Of Flourishing Arts and Revival

For the very first time, observance of February as National Arts Month is being deployed through ceremonial centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. As for the Visayas, Cebu is center of celebration this year with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts at the helm. And with our Lifestyle executive editor Marlinda Angbetic Tan as coordinator for the Visayas Center.

In the past, it was learned that celebrations were always done in the National Capital Region with minimal participation of artists coming from other parts of the country. But this time, our local artists representing the seven arts---drama/theater, dance, visual arts, literature, music, architecture/allied arts, and cinema---light torches to symbolize their passion for their varied specializations in a simultaneous national launch that took place over the weekend at the Cebu Provincial Capitol grounds.

The celebration which banners the logo with the central image of the smooth, stylized rice stalk that appropriates rice harvest as metaphor for art harvest-a product of creative processes that express the dreams, aspirations and ideals of the Filipino artist-gives us the opportunity to deepen our understanding and appreciation for the seven arts.

The flame of the image of the design represents NCCA's mission of supporting the arts in the Philippines, the rice talk bearing the seven grains that represent the seven arts. Bright colors evoke the festive mood which the Philippine Arts Festival intends to occasion and the colors of the rice grains symbolize the abundance of Filipino artistry.

In his speech, National Artist for Visual Arts sculptor Napoleon "Billy" Abueva, whose roots are from Bohol and Tabuelan (northwestern side of Cebu), traced the historical evolution of the various artistic disciplines in the Visayas, citing numerous eminent Cebuanos whose contributions led to the flowering of the arts in the region.

Tomorrow Saturday, there will be dance presentations at the Ayala Activity Center. On February 17, the Cebu Chamber Singers will perform at same venue, and that Manuel Rodriguez, Sr. will conduct a printmaking workshop at the University of the Philippines-Cebu College campus and at the University of San Carlos. There will also be a screening of Cebuano films at UP, USC and Southwestern University.

In the field of dramatics, the University of San Carlos Theater Guild successfully mounted via Ayala Onstage Cinema the play "Halok sa Tarantula" last February 3. The nine-scene play based on the novel of Argentinian Manuel Puig was translated into Sugbuano by Jonathan Alberto and Rudy Aviles.The guilders showcased their prowess in putting up significant and socially relevant plays---a move to revive theatre in Cebu, an ailing form of entertainment here.

As for Archie Uy, who plays the electric guitar for Bisrock band Aggressive Audio, the celebration becomes inspiration for the completion on the first quarter of this year the planned repackaging of their album he had helped produced and songs he arranged.

Being a guest at "BisrocKabataan" over 93.1 Smash FM, he announced they would re-record some of their songs lifted from their first album "Pwerteng Lingina" (yes the one with a yellow candle---aflame---on its cover!) that made an impact on the Bisrock scene. "Sa una man gud pag-record namo ana, dinali-dali lang and then mostly mga sini-aw lang gud nga kanta kay kani laging kinsa ma'y magtoo ba nga hangopon sa kadaghanan nga ubay-ubay sad gud ni-reject ana pagsubmit nako ana sa mga stations kay dili daw mo-fit sa ilahang format," he recalled. "Now we are bent on rearranging some of the songs, employing available technology and new equipment I purchased on my return here from the US," he pointed out.

Archie is also instrumental in the spread of the Bisrock meme. Back then, he was seen handing out CD samplers to radio jocks hoping that someday compositions of Teenage Chaos (previous band name of Aggressive Audio) would make it to their playlists.

"Overload of foreign songs man gyud to until such time na there were bands who rose to initiate this struggle. Tough, but somehow we did make it and as this is National Arts Month we do hope that our efforts would somehow be noticed and appreciated. Despite criticisms, we believe this is the kind of sound today's generation of Sugbuanos would want to hear. Kay bisan unsaon namo sad pagpakatap ani kon di gyud i-patronize sa mga listeners wa gyud sad ta'y paingnan, di ba?" he said.

"I hope lang gyud nga we gain the respect of other artists nga sila mismo moila sa artistry sa Bisrock and think twice sa ilang pagtawag ani'g mediocre labi na kon wala sila'y standard for mediocrity nga gi-set," Archie stressed, as if saying how would you know how high the sycamore grows if you chop it down (sounds very Pocahontas-y, huh?)

On the other hand, Raymundo Domingo "Gikom" Crystal of Touch Mobile e-mailed me a poem after he listened to "Sine-Sine" of Bisrock scene pioneer Missing Filemon. "It was event organizer and former insider of the early local band scene Wigi Colmenares who told me to listen to the song to be able to appreciate, and then after that this poem was born," he said. "Hope I could also write in Sugbuano one day. Magbalak-balak sad ko kay mas nindot gyud paminawon or basahon ang Binisaya," he added.

Meanwhile, let's give a space for Gikom's craft.

Sine-Sine

First stanza slow and smooth
Candlelight movie;
Shadow play.
Paper puppet love story.

Another day dream;
My eyes no longer see;
A scene plays in my mind.

You are as beautiful as ever;
Your long black dress;
Licks the air as you move towards me;
You hold my hands;
Second stanza begins.
The melody starts to pick up;
I squeeze your hands tighter;
Holding on;
Wanting to make this forever.

As I touch your smooth dark hair;
You lay your head on my hands;
Supple cheeks rubbing;
Feeling my caress;
Eyes closed deep in breath.

Chorus comes;
Band play their hearts out;
Mine bursting with the melody;
Devoid of conscious state;
Lips get closer;
You put your arms around me;
The song moves us to a sway;
We look into each other's eyes;

We kiss as the chorus ends.

Third stanza;
The song is revealed;
A love that will not be;
An incongruence of time;
Like ours my mere fantasy.

The song brings back my consciousness;
I ignore the lyrics;
Melody still so sweet;
Forcing to revert.

Chorus comes again:
This time turbulent:
A struggle with reality:
Pushing it away:
Blocking its every attempt;
To slap me awake.

I start to see again;
I squeeze my eyes shut;
As the song nears its end;
As the song fades away;
I caress your fading face.

Song ends;
Left alone;
Bitter sweet feeling;
I play the song again.

Sine-sine.