess our present status and contemplate our future.

The essence of productive solitude, as with all privacy, is the achievement of a sense of choice and free will, as well as of personal control.

Arden Tuzon Mopera is a graduate of Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Technological University of the Philippines. Exhibit will be on February 22 to March 3, 2009 at the Big and Small Gallery, 4th floor Building A SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

THE NCCA LAUNCHES COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS

To mark the celebration of the Philippine of the Philippine International Arts Festival, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in cooperation, with the Philippine Postal Corporation, recently launched four (4) stamps specially designed around the seven Arts: Theater/Literature, Architecture/Cinema, Music/Dance, and Visual Arts.

Halfway into the month-long celebration of the Philippine International Arts Festival, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) launch National Arts Month (NAM) commemorative stamps featuring the seven disciplines of art on February 20, 2009.

Present during the launch are NCCA Chairman and DepEd Usec. Vilma Labrador, PA on Culture and NCCA Executive Director Cecile Guidote Alvarez, Post Master General Hector Villanueva, NAM Festival Manager Ricky de Ungria, KWF Chairman Joelad Santos, and NCCA Board of Commissioners.

February as the National Arts Month is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 683 in 1991. The annual affair is a celebration of the talents and creative efforts of the Filipino artists. For this year’s celebration, numerous festivities have been organized all over the country.

For details: http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca/press-releases/press-release.php?i=22

ARTS NETWORK ASIA MANILA INTERPHASE

ALAY 11

Philippine visual artists affiliated with Boston and Pinto Gallery will commemorate National Arts Month through Alay 11, which opens on 21 February 2009 at Boston Gallery in Cubao, Quezon City.

Alay is an annual group exhibition by artists who have exhibited at the Boston Gallery and Pinto Gallery. In past years, it has been a “year-ender” exhibition, capping the gallery's roster of shows. This year marks its eleventh-year anniversary as an art event.

More than 40 painters and sculptors will showcase their works in Alay 11. Among the artists are: John Paul Antido, Plet Bolipata, Pablo Capati, Marika Constantino, Ninel Constantino, Marina Cruz, Noel Soler Cuizon, Edrick Daniel, Joey de Castro, Dennis Fortozo , Dennis Gonzales, Guerrero Habulan, Riel Hilario, Mark Justiniani, Erwin Leaňo, Stephanie Lopez, Joy Mallari, Neil Manalo, Joven Mansit, Ferdinand Montemayor, Bon Mujeres, Leeroy New, Renato Ong, Andy Orencio, Jim Orencio, Vincent Padilla, Anthony Palomo, Mikel Parial, Elmer Roslin, Kirby Roxas, Tence Ruiz, Jaypee Samson, Jerson Samson, Julius Samson, Victor Santos, Pamela Yan Santos, Tammy Tan, CJ Taňedo, Rodel Tapaya, Tatong Torres, Anna Varona and Costantino Zicarelli.

According to gallery curator Ruel Caasi, last year's exhibition, Alay 10 promoted the establishment of the Silangan Contemporary Art Museum. The museum aims to maintain and preserve a collection of significant Philippine artworks from 1986 to 2010.

Alay 11 opens on the 21st of February (Saturday 6pm) at Boston Gallery, at #72 Lantana Street, Cubao, Quezon City. For inquiries, please contact the gallery at tel. no.7229205.

BASILICA : SITE SPECIFIC WORKS

THE 2009 CCP THIRTEEN ARTISTS AWARDEES

artforum> CCP Announces 2009 Thirteen Artists Awardees

The Cultural Center of the Philippines is pleased to announce the 2009 Thirteen Artists Awardees. The artists who will be receiving the award and will present new works in the exhibit at the CCP Main Gallery on July 9, 2009 are:

1. Buen Calubayan

2. Christina Dy

3. Don Djerassi Dalmacio

4. Patty Eustaquio

5. Kawayan de Guia

6. Winner Jumalon

7. Raquel de Loyola

8. Raya Martin

9. Iggy Rodriguez

10. Don Salubayba

11. Jaypee Samson

12. Pamela Yan

13. MM Yu

The artists were unanimously chosen by jurors Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez, Lao Lianben and Mark Justiniani.

The Thirteen Artists Award Exhibit will be curated by Wire Tuazon and Louie Cordero will be designing the trophy. The event will be part of CCP’s 40th Anniversary celebration, recognizing original Filipino creations and brave new works for the period of June-July 2009.

NACION

On February 20, Village Art Gallery is opening its first exhibit for this year. The works of one of the most talented new emerging artists, Francis Nacion’s 2009 collection, will be unveiled. Colorful rendition of familiar Filipino themes that are done in Nacion’s inimitable naïf-like style already is drawing a curious number of collectors. Art critics are predicting young Nacion will be a major Filipino artist in the near future.

VAG is located at the 1st level Home Zone Area, Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City.

Exhibit opens at 6:30pm and will run until March 2, 2009.

ARTIST IN CONVERSATION

THE 2009 GSIS PAINTING COMPETITION

The Government Service Insurance System in cooperation with the Art Association of the Philippines is inviting Filipino artists to join the 2009 GSIS Painting Competition. This year’s competition has an open theme. The artist is encouraged to explore his best in presenting and conceptualizing his artwork entry. It is through this competition that we hope to view and produce diverse interpretations of what’s inside an artist’s mind.

Please read all the mechanics, rules and regulations carefully. The GSIS shall be strict in the implementation of the guidelines set. Entries could be disqualified for technical reasons.

1. Official entry forms are available in all GSIS offices (Headquarters, Regional Offices and Satellite Offices) and Art Association of the Philippines Office (AAP), c/o Kanlungan Ng Sining, Rizal Park, Manila, starting February 16, 2009.

CATEGORIES & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

2. There will be two (2) categories for this year’s competition:
- Representational (any style, realistic, stylized (distorted figure), representational cubism, etc)
- Non-representational (abstract) i.e. purely non-representational, no-recognizable figures and objects.

3. The competition is open to all Filipino artists age 18 years old (by April 25, 2009) and above. Participants can submit one entry per category. Therefore, participant can submit one entry for representational and one entry for non-representational. There is no participation fee.

4. The theme is open.

5. Required size is 3 feet x 4 feet (horizontal or vertical excluding frame) with 10 kilos allowable maximum weight (including frame).

6. All entries must be ready for hanging (museum-wrap or box-type is allowed).

7. The medium acceptable is only oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas or watercolor. Entries using collage, decoupage, assemblage or use of non-pigment based materials like paper, board, plastic metal, etc. is not allowed. The entry must hang on a wall to qualify. Appropriate support, and/or equivalent devices should be provided to ensure the proper hanging of the artwork (ready for hanging). [For watercolor entries, any watercolor paper is allowed except illustration board]

8. The entry must be dated not earlier than 2009, must be his/her original work, and must not have been exhibited before nor revised nor awarded a prize in another contest.

9. The entry must be signed but must be covered with masking tape prior to submission (to conceal artist’s identity). It must also be properly labeled at the back, indicating: Artist (Name, Address, and Contact Numbers) Title of the work, Medium, Size, Year and Price.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

10. All participants must be responsible for their entries. GSIS shall not undertake any pick-up or transportation of any artwork to or from any point of origin. Wet paintings will not be accepted.
11. Entry must be submitted at the GSIS Museum located at the GSIS Main Office, Financial Center, Reclamation Area, Pasay City (CCP Complex – Diosdado. Macapagal Ave) on April 25, 2009 (Saturday) from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM only.

12. Entry submitted before or after the stated date and time shall not be accepted. Mail forwarders coming from the provinces should be advised by the participants themselves that the entry will only be accepted on the said submission date. Participants from the provinces are also encouraged to group together so that bringing or shipping their entries to Pasay City will be cheaper.

13. During the submission, the entry must have the following:
- Completely filled-up and signed official entry form with one (1) 1 x 1 ID colored picture.
- Photocopy of ONE valid ID (for age verification). The only acceptable IDs include: Current School ID, PRC License, Driver’s License, Official Company ID, copy of Passport, Postal ID, SSS ID, GSIS-E-card, Senior Citizen’s ID, Voter’s ID, NBI/Police Clearance, AAP Membership ID.
- 5” x 7” colored photo of the work with the following information written at the back: Artist (Name, Address, and Contact Numbers) Title of the work, Medium, Size, Year and Price.
- Notarized affidavit of the ENTRY FORM certifying originality ofr entry and subscription to the rules and regulations of the competition.

JUDGING, PRIZES AND AWARDING DATE

14. Announcement and awarding of winners will be on June 4, 2009 (Thursday) at 6:00 pm at the GSIS Theater, Pasay City.

15. Cash Awards for the winners shall be:

Representational
1st Prize - P 300,000.00
2nd Prize - 200,000.00
3rd Prize - 100,000.00
Five (5) Honorable Mention - P 50,000 each

Non-Representational (Abstract)
1st Prize - P 300,000.00
2nd Prize - 200,000.00
3rd Prize - 100,000.00
Five (5) Honorable Mention - P 50,000 each

All prizes are subject to 20% tax per government ruling.

16. All Prize Winning entries including Honorable Mentions, will automatically become properties of the GSIS and will be included in the GSIS Art Collection.

17. Judges may decide not to award prizes if the entries do not meet certain artistic and competition requirements. All decisions of the board of judges shall be final.

OTHER PROVISIONS

18. The GSIS Museum reserves the right to use the name and photo of the artist and his/her entry for free in any broadcast, or print medium. The artist also grants GSIS the right to exhibit the entries as deemed fit. Due to limited space, not all entries will be exhibited. The GSIS reserves the right to decide which of the entries will be displayed during the competition exhibition. Likewise, the GSIS reserves the right to decide which of the entries will be included in the Catalogue of Entries.

19. During the exhibition proper, all none winning entries will be offered for sale to the general public subject to a 20% commission for the Art Association of the Philippines to support their programs and projects.

20. All possible care will be taken for the entries submitted. However, the GSIS Museum assumes no responsibility for any loss or damage to entries before, during and/or after the competition.

21. All none winning entries must be retrieved b the participants or their designated representatives starting July 1 until August 15, 2009 only. Unclaimed artworks after this date will be disposed b the GSIS Museum accordingly.

22. Officers of Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) are not allowed to participate in the said competition.

DIG IT TOO

PIVAF '09

IMAGINATION IS AN OVERUSED CLICHE I

PAMANA

THE BENCAB MUSEUM

(download invitation & map)

OUTPOURINGS

THE PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL VISUAL ARTS FEST 2009

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) with
Robinsons Midtown Manila / Robinsons Forum Pioneer
and De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde
present

The Philippine International Visual Arts Fest '09 (PIVAF'09)

It will be a convergence of selected various Filipino and International Artists from the different regions of the country. It ill feature the talents and performances of the artists and groups in the visual arts (Painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, multimedia and installation) whose trainings, competitions and creative expressions it has invested the past year or so.

For 18 years now, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has been organizing the National Arts Month (NAM) in the month of February with a series of festivities and activities mounted throughout the country celebrating Filipino artistry and promoting the arts and the artists. For 2009, the celebration takes a leap by going international under the name Philippine International Arts Festival (PIAF). All over the country, different arts and culture groups as well as local governments will hold events for the PIAF with funding and support from the NCCA. With the theme Ani ng Sining, the PIAF has evolved from Manila-centered activities to a truly national event with key activities in all three major island groups, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, involving hundreds of artists from different disciplines of arts and reaching thousands of people from all walks of life and all over the world.

In celebrating the National Arts Month this February 2009 РThe Philippine International Visual Arts Fest 2009 (PIVAF'09) features selected artists (In random order) Aaron Bautista, Ambet Lugtu, Salvador Ching, Patrick Chong , Anton Isip, Edillardo Paras, Nunelucio Alvarado, Danilo Celum, Charlie Co, Dulz Cuna, Adeste Deguilmo, Kitty Taniguchi, Dennis Ascalon, Gary Carabio, Wenceslao Cuevas Jr., Joe Geraldo, Paulina Constancia-Lee, Nomar Miano, Ramon Porcare, Noel Sagayap, Susanito Samate, Armando Toleza, Javy Villacin Jr., Al Nezzar Ali, Errol Balcos, Rogelito Cayas Jr., Edwin Jumalon, Jun Porlares, Kelly Ramos-Palaganas, Blugto Necosia Jr., Ambie Aba̱o, Pandy Aviado, Joe Datuin, Raul Isidro, Ramon Orlina, Buds Convocar, Arnel Borja, Jesus Genotiva, Jay Alonzo, Henry Bateman, Beth Parrocha-Doctolero, Dopy Doplon, Tommy Hafalla, Luis Martin Harder, Rick Hernandez, Nap Jamir, Amiel Lapuebla, Miguel Nacianceno, JP Sarmenta, George Tapan, Lilen Uy, Romy Vitug, Egai Talusan Fernandez, Palmy Pe-Tudtud, Bada Torralba, Manny Montelibano, Danny Pangan, Don Gurrea, Nemiranda, Nonoy Francisco, Rosscapili, Yuan Mor' Ocampo, Valente Villanueva and Sio Montera.


PIVAF Schedule of Activities
ROBINSONS Midtown Manila

February 18, 2009
3:00 PM Opening Ceremonies of PIVAF 09, Robinsons Midtown, Manila
Inspirations from NCCA Executive Director Cecile Guidote-Alvarez
Inspirations from International Filipino Sculptor Ramon Orlina
Inspirations from the National Committee on Visual Arts Head Edgar (Egai) Talusan Fernandez - and to present the NCVA Council Members
Audio-Visual Presentation about PIVAF09
Presentation of the PIVAF'09 Catalog by Egai Talusan Fernandez to Cecile Guidote-Alvarez
Presentation of Plaques to Lecturers
Closing Remarks from Emily Abrera - Chairman of McCann-Erickson Philippines and Chairman of the CCP
Cutting of Ribbon for the Exhibition
Cocktails

February 19, 2009

10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF 09 Exhibit, Robinsons Midtown, Manila

February 20, 2009
10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF 09 Exhibit, Robinsons Midtown, Manila
2:00 PM Lecture : Role of Advertising & Media in the Improvement of Philippine Visual Arts by Emily Abrera -- Chairman of McCann-Erickson Philippines and Chairman of the Cultural Center of the Philippines

February 21, 2009
10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF 09 Exhibit, Robinsons Midtown, Manila
2:00 PM Lecture : Travel/ Fine Art Photography by George Tapan, a well-known PATA Gold Awardee 1999- Travel and Fine Art Filipino Photographer
(Open Forum follows: Topic - The State of Photography in the Philippines as an Art Form. Co-facilitated by NCVA council Ross Capili with George Tapan)

February 22, 2009
10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF 09 Exhibit, Robinsons Midtown, Manila
2:00 PM Lecture: Introduction to Preventive Art Conservation, Practical tips for handling, framing, exhibition, and storage of artworks by Lyn Yusi, a well-known Art Conservator and Professor at the University of the Philippines

ROBINSONS FORUM

February 19, 2009
10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF'09 Exhibit, Robinsons Forum, Pioneer Mandaluyong

February 20, 2009
10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF'09 Exhibit, Robinsons Forum, Mandaluyong

February 19, 2009
10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF'09 Exhibit, Robinsons Forum, Mandaluyong
2:00 PM Lecture: Photography as an Art Medium by Ross Capili, a well-know Visual Artist and PATA Gold Awardee 2008 in Photo Travel Journalism. NCVA council
(Open Forum follows: Topic - The State of Photography in the Philippines as an Art Form. Co facilitated by Edgar (Egai) Talusan Fernandez - a well known and award winning Painter and Photographer - NCVA Head)

February 22, 2009
10:00 AM - 8PM PIVAF'09 Exhibit, Robinsons Forum, Mandaluyong
2:00 PM Lecture: Photography for Everyone by Jay Alonzo, a well-known Travel / Fine Art Photographer and lecturer
Note: Lecturer schedules from De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde will be announced soon

Please sign up for free lectures At http://philippinear tsfest.multiply. com/journal. (PIVAF'09 catalog will be raffled off to those who have listed their names here and present during the lectures). Or please give your contact numbers to Didith Ladao at one_workshop@ yahoo.com so that we can reserve you a seat

The PIVAF'09 is organized and managed by Event Impact, Inc. a non-profit organization appointed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as a project of the National Committee on Visual Arts

Visit http://philippineartsfest.com/

CHROMATIC PERSPECTIVES

Jo Layug Loignon was born in the Philippines but spent most of her life abroad in Europe, the United States, Africa, Middle East and Asia. Late this summer, she returned to the Philippines with her husband from Cambodia who recently retired from the Canadian diplomatic service.

After graduation Jo first moved to Europe and then to the United States where she pursued further studies at the Parsons School of Design in New York, The San Francisco Art Institute and on to Canada at the Fine Arts Department of the University of Ottawa.

In the late 70’s Jo returned briefly to Manila and worked as Acting Director of the CCP Museum while Ray Albano was on leave on a Fullbright scholarship.

Jo started out as a printmaker. During her husband’s assignment in Hong Kong, she worked as a freelance photographer and experimented with non-silver photography, a process which she took delight in because of the endless possibilities it offered. She also trained as a printmaker at the Atelier Gravura in Lisbon while her husband was serving in Portugal.

Although Jo remained keenly interested in the visual arts, she devoted limited time to painting before their move to Miami. There, she was propelled into a whirl of cultural activities mainly through the Art Basel Miami Beach, which has become the most important modern and contemporary art show in the Americas. A large part of the show is devoted to the works of emerging artists. She participated in some of the activities that were sponsored by the Consulate General of Canada in Miami. Art Basel Miami Beach was the place to discover and be inspired. It moved her to paint and she resumed painting on a regular basis, this time working in acrylics and oils. Her canvases were composed of linear abstractions where lines and circles played a major role.

In Chromatic Perspectives Jo attempts to develop a whole new visual vocabulary removed from traditional and academic tenets as she did with her linear abstractions. Her forms and colour pallete however, remain in the minimalist genre. Her canvases are constructed with collages, cut outs of fabric, found objects - sticks, tapes, etc. which she combines with plotted perspective studies and laborious craftsmanship. Like Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades, the objects once repositioned on canvas are transformed to another level. In this exhibit she focuses her thoughts on forms arising from modern esthetics associated with an approach to man's relationship with the environment. Some of her canvases turn into linear abstractions. These canvases cross the line between graphic and fine arts.

Jo admits to being influenced by Sol Lewitt and Mark Rothko. Her etchings, photographs and canvases have been exhibited in Europe and the U.S.

Jo Layug Loignon opens his latest exhibit Chromatic Perspectives at the Alliance Française de Manille, at 209 Nicanor Garcia Street (formerly Reposo Street), Bel-Air 2, Makati City. The artist’s reception shall be on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at Alliance Française de Manille’s Total Gallery. Cocktails will be served at 6:30 pm. Exhibit ends on February 20, 2009. For high resolution images of the artworks and more details about the said exhibit, kindly contact Mr. Olivier Dintinger (AFM Director) or Mr. Earl Parco (Cultural-PR & Design Officer) at 895 7441 / 895 7585 or email odintinger@alliance.ph

MAKING HOME

SUDDENLY TURNING VISIBLE : THE COLLECTION AT THE CENTER

The Cultural Center of the Philippines celebrates its 40th Anniversary this 2009 with an expansive exhibition entitled “SUDDENLY TURNING VISIBLE: The Collection at the Center.” This is a selection from the CCP Art Collection as curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, and will be concurrently installed at the Bulwagang Juan Luna (Main Gallery), the Bulwagang Fernando Amorsolo (Small Gallery), the Pasilyo Victorio Edades (Fourth Floor Hallway) and Fourth Floor Atriums from February 17 to March 17, 2009.

“Suddenly Turning Visible” traces the lineage of the collection within the parallel histories of art and politics since the Center’s inception in 1969. The CCP is of course renowned as a home for Philippine modernist art and design as evidenced by its edifice and fixtures. Even today, it remains influential in the development of contemporary art practice. Joining the collection for this exhibit are existing installations by Reginald Yuson and Poklong Anading. Claro Ramirez, Jr. has also created a new multimedia installation based on the Center’s public art pieces.

The exhibit promises to be an enlightening and educational experience to audiences of all ages.

Opening Reception will take place at 6:00pm on Tuesday, February 17. Gallery hours are at 10:00am-6:00pm daily except Mondays and Holidays.

Guided tours will be available on four consecutive Saturdays: February 21 & 28, March 7 & 14 at 10:00am-12:00nn.

A forum featuring former CCP curators is scheduled on Friday, February 27 at 2:00-5:00pm; and another, featuring artists whose works are part of the collection, will also take place on Friday, March 13 at 2:00-5:00pm.

The exhibition, tours and forums are free and open to the public. For inquiries and bookings, please call CCP Visual Arts and Museo at Tel.8323702 .
Guided tours will be available on four consecutive Saturdays: February 21 & 28, March 7 & 14 at 10:00am-12:00nn.

A forum featuring former CCP curators is scheduled on Friday, February 27 at 2:00-5:00pm; and another, featuring artists whose works are part of the collection, will also take place on Friday, March 13 at 2:00-5:00pm.

The exhibition, tours and forums are free and open to the public. For inquiries and bookings, please call CCP Visual Arts and Museo at Tel.8323702 .

EXISTENCE

RYAN RUBIO: EXISTENCE

Existence is a most profound concept that underlies the works of Ryan Rubio. Yet it is not only existence alone but the very nature and reason for it that is the persistent thought that drives the Artist in him to paint layers upon layers of thick paint to produce a final visible surface founded on tactile memories of the distant past: his youth.

When asked what his message is to his audience, he simply remarked: Life is precious. Not many people realize the true worth of life’s experiences, the real reason why people are around them. He continued: Value the people around you when they are alive. In death, they would not even know what praises and glories you sing in their honor. They would not hear you. Treasure them while they are there with you.

When asked why his figures reminisce of alien forms, he declared: What I see in people are not their physical appearances but what I feel they are, what I think they are made of, what I sense they want to be. Their physical forms become a blur to me, and what I see in them is their character, their personality, their values, their worth. I paint what I feel in my guts what I think they really are.

Rubio’s concept of afterlife is another life. A person continues what he needs to do, for the purpose he was created, even after death. He said: Death is just a transition for you to be able to continue your mission in life. And that Life is the one spoken of in the greater sense.

A remarkable recent work of Rubio is Huling Pyesta: Pebrero Dos (Last Festival: February 2), a huge canvas filled with fleeting images of a parade enjoyed by his father who passed away when the artist was only in grade school. Too early, he said, for one so inspiring, so nurturing, so supportive of his dreams and visions, to go. But nevertheless, anchoring on his own beliefs about Life and Death, he went and the artist accepted it.

Yet all these seem not to matter to Rubio. When viewed in the broader horizon, deep within the context of what the artist really believes in, Life and Death fall in but one straight continuum. Life cannot exist without Death, or Death without Life.

Creation and its purpose have also been so clear in the artist’s mind: Once the creator has finished the creation, the object created carries with it the purpose for which it was created in the very first place. That creature will continue being such, will continue existing for the same purpose and reason it was created, as long as the Universe exists, and as long as Creation itself continues.

In Ryan’s mind, beyond this death, his father will continue being the nurturer, an inspiration, the teacher. In Ryan’s mind, he himself will continue to be an artist, even after his own death, even after this life.

IN SEARCH OF PARAMETERS

In Search of Parameters by Jana Benitez

Opening on Feb. 12 at the Tall Gallery of Finale Art File is "In Search for Parameters" by Jana Benitez. In her works, the artist captures an implied narrative of the human spirit--in existential angst, in unity of group work, in fleeting graceful dance choreographed, in the diaspora of Filipino overseas workers who eke out their existence in foreign lands.

Her murals are large, strong and bold. Compositionally, they reflect a complexity that tests the limits of the human figure--often distorted, contorted and mangled, but intensely emotional and poignant with meaning.

Her colors are fauvist in her earlier murals. The strong bold colors are highlighted by touches of white and tonal values main gradient colors. Handling strong contrasting colors, she is nonetheless able to blend them into a coherent and powerful artistic rendition.

THE SAMSONS

The Simpsons might be popular television viewing, but The Samsons are certainly a must-see when it comes to Philippine art.

Following their successful three-man show last year in Manila, painters and brothers Jerson, Julio and Jaypee Samson bring their fraternal art-making overseas to Singapore in the same family unit. But unlike the dysfunctional and comical cartoon family glorified in American primetime animation, the Samsons are anything but goofy and trivial in their representations of contemporary Philippine society.

The three Samson brothers were born in the town of Antipolo where they were inspired by the the historic Salingpusa art group. They all completed their degrees in Fine Arts (major in Painting) at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts in Diliman, Quezon City and have earned individual distinctions in various Philippine art competitions.



About the artists:

Jerson Samson sees himself as a ‘taga-masid’ (observer) or ‘taga-kwento’ (story-teller) of everyday realities, from the mundane to the bizarre. At a time when stories tend to revolve around centres of power, Jerson chooses to represent tales from the margins of society.

Julio Samson uses visual metaphors to convey the characters of persons, or in the present series, to reveal what is uppermost in their thoughts. The mind may be a receptacle of development, building or industry, or it may simply house peaceful thoughts.

An auction darling, Jaypee Samson’s distinct technique of rendering distorted yet realistic figures gives the impression that there might be something amiss and unsettling with the realities reflected in his paintings.

ZARZUELA SARSUELA

VISCERALIS

DECONSTRUCTIONISM

"Deconstructionism" is American fine artist Marty McCorkle's first Philippine exhibition of oil paintings on canvas that challenges the way we conventionally see the world through his unraveling representational painting style.

Marty McCorkle is a fine artist whose passion for combining painting with digital imagery has opened painting to unexplored realms that defy simple description. The artist seeks to depict experience’s choppy, fragmentary nature over which the mind’s eye endlessly applies an imaginary order.

“The two grand hallucinations that we habitually indulge in— memories of pasts that never occurred and conjectures about futures that never arise as imagined—provide the fecund voids that I visually mine.”
"Deconstructionism" is on show at Ricco Renzo Galleries, 2nd Floor, LRI Design Plaza, 210 N. Garcia St. (formerly Reposo), Bel Air 2, Makati City from February 13 to March 20, 2009.

An artist's reception with open cocktails takes place at 7pm on the 13th February.

DEAD CAN DANCE

ANDRES BARRIOQUINTO

SOLO EXHIBITION “DEAD CAN DANCE”

Tala Gallery presents “Dead Can Dance”, a one- man exhibition featuring a new collection of works by rising contemporary Filipino artist Andres Barrioquinto. The show runs from February 13 to March 13, 2009.

Dead can Dance explore the gradual transition point of Barrioquinto’s art from his cubist edged and somehow patterned renditions towards its binding marriage with figurative realism. It is also bound to showcase a larger set of works, which features an impressive set of lifeless doll-like apparitions that somehow dance floating in an eerie, dead ballet of patterned illusions. According to the artist, he strongly believes that the human body is a container; some are like dead, dancing vessels of flesh afloat in evil awaiting its consumption.