The birth of the MassKara festival was presented at the launch of the Bacolod Wall Story wherein a community mural painting was held as part of the activities of the 45th MassKara festival on October 13, 2024.
Led by internationally-acclaimed artist Charlie Co, Bacolod Councilor Claudio Puentevella, Councilor Em Ang, Bacolod MassKara Festival Chairman Jojie Dingcong, Davies Paints Philippines Business Development Manager Architect Armando Guevarra and Marketing Communications Manager Joann Viriña and representative from the family of the late Senator Pedro Hernaez, the author of the Cityhood of Bacolod City, have unveiled the said wall story.
The wall story spanned the concrete wall of the former Senator's residence at Mabini Street, Barangay 22, Bacolod City.
It is like browsing the traditional comics where each page tells a meaningful story of the MassKara festival which began with the sunstar crisis and the sinking of the ill-fated Don Juan vessel that claimed the lives of numerous Bacolods and Negrenses.
The wall story has presented a visual appeal to Bacolodnons who are passing Mabini Street.
The artists have captured the story of the birth of the MassKara festival and perfectly knitted the tale from its saddest beginning to up to its perfect transformation into a festival that is now a prominent Philippine festival that has crossed over some festivals in several countries abroad.
The Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, Inc. and Davies Paints, in collaboration with Orange Project and over 50 local artists mounted this longest community story on the wall along Mabini Street in Barangay 22 in Bacolod City.
Conceptualized by internationally acclaimed artist Charlie Co, the mural not only aims to "just add color to a wall," but to tell a meaningful story of dreams and aspirations of Bacolodnons through art.
"We hope to create a mural that the Bacolod community will feel proud of and protect for years to come," Co said.
Joan Nagrampa, Project and Executions Director of Orange Project also said that the community project was inspired by the city's diverse history and culture.
"The mural emphasizes sugar workers and the resilient spirit of Bacolodnons," she said.
Barangay 22 Punong Barangay Diosdado Mayo thanked the artists for working with the BYF and Davies Paints to transform an old lifeless wall into one of the city's attractions for this year's MassKara Festival.