Dateline: 29 October 2017, Mandaluyong, PHL

Shine on, Women who Weave

Visited Sikat Pinoy 2017 National Arts and Crafts Fair for two days at the Megatrade Hall in Megamall, Mandaluyong City. Lots of participants from the Women who Weave project such as Jama Mapun Artisan Craft from Sofronio Espanola municipality, Palawan province.

Lots of interesting stuff on sale, unfortunately, I was financially at my leanest on these days. So I just treated myself to lots of photos and conversations with the exhibitors.

Dateline: 29 October 2017, Manila, PHL

Gallery VI, Luna's 160th, NM's 116th

Lots of happenings for National Museum's 116th anniversary and October Museum and Galleries Month. Among them, Juan Luna y Novicio's 160th birth anniversary. Dropped by Gallery VI, National Museum of Fine Arts, featuring Los Dos Pintores - Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo - and took time to learn the movie-making features of Google Photos.

(Luna's "Spoliarium" and "Parisian Life" are not in this video; they're in different galleries.)

Dateline: 29 October 2017, Manila, PHL

In partial fulfillment

Wanted to rant about how I woke up at 6:00 AM to learn that an online reservation form for the one-day public preview of the National Museum of Natural History was released sometime past midnight, that I've run out of slots, and that I've to take my chances being accommodated as "walk-in." But I couldn't anymore.

Got in eventually, the luck of queuing early and going solo. Only the courtyard and half of one floor for the preview, but enough to make me promise to go back again and again - the tree of life, a short video on the UNESCO heritage sites in the Philippines, a life-sized model of Lolong, exhibitions on our fragile biosphere and the work of naturalists.

Congratulations to Architect Dominic Galicia and associates! Happy anniversary, National Museum!

Dateline: 28 October 2017, Mandaluyong, PHL

Beauty in clouds of thought

On my way to the Sikat Pinoy 2017 trade fair in Megamall, Mandaluyong City, happened on this solo exhibit Life is Beautiful by Welbart Slowhands, organized and represented by Passion Arts Gallery.

Dateline: 28 October 2017, Manila, PHL

Sounds stitched and folded

Penniless on a weekend? No problem. Lots of pleasant finds in the Metro on the cheap (hopefully).

What I found was one of the most fascinating exhibition's I saw this year: Datu Arellano's Tahigami Music. Check-out Arellano's website; the Tahigami Music Manual introduces you to the puncture, thread, seed, bud and blossom.

Dateline: 25 October 2017, Pasay, PHL

Revive, keep alive

Failed mission in GSIS yesterday gave me a chance to visit the Museo ng Sining. Maybe it's due to the recently concluded 13th GSIS National Art Competition, let's just say that the Museo had seen better days.

Many in the GSIS collection are now on display at the National Museum; some that remained are poorly exhibited such as works by National Artists H.R. Ocampo and Napoleon Abueva.

The Museo remains to be an important venue for the arts community, though. The Philippine Pastel Artists' first national competition is currently in exhibition. This still life is the winning entry: I get why this was adjudged best, but I have my own favorites.

Check out:

• PHOTO ALBUM (contains some winners and entries to the First PPA National Pastel Competition)

Dateline: 22 October 2017, Pasay, PHL

And tell me what you see...

Filipino creativity and innovation on showcase, there were lots to see. ManilaFAME comes out twice a year, and this second for 2017 did not disappoint.

Wanted to attend Create Philippines, too, but couldn't because of prior commitments. Only had Sunday, the last day, and took me over five hours to see most of the exhibitors at World Trade Center.

Congratulations to all, and special thanks to the exhibitors who allowed photography in their spaces.

Check out:

• PHOTO ALBUM (contains my "Top 32" amazing stuff and ideas, in no particular order)
• VIDEO (it's the album as a Youtube video)

Update [2017_10_24]: Learned of the controversy surrounding National Living Treasure Awardee Whang-Od's participation in ManilaFAME. Sad. Important lessons to be learned here.

Dateline: 21 October 2017, Taguig, PHL

What lies underneath

The masks and the monstrous gore underneath, perfect for the angsty teenager. Slightly disappointed at the sparseness of the BGC Art Mart at the BGC Arts Center in Taguig held yesterday... but a real pleasure to meet the artist of Moyeedoll there, and our brief chat about her work. Best regards to all the creatives and craftspeople we met there!

(P.S. Image grabbed from Moyeedoll's Etsy; my own pic of the Rabbids from the market wasn't as good.)

Other Artist Vendors at the Market:

• Obscure Prototype Lab
• Angelica Nepomuceno
• Khrisna Rosette Nanola
• Mayown Handmade

Dateline: 15 October 2017, Manila, PHL

Mommy Urts, the exotic lady

"Dances that Mommy Urts Taught Us," a retrospective by the Bayanihan Alumni Association, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila. Featured four original choreography suites from the National Artist for Dance, the late Lucrecia Urtula.

("Exotic lady" was a reference from National Artist Alice Reyes in her message for the occasion.)

Bayanihan alumni performed, some chubbier, or huskier than their former youthful, in-residence form. Nonetheless the energy, the precision, and the love and dedication to Philippine dance were still very much there.

Dateline: 14 October 2017, Taguig, PHL

Still amazed, but not mind blown

Went to the ninth ManilaART fair at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier in Taguig. Around 30 plus galleries participated under the theme of the Philippines as an ASEAN cultural powerhouse. Lots of amazing to see, really, but somehow, in the end, I felt underwhelmed. I don't know why; I've been looking at the photos I took, and trying to find some evidence to the feeling.

Forgot to get proper credits for this work; found it somewhere in the "A" section of the art fair, maybe between Q and SICAS galleries.

Check out:

• PHOTO ALBUM

Dateline: 13 October 2017, Pasay, PHL

Printmaking, place-making

Interesting concepts offered by "Nature-Nurture" the annual exhibition of the Association of Pinoyprintmakers now at the second floor and third floor hallway galleries of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Pictured is a detail of "Oratio" by Jandy Carvajal.

Dateline: 12 October 2017, Manila, PHL

Ethnomusicology of the nation

This exhibit "Attitude of the Mind" celebrates the 100th birth anniversary of National Artist and ethnomusicologist Jose Maceda, Main Gallery of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Very rich in content; repeat visits highly recommended. Feel proud for the curator, Dayang Yraola, former classmate in college (and just a tad jealous, yes).

(Visited on 08 October 2017)

Dateline: 08 October 2017, Manila, PHL

Waited. Rewarded.

The last matinee schedule of NeoFilipino 2017 almost did not happen. Up until noon, electricity at the neighborhood of the Cultural Center of the Philippines was down. But I was patient today, hoped and waited in the dark... past one, power came back.

Five amazing performances, subtle moments of outrage, as well as hearty, campy humor. The talk-back made me realize that dance is one language I have barely begun to understand.

Dateline: 07 October 2017, Manila, PHL

Forward-looking conclusions

At the last of the HOCUS lecture series, National Museum chief curator Ana Labrador announced that the National Museum of Natural History will open its doors to the public on October 29, at the end of Museums and Galleries Month, and National Museum's month-long anniversary.

Featured lecturer Professor Xiao Chua also revealed two works by HOCUS (Saul Hofilena Jr. and Guy Custodio) as preview to an HOCUS exhibition part two in the future.

Dateline: 01 October 2017, Makati, PHL

Negrense secession

Spotted at the Negros Trade Fair in Glorietta, Ayala Center, Makati. The seller, NOAH, specializes in inlays of jade and other semi-precious stones. This one is clearly a Klimt derivative, but has a very Pinoy sentiment about family and child-rearing.

I have a feeling one friend will be keeping a copy of this picture as reference for his lectures on kitsch.