ARTHUR Lozano and Herwin Buccat brought home top honors from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) art awards proving the brilliance of regional talent.
Both Tam–Awan Village artists, Lozano bagged 3rd place in the prestigious GSIS Mixed Media category for his piece "Kalawang na Syudad" while Buccat bagged the jurors choice for his sculpture piece "Pugad."
Lozano said Siyudad Kalawang is his offering to the suffering of the poor in our country in a mixed media presentation using galvanized iron sheets as his canvas.
Lozano says the quintessential "Yero" is a symbol to portray the struggles of the poor, as the material is used to construct most of the homes in the deprived areas.
Lozano's winning artist statement of his piece Kalawang na Syudad says, "Ang yero sa bahay ng maaralita ay puno ng pako ng mga pangakong guminhawa, nakaratay sa bubong na kalawang."
Buccat's winning sculpture piece, "Pugad," is his offering to the environment.
Buccat who puts into account Mother Nature and the state of the world we live in reflects his passion in his art.
Both artists are part of the Tam-Awan Village roster of artists who aim to teach the next generation the value of the arts through workshops around the country.
The GSIS is on its 10th year and for the first time, the competition introduced mixed media or the use of objects with traditional artist media as a new category, to further enhance creative expressions. Non-representational and sculpture rounded out the three categories in this year’s tilt.
GSIS received more than 500 entries in a variety of mediums under an open theme. Entries not only came from all over the country but from Switzerland as well.
First place winners for each category received a cash prize of P300,000; second place and third place winners received P200,000 and P100,000, respectively.
Five honorable mentions at P20,000 each were also awarded for the mixed media and non-representational categories and three honorable mentions for the sculpture category.
The judging of entries was held May 6 and 7 at the GSIS premises where distinguished artists and art enthusiasts were invited to choose the best entries.
Judges for the mixed media category included Trisha Coseteng, Camille Vergara, Raul Lebajo, Mario de Rivera and GSIS’s Chief Legal Counsel Jose Tale.
Sculptors Olivia D’Aboville, Agnes Arellano and Luis Yee Jr. comprised the jury for the sculpture category; while Charito Bitanga, Norberto Carating, Vim Nadera, Nestor Vinluan, and GSIS president and general manager Robert Vergara completed the panel of judges for the non-representational category.
Since 2004, GSIS has partnered with the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP), the umbrella organization of art groups in the country, on the conduct of the art competition.
The winning entries will form part of the GSIS art collection. Visitors may view the 2014 art competition entries at the GSIS Museum until July 25, 2014.