Gawad Joya Awards

The legend has a name:INGRID SALA SANTAMARIA.

On Saturday, February 26, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. the Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra together with a legend, Ms. Ingrid Sala Santamaria (the woman who was assisted in the picture below) organized an event which they believe will have a beneficial effect on the students, it is an educational concert of orchestra in which the structure and the instruments that composed it were explained singly. 

The concert opened with Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi (1841). This piece began quietly but when strings were plucked in unison as the orchestra tried to intensify the emotion inside the Waterfront Hotel, Grand Ballroom Hall, the violin and the cello dominated the hall as the sound resonated across hundreds of people watching the concert. It was a very overwhelming experience really.

 I  personally was amazed with the thought that I was actually sitting few meters away with these amazing people, maybe one thing that have influenced me, liking this type of concert is the movie If I stay and wait also, the anime Your Lie in April which also talks about classical music and artists. 

Photo taken by Gale Catubig  
(UP High School Cebu-SHS student)

I do believe apart from me, the other students from other schools were also obviously excited with the educational concert, as it is evident in their body language, who have patiently waited for Ms. Ingrid to finally get on the stage and hit the keys. And when she was actually on her way to the stage and was introduced to perform, the audience applauded, but it was cut shortly when Ms. Ingrid started caressing the keys of the piano she was facing.  

She performed Concierto, and within the whole play she managed to convey her message and moods to hundreds of pairs of ears listening to her perform for the last time. She made every part of her play very astonishing, leaving every audience awestruck as she successfully hit the keys and note by note. And that's what makes it a far more involving concert experience. She hits the tiles as though she was telling us to look at her, and that she still have a lot to give and show,as if she was proving us that NO, "Age really doesn't matter". People may age but your talent, your skills and your passion for music never will. For it'll stay forever in your heart, as it is already part of yourself.  

 I was so lucky to be there, to have witnessed all these as I laid my back on my seat, stiff, open-mouthed. I sit there like a kid watching her mom walk towards her with a cotton candy in her hand, I was so excited, amazed and I was pretty much caught up in the excitement of the moment that I care less about where my friends are sitting and I don't think a lot about what might happen next. 

Maybe, that's how passionate I really was that time. I even appreciated more the Classical Music  than to be that music I used to play whenever I study . Now, I consider it to be more than just that "kind of music" I use to refer to.  It is like an escape to me now, a remedy to my stressful and hectic student life. 

I don't know if it's appropriate to mention it here but I actually kind of already consider a Classical Concert to be an ideal date now. What do you think? Well, you can leave a comment below, I'd love to hear a feedback from you soon :)

The Fine Line: Islamic Arts and Spanish Arts

Arts of the Islamic World

      Have you heard about Taj Mahal? Have you seen it? Did you know the story behind building this mausoleum? Did anyone told you it is an Islamic Art? Well, if you don't and you haven't seen it then you must have skipped that part of your life where you could have watched  and witnessed a very fascinating product of how Art has evolved. But, there's no need for you to worry because I will show it to you right on your screen. 

       Taj Mahal is an immense of white marble built by the order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Agra between 1631 and 1648 in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. 

Now, you might wonder why is Taj Mahal considered to be a Muslim art when in fact, it is not a religious artwork. So what really is an Islamic Art? 

One of the most common misconceptions about the art during the rise of Muslim regime is that it is aniconic; that is, the art does not contain representations of humans or animals. Too often this misconception is pretty much legit that we tend to believe it, the idea that Muslim or Islamic Arts are highly focused on religious arts and architecture like that of their early examples such as the: Dome of the Rock and the Aqsa Mosque---both in Jerusalem) --and the Great Mosque of Damascus--which was built under the Umayyad rulers--- and it didn't include human or any animal figures which gave more emphasis to the misconception they used to believed long before. 

A certain artwork is called or labeled to be an Islamic Art when the art discussed was created in the world where Islam was a dominant religion or a major culture force but was not necessarily be a religious art. Today, the word Islamic is often used to describe something religious; thus using the phrase Islamic art is mistakenly interpreted to mean that all of this art is religious in nature. However, these artworks are not solely made for Muslims or by Muslims. 

Spanish Arts

Pablo Picasso, El Greco, Francisco Goya, Salvador Dali, Joaquin Sorolla and Francisco Pancheco are only few of the most renowned spanish artist.  Spain has been the homeland of a lot of famous artists over the centuries. With that, Spanish art has been highly recognized by those who studied Spanish in Spain as a very important part of Spanish  culture and history. 

However, Spanish art is not only shaped by the history and  culture of the Spain alone, but it is a combination of different influences from their neighboring countries and the continent they are in. 

One evident influence that has left its mark on the Spanish people is what they call the Moorish rule which has shaped the Spanish architect Lluis i Domenech's style in his creations.  Apart from that, we know that the geographical situation of Spain has molded their art styles in so many ways as well. Just like how Pablo Picasso often spend his time in Paris where he met Pablo Gallo. 

And since, Picasso was one of the greatest Spanish artists, he became an influence to other cubist in his time such as George Braque and Juan Gris. But the most significant thing that has happened in history for the people in Spain in terms of Art is when the artist started to use their artwork before to show protest against the certain events in Spanish History. 

How do Contemporary and Classic Artists differ from each other?

Generally speaking,  Artists differ from each other with their styles on how they do their artworks and how they would want the people to see and interpret it. 

Hernando Ruiz Ocampo

• His art is often times described to be the "abstract compositions of biological forms that seemed to oscillate, quiver, inflame and multiply" like that of mutations. His works depicted lush sceneries and the beautiful Philippine landscapes through his skillful use of fierce and bold colors.

Xyza Bacani

• The quality and originality of her works are intriguing because  they are mostly shot in grainy black and white, capturing the hidden street moments in classic reportage style. 

Cesar Legaspi

• Legaspi's distinctive style is making use of geometric fragmentation technique, weaving social comment and juxtaposing the mythical and modern into his overlapping, interacting form with disturbing power and intensity. This is also popularly called Cubism. 

Ibn Saud Salipsayin Ahmad

• He calls his style "subtraction" or the process of putting an initial color e.g. brown water color and then rinsing apart of it using brush which is dipped in water to erase the paint drawing lines and patterns, layering the two colors.

Carlos Francisco

Botong is widely known in the Philippines as the practitioner of mural painting in his historical pieces a couple of decades ago. And according to the restorer Helmuth Josef Zotter, Francisco's art "is a prime example of linear painting where lines and contours apppear like cutouts". 

Fernando Amorsolo

• Fernando is popularly known for his craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light. His works are made with the use of his different styles in painting such as Impressionism, Luminism and Realism. 

Guillermo Tolentino

• Tolentino's style of art is highly influenced by the classical period since he is a product of Revival Period in Philippine Art, that's why his works are made by the Classicism style.

Kidlat Tahimik

• Tahimik is a consummate filmmaker. He is also an advocate of "indigenous and avante-garde concepts" in the film making process, his marked contribution  to the development of alternative Filipino Films has been widely-recognized. 

Imelda Cajipe Endaya

• Imelda, a printmaker, painter and installation artist has been fighting social issues through her works, which she made by many of which used mixed media. Collages of organic and indigenous materials were incorporated into the paintings. 

Contemporary and Classic Masters and their Masterpieces

   Hernando Ruiz Ocampo

OCAMPO HERNANDO RUIZ aka H.R.b. Santa Cruz, Manila 28 Apr 1911 d.Caloocan City, 28 Dec 1978. The son of Emilio Ocampo and Delfina Ruiz. He married Irene Illovato in 1932 and remarried again when his first wife died in 1945, his second wife is   Cresencia Valenzuela. He became a national artist in painting.

He started off as a writer in English and became one of the organizers of the Veronicans, a group of young minds which included Francisco Arcellana, Estrella Alfon and etc. He was also a leading member of the pre-war Thirteen Moderns that charted the course of modern art in the Philippines and founded in 1938. With Vicente Manansala and Cesar Legaspi, he formed the triumvirate of neo-realists. He was also a leading member of the Saturday group of artists which met regularly at the Taza De Oro.

Genesis, 1969

Man and Carabao

The Contrast

Mother and Child

Ocampo's acknowledged work Genesis served as the basis of the curtain design of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and some of his artworks are Ina ng Balon, Calvary, Slum Dwellers, Nude with Candle and Flower, man and Carabao, Angel's Kiss, Palayok at Kalan, Ancestors, Isda at Mangga , The Resurrection, Fifty-three "Q", Backdrop and Fiesta. 

Cesar Legaspi

CESAR LEGASPI TORRENTE b. Tondo, 2 April 1917. d. Manila, 7 April 1994. The son of Manuel Legaspi and Rosario Torrente. He got married with VitalianaKaligdan and they were blessed with five children. VitalianaKaligdan, his wife was one of the gifted proponent of Filipino popular music. Legaspi, became a national artist in visual arts. 

Cesar, together with H.R. Ocampo pioneered the "Neo-Realist" of the country.  He refined the Cubism in the Philippine context and that's one of a couple of things which made him a renowned artist in this era.  He was also part of the so-called "Thirteen Moderns" and eventually in "Neo-Realists". 

Legaspi's distinctive style is making use of geometric fragmentation technique, weaving social comment and juxtaposing the mythical and modern into his overlapping, interacting form with disturbing power and intensity.

Cobancheros, 1954

Morning Dance

Gadget

Some of his works include: Gadget I, Gadgets II, Diggers, Idols of the Third Eye, Dacade, Ovary, Flora and Fauna, Triptych, Flight, Bayanihan, Struggle, Avenging Figure, Turning Point, Peace, The Survivor, The Ritual.

Fernando Amorsolo

FERNAND AMORSOLO Y CUETO b. Paco, Manila, 30 May 1892 d. Quezon City, 24 April 1972. The son of Perdo Amorsolo and Bonifacia Cueto. At age 13, he was apprenticed to Fabian De la Rosa, his mother's first cousin. Amorsolo's first commercial success came when he sold water color postcards for 10 centavos each and by that time he was already helping his family with his artworks.

Deference of a Filipina Woman's Honour, 1945

(A representation of World War I)

The Making of the Philippine Flag

Man with a chicken, 1929

Fruit Gatherer, 1950

Fernando's "Golden Period" (1915-1940)  started after when  he idealized the treatment of Philippine genre and landscape subjects which he got from his instructor (De la Rosa). His best-known painting feature peasants in colorful customs, scenes of rice planting and harvesting, genre and society portraits, and sensual female bathers.

Some of his works are: Afternoon Meals of the Workers, Babaeng nagbabasa, The Mestiza, Bataan, Corner of hell, Dalagang Bukid and etc.

Carlos Francisco

CARLOS MODESTO VILLALUZ FRANCISCO. aka Botong b. Rizal,  4 November 1914 d. Angono, Rizal, 31 March, 1969.  The son of Felipe Francisco and Maria Villaluz. Together with H.R. Ocampo and and C. Legaspi, he was also part of the "Thirteen Moderns". And a national artist for painting.

Carlos studied at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts and has taught at the University of Santo Tomas concurrently working as the scripwriter in a film-making with Miguel Conde for  "Ghenghis Khan, Putol na Kampilan" (Broken Sword) and "Tatlong Labuyo," (Three Wild Roosters) and he also did costume designing for "Romeo at Julieta" (Romeo and Juliet)  also for "Prinsipe Tenoso," (Prince Tenoso) "Ibong Adarna" (Adarna Bird), "Sietes Infantes de Lara" and the Juan Tamad series. 

Rizal's Execution

Harana

Tinikling

Francisco's works usually depict historical events and social issues as well as the Philippine culture , itself as shown in the above works. 

His works include Magpupukot, Portrait of Purita, The Invasion of Limahong, Sandugo, Bayanihan sa Bukid, First Mass of Limasawa, The Martyrdom of Rizal and Fiesta. 

Guillermo Tolentino

GUILLERMO ESTRELLA TOLENTINO. b. Malolos, 24 July 1890. d. Quezon City, 12 July 1976.  He was named National Artist in Sculpture in 1973 and is also considered as the "Father Of Philippine Arts" because of his exemplary works such as the UP Oblation which  now became the symbol of freedom at the campus after being appointed as a professor at University of the Philippines. 

Apart from that he also sculpted the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan as an enduring symbol of the Filipino's cry for freedom and the bronze figure of President Quezon. 

UP Oblation

Manuel Quezon

Filipinas in Bondage

Tolentino's other works include: Venus,  Alma Mater statue of the University of the East, marble statue of Ramon Magsaysay and did the design for the seal of the Republic of the Philippines.

Ibn Saud Salipsayin Ahmad

IBN SAUD SALIPSAYIN AHMAD aka Saud Ahmed. He's currently living now a "padyak" away from the bus terminal of Kabasalan in Zamboanga Sibugay. Saud Ahmed, being the pride of Sibugay receives a full support from the provincial government of Mindanao which has been pushing for the conferment of a national artist award for him.

Most of his works are already sold even before they are finished. Some of his clients were Tingting Cojungco and former first lady Ming Ramos. 

His artworks are made using watercolors and he calls his style subtraction or by putting first an initial brown water color and then rinsing apart of it using brush dipped in water and will start erasing the paint drawing lines and patterns and layering  two colors on his work.  

The Muslim Woman

Eric de Guia

ERIC DE GUIA aka Kidlat Tahimik. b. Benguet, Baguio City, 3 October 1942.  Married to  his wife Katrin, and blessed with three children who are all into arts. Katrin is a writer; his son Kidlat de Guia is a television and a film director; son Kawayan de Guia is a painter, and yougest Kabunyan is also into painting. 

He's a director and an actor whose films are commonly associated through their critiques of neocolonialism with the Third Cinema movement although he has worked for the Organization for Economic cooperation and Development in Paris in 1968, he left  it to sell memorabilia at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.  

Not long after, rather than returning back home he joined an artists' commune in Munich and attracted the attention of Werner Herzog, who cast him in a small part in The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974).  Under Herzog's tutelage, he took up film making and premiered  The Perfumed Nightmare at the Berlin film festival. The film quickly dominated the world that time and championed in the US by Francis Ford Coppola and Susan Sontag. 

From that day onwards, Kidlat has created a series of documentaries and a fiction film, all of which demonstrated his passion and love of wordplay and his ability to blend politics and the imagination in surprising and not typical ways. 

Imelda Cajipe Endaya

IMELDA CAJIPE ENDAYA. She is a natural born Filipino artist who took a big leap into the Filipino history and society through arts. With her artworks and new perspective viewing the world, she opened the eyes of her fellow countrymen regarding its conflicts and changes that took place in it.

She started contributing in this industry in the Philippines before the colonial period. She has been clustered along the themes of cultural identity, gender, race, nation, migration. displacement and globalization.

A principal theme in Cajipe-Endaya's work is Filipina migrant labor in which in her approach is intertwined with continuing search with the Filipino identity.

Here are some of her works :

Babaylan Philippines

Tandang Sora's Alter Ego

Musmos, 1990

Xyza Bacani 

XYZA BACANI. A domestic worker turned photographer in Hong Kong. She was known for her black and white pictures of the street life in Hong Kong. For a decade stay in the place she was able to raise the awareness as to what really is happening in what we call the "happiest place in the world" which is Hong Kong especially regarding on human rights issues and under reported cases. 

She didn't just captured any random pictures in the street but she has also captured the world's attention too, drawing it all on her. And now her pictures are voicing the grief of the people in the street without being afraid of what may happen to them. Some of her exemplary works are now surrounding in the social media and even had herself get invited for left and right interviews and get featured such as in New York Times, CNN and etc. 

An Odyssey to an in-depth knowledge of Contemporary Arts (Based on My Learnings)

What is Contemporary Arts?

According to About.com, Contemporary just means that "art that has been and continues  to be created during our lifetimes." In other words, contemporary to us, especially millennials. 

But as of what I knew in our class, Contemporary Art started on 70's up until to this very minute which always shows a journey of that certain artwork. It is created during the time of constant questions, re-evaluations and experimentations. What also makes this era distinct to other eras that have passed long time ago, is its artists and artworks which are process based and are highly site specific, although at times, it is also interactive. 

However, Contemporary Artworks must evoke a new feeling and not just the beauty of the artwork itself because during this era the artists give more emphasis on  the process over the aesthetics. 

On account with their belief that the result is not important but how it is made. As what my teacher once said; "You do art today to communicate to the future".