Namkook 22: When Art is a Conversation

 

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A Conversation with Jamie Bautista: Disturbance and Art as a Force for Good (2 of 3)

Here is part 2 of my conversation with Jamie Bautista on artists and content creators who make use of art into a force for good. Part 1, Art is Creating an Emotional Response can be read here.

SLIA: What art pieces and projects can you recommend that has evidence of this channeling of disturbance into a force for good? Triggered is one, but what else is out there?

I think there are a lot of art projects and content out there that is all about channeling disturbance into a force for good. A lot of protest art I think are examples of that. The whole reason I wanted to do more art for society was because of theater productions like Dulaang UP’s The Kundiman Party, PETA’s Charot or the independently produced Desaparesidos, which were created out of their respective creative teams’ desire to address something disturbing politically. 

During times of crisis like typhoons or the recent pandemic, there were many artistic projects created to raise funds for those affected. The ones I remember well for the pandemic were Bayanihan Musikahan and Lockdown Cinema, though those were more projects using existing art to raise funds.

Jamie Bautista with mentee, Kat Rodriguez

To be honest, I personally don’t know of many projects like ours that create opportunities for others to create art specifically to help change society. That’s why I was so intrigued by the project that resulted in Triggered because I hadn’t heard of or been invited to anything like it before. Usually, we’re asked to support these types of works financially by buying something or donating. But being asked to contribute art, to help younger artists create more art, that was different. 

The closest thing I can think of that’s similar is the AHA Learning Center headed by Jaton Zulueta, that works with many artists in many fields like writing, illustration, video editing, music, and performing to provide education to the less fortunate in different communities, and even went online during the pandemic (I also contributed some Private Iris content for them in their digital lessons). That’s why I think there should be more groups that not only create art to make a difference, but that provide outlets of creativity for both artists and even non-professional artists (remember, our student writers for Triggered were non-literature majors in Management, Social Sciences, etc.) so the positive effect is multiplied.

It’s why I think the Leni Robredo campaign was also a great model for how to provide artistic outlets for people by giving both a clear goal and a driving spirit. The amount of art created for the campaign I’m sure was triggered by frustration with the previous administration but channeled into trying to bring into being a better culture and form of government, rather than simply using art to complain and protest. It provided an outlet for people who wanted to do something, whether by creating art, talking to people house to house, or joining rallies. Even just the creative signs in the rallies were examples of art being used to channel dissatisfaction into something clever yet constructive.

Where to buy Trigerred: TRIGERRED: Creative Responses to the 

Extra-Judicial Killings in the Philippines | Shopee Philippines

Biñanense News: Updates on the Biñan Public Library

A couple of years ago, I visited the Biñan Public Library and Museum. Click the link and read up on how it was and what it was back in 2015. Four years after, the library and museum has become an art, culture and tourism center in Laguna as recognized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Kudos to its librarian, Ms. Sheila Gilbuena Legaspi and Sir PJ Borja, Tourism Officer of Biñan for keeping the community involved in its growth and development. This goes to show that the local government unit of Biñan is in full support of the programs and activities of the library and museum.

In my meet up with Ms. Sheila, I learned that they have retained the Rogelio Limcaco museum and the trade and industry exhibit in its halls. As expected, of course. Seminars and workshops are programmed annually. One of the more successful yet is the Thesis Night where in senior high school and college students had the opportunity to consult experts in research writing. 

The Biñan Public Library is affiliated with the National Library of the Philippines. I have a library to visit in the coming days!

Museums and Art in Public Spaces 3 of 3

To complete our tour of museums and art spaces, Zoe and I headed to the Vargas Museum in UP Diliman. Currently on display that week were art works by various artists on lines and human rights. It is the later exhibit that hooked us, line and sinker.

The Karapatan Art Exhibit gave us many things to think about. I was deeply disturbed by the images and graphic metaphors on human rights as conveyed by the artists. I was particularly struck by the woven rug in the image of a young boy. It was even positioned at the entrance door of the exhibit hall. In this day and age, children's lives are dispensed as easily as a piece of old, unused clothing. I dared not step on the rug at all.

Zoe took everything in and gravitated towards Liza Flores' art work. She was inspired to create. She wondered how visual artists come up with ideas and what are at stake to make art. A lot of time, tons of effort and patience so I told her.

As for me, I was disturbed until we got home. 

I think it didn't help me at all to have seen Uplift first of all. There was nothing uplifting about it. At least for me. The sculpture was well made however, it did not speak to me of affirmation and oblation. There was nothing spiritual about it. Whose god and what kind of god is the woman, in prone position, being offered to?

There is this story of St. Francis of Assisi. He took of his clothes and ran naked because he had been awakened. Enlightened to a truth, a revelation. And so, he did an oblation and offered everything of himself in service to God. Sadly, I did not get this revelation of truth in Ferdinand Cacnio's opus. Sayang.

Gulliermo Tolentino's masterpiece is still the One!

So. That's art. There are artists and there are artists. Some relay a message using the best medium possible. A few use art to push a personal agenda. Artist or participant, both are witnesses to the dynamic process of creation.

Doll Eyes Book Launch & Art Exhibit

I got another invite to a book launch cum art exhibit from CANVAS' Gigo Alampay. I'm not sure if I can make it though. Maybe I'll drop by and touch base with some friends in the industry. The event is tinged with KUTING (Kwentista ng mga Tsikiting) connections!

KUTING's Eline Santos did a great job at writing the story which won the 10th Romeo Forbes Story Writing for Children contest. Joy Mallari, the artist of Doll Eyes, on the one hand is Alice Mallari's aunt. Alice is another KUTING (my batchmate in the organization ca. 2004)who has several Palancas to her name. Augie Rivera did the translations in Filipino. Yes, he is yet another KUTING and one of its past presidents, besides. Oh, I hope I can go!

Below is the e-vite and an excerpt from the book. Ganda!

You are cordially invited to an exhibition of the first set of artworks that Joy Mallari has painstakingly rendered for “Doll Eyes,” the latest winner of CANVAS’ flagship Romeo Forbes Children’s Story Writing Competition. An original story written by Eline Santos and inspired by a Joy Mallari painting, “Doll Eyes” will be CANVAS’ 10th children’s book when it is launched simultaneously with the exhibition of Joy’s final set of paintings in early June 2010.

The exhibit opens with cocktails at 6pm on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at the ArtistSpace of the Ayala Museum, and runs until March 9, 2010.

Proceeds from the sale of the artworks and books will be used to support CANVAS initiatives to promote broader awareness, appreciation for and access to Philippine art, culture and environment.

For more information, please email info@canvas.ph or visit www.canvas.ph.

She kept scanning the crowd. If she had one virtue, it was patience.
Manang Bolabola had the patience of a hunter...

There.

The doll maker sensed the little girl. Alone. A street urchin.
One of seven kids. Blood ties broken.
Hurting, hurting, hurting...

Manang Bolabola licked her lips.
Yes. This one was ripe for the picking.

With a wave of her hand, she beckoned the little girl to come over.
Obediently, the child approached.

"What is it, lola?"

The doll maker smiled toothlessly, whispered in the girl's ear, and
drew back the curtains covering the shop's entrance.

The girl stepped inside.

--Excerpt from "Doll Eyes" by Eline Santos; with artworks by Joy Mallari

Butch Dalisay @ National Chidlren's Book Day 2007

The National Children's Book Day was held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines yesterday, July 17, 2007. The usual ceremony of awarding the Salanga and Alcala prizes were, of course, the highlight of the day. New titles of books by eight publishing houses were presented to the interest and delight of the audience. There were more than twenty titles released and some will be launched in 2007, so people in the industry are happy about this continued, if not, rapid growth of children's book publishing today.

It was Butch Dalisay who graced the occasion. Sharing his reading experiences as a child, he attributed a well stocked library and a very good reading program to his life long love for books and reading.

He remembers with fondness, the Rizal Provincial Library, the public library that satiated his reading appetite. That library is still alive today and can be found in a relatively new building in Pasig City's local government area.

With books and reading, Mr. Dalisay saw a world that is bigger and grander than his own. This prompted him to know more, to learn more and to become more of the boy he used to be. He is continuously learning, even to this day when he has received all possible literary award in the country and overseas.

At the end of his speech, he encouraged schools and libraries for more reading contests other than talent and sports contest that seem to be all too popular to the growing Filipino child. For writers and publishers, stories that matter and help readers become better Filipinos. What exactly is "Filipino" means so much in this day and age. Indeed, this is a far greater challenge.

National Conference on Children's Literature for Children

The UP Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas, in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), will be sponsoring the first-ever Pambansang Kumperensiya sa Panitikang Pambata (National Conference on Literature for Children) with the theme "Tungo sa Gintong Panahon ng Panitikang Pambata" (Towards the Golden Age of Literature for Children) on July 25-27, 2007 at the Claro M. Recto Hall, Faculty Center, UP Diliman.

The national conference will feature paper presentations by both established and young literary critics, creative writers, and visual artists for children led by renowned UP scholar Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu. Topics include interpretation and interpellation of Filipino aesthetics, historical and regional narratologies, educational and informational praxes, the culture of reading, media, diaspora, sexual politics, folklore, ethnography, peace talks, and poverty and revolution, – all in relation to literary production for children.

Keynote speech will be delivered by critic and National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario. The said conference will also feature workshop talks by illustrator Jose Miguel Tejido, Adarna House publisher Ani Rosa Almario, and renowned writer for children Prof. Rene O. Villanueva. For inquiries about conference fees, reservations and the like, contact Dr. Eugene Y. Evasco (eugene.evasco@gmail.com) and/or Prof. Will P. Ortiz ( bilogangbuwan@gmail.com). You may also contact 9244899.

Love Your Books

June is National Book Development Month. Filipinas Heritage Library and the National Book Development Board has prepared a slew of activities for the reading Pinoy.

From June 27 to July 1, a literary exhibit at the Glorietta Park that features places in the metro that have inspired our writers to create their literary master pieces is up for display. Tickets cost Php 500.00.

Aside from this, poetry readings, storytelling sessions, book illustration contests and theatrical presentations make it to the week long calendar of the National Book Development Month. Call 8921801 for details.