A bounty of regional-turned-national talent

Eight national winners received the 17th Philippine Art Awards as the prestigious national visual art competition came to a climax with the awards ceremony and the formal opening of the exhibition of selected entries on March 2 at the Museum of the Filipino People in Rizal Park.

Each of the eight winners out of 40 regional finalists selected in 2011 received cash prizes, a trophy designed by National Artist Napoleon “Billy” Abueva, and an all-expense-paid trip to the Hong Kong Art Fair in May.

The Grand Prize winner was “Ang Walang Humpay na Harana ni Temyong kay Magda,” an oil and pastel on board painting by Jericho Valijusto Vamenta of Cagayan de Oro City.

Four Jurors’ Choice Award for Excellence, each with a cash prize of P120,000, went to: Ronald Hilario of Marikina City for his sculptural work entitled “Portrait of a Filipino as Conceptual Artist”; Manuel Lotsu Manes of Philippine Women’s University for his oil on canvas “Philippine Deep”; Dexter Sy of Far Eastern University for his mixed media work “Souvenir”; and Raffy T. Napay of E. Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology for his thread-on-canvas “Ang Mananahi ng Buhay at ang Makinang na Makina.”

Three Jury’s Choice Awards of merit, each with a cash prize of P80,000, went to: “Louie Talents” Ano-os of Cagayan de Oro for his cauterized Bible book pages on wood “Burn Out 4”; Arturo Sanchez of Rizal province for his mixed media work “Between Real Time Connectivity”; and Arel Zambarrano of Iloilo for his oil on canvas titled “Homecoming.”

PMFTC corporate affairs director Bayen Elero thanked the partners of Philippine Art Awards, without whose support, she said, the PAA would have not been as successful for the past 17 years.

“Through the years, the PAA has maintained its pre-eminent status, particularly due to the consistent support of our national as well as regional partners, and generally, by the growing participation of Filipino visual artists nationwide,” she added.

The PAA Grand Prize winner “Ang Walang Humpay na Harana ni Temyong kay Magda” by Jericho Valijusto Vamenta

Various communities all over the country had the chance to view and appreciate the winning entries when PAA conducted the regional awarding ceremonies and exhibitions at the University of Mindanao for the Mindanao region, at the Museo Iloilo for Visayas, and at the National Museum for both Metro Manila and Luzon. Notable in the 17th PAA was an increase in submission of art forms other than painting, and the participation of more established artists in the regions.

With an aggressive road show launching the competition, the PAA attracted a total of 626 entries, a 27-percent increase from the 2009 record of regional participants.

PMFTC president Chris Nelson remarked at the awards ceremonies: “It is our commitment to make a difference in the lives of the people in the communities where we operate. As part of that, we are very pleased to say that the Philippine Art Awards has played a very important role in developing artists in the different regions.”

He added: “As we strengthen our community projects all over the country, we truly take pleasure in collaborating with the sectors promoting Philippine culture and the arts. That is why through the past 17 years, we have strived to continuously improve Philippine Art Awards and expand its essential infrastructure of expertise and resources on which its consistent credibility and public recognition are founded.”

Before announcing the winners, Mercedes “Cedie” Lopez-Vargas, director of the Lopez Museum and a member of the panel of judges, recounted: “Sitting alternately all throughout the selection process, the members of the judges’ panel came to the happy conclusion that young and up-and-coming Filipino artists have greatly improved their craft, not only in terms of their artistic skills, but of how they expressively see the world.”

The rest of the judges were art critic, author and painter Cid Reyes; Dr. Patrick Flores, Arts Management professor and curator of the UP Vargas Museum; and Nona Garcia, an ASEAN Art Awards Grand Prize winner. 

Jun Balde in the well-traveled UMPIL t-shirt being feted proudly by Albay Gov. Joey Salceda and board member Glenda Ong Bongao.

The Philippine Arts Awards exhibition featuring the eight national winners and the 32 other regional winners may be viewed at the North Wing Gallery of the Museum of the Filipino People.

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Congratulations and kudos to our good friend Abdon M. Balde, Jr. for winning the prestigious National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) 2011 Writers’ Prize last month, for his essay in Bicolano, “Sa Runa Kan Ibalong; Paghaman sa Epikong Bikolnon.”

The current chairman of UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipinas or Writers Union of the Philippines), Jun continues to reap national awards for his now indefatigable work as a multi-genre creative writer. He retired as an engineer less than a decade ago, turning to literary pursuits that have since rewarded him with national recognition and accolades, apart from countless opportunities to treat this writer-friend of his to a night of lush camaraderie. 

No Filipino writer is delving deeper into his roots these days as Jun has been, as a fictionist, essayist, humorist, and of late as a scriptwriter. Last year, he was commissioned by Albay Governor Joey Salceda to write a literary book on their province, with accent on climate change and disaster adaptation. The book, Magayon an Satuyang Probinsiya (Beautiful Is Our Province) is set for a launch at the Albay Provincial Capitol this April.

Early last February, Mayor Tito Sarion of Daet, Camarines Sur, invited Balde to conduct a whole-day lecture and literary writing workshop at the Heritage House of Daet, billed as “Magayon an Kultura, An Literaturang Bikolnon” (Beautiful Bikol Culture and Literature).

PMFTC president Chris Nelson is flanked by artist Eghai Fernandez, National Artist Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, and Grand Prize winner Jericho Valijusto Vamenta and his wife at the 17th Philippine Art Awards ceremonies.

These days Jun continues his frequent travels in Albay while working on another brainchild from Gov. Salceda, who came up with a concept for a unified theme story for the annual province-wide celebration of the Magayon Festival in April. The idea is that if Mayon Volcano is personified in legend as a beautiful maiden, then the adjacent mountains in Albay —Mount Masaraga and Mount Malinao — could also be personified as alluring sisters of Mayon.

Jun is writing the legend’s storyboard and the script in verse, to be set in a pageantry of songs and dances — with the “Sayaw kan Tulong Bulod” (Dance of the Three Mountains) as a climax presentation.

The legend-as-pageant will be presented on stage and on the streets in various parts of the province, in coordination with the Albay Provincial Tourism & Cultural Affairs Office. I’m hoping Jun Balde will invite me for April in Albay, where I hope to view the lushness of the environment, along with that of the ethereal spirits of bottles and glasses adorning a groaning table.