IT WAS the first attempt for a real art residency project in Davao as initiated by a group of artists with visiting artists from Manila and Bacolod.
Selecting the artists to come from Bacolod is Charlie Co of Gallery Orange, who is known for his bold colors, predominantly red and blue, depicting his take on current events and his life journeys. While Manny Garibay, who wields the brush to depict everyday people and places and tell his story. Both have been awarded by the Cultural Center of the Philippines the 13 Artists Awards.
Among those who joined Garibay from Manila were Othoniel Neri of Garibay’s Durian Collective, Demetrio dela Cruz, Julio Jose Austria,
The Bacolod group was made up of Roderick “RA” Tijing of Bacolod, Karina Broce Gonzaga, a regular exhibitor at Gallery Orange aside from having exhibited her works in the national capital as well, Alan Denoso Ong, Emilio “Junjun” Montelibano Jr., Frelan Laurel Gonzaga, and master clay sculptor Joe Geraldo. All have had extensive experience as visual artists and are recognized as among the best.
At the residence of Kublai in Maa, they were made to paint a mural each measuring 8 feet by 20 feet, in a kind of showdown.
Fine arts students from the University of Mindanao (UM) were given their own canvas of the same size to get their first experience to be in a painting showdown with the masters.
The residency ends on Thursday, September 28, with a fellowship night as the visiting artists go home tomorrow, with a better grasp of the stories of Mindanao, which they are hoped to integrated into their artworks to bring greater understanding and peace.
Key persons who assisted Kublai in organizing and running the art residency were the UM Fine Arts faculty led by its program head Jun Cayas and instructor Victor Dumaguing, Tabula Rasa’s Dinky Munda, artist Maree Cantaoi Cayas, this writer, the Special Program for the Arts of the Davao City National High School, and fellow journalist Amalia Bandiola.
Other art program heads were also consulted in the planning, including Emi Englis of the Philippine Women’s College and Abe Garcia of the Ateneo de Davao University.