A Brief History of Junyee's Art Making, South East Asian Artists Magazine by Roy Espinosa

Vol. 2 issue No. 4 P 250 (5.25 usd)

SoutheastAsian A R T I S T S

M A G A Z I N E

Arts • Culture • Events

An artist with a Heart Dr. Dipankar Roy

Danny Simbulan Folkways And Unrequited Desires By Arnaldo Mirasol

Life of an average “ Trouvaille” By Ingrid Aimee

Asedas continues it’s roll as Asean and International Digital Art Platform through ASEDAS 2021

A Brief History of Junyee’s Art Making

SoutheastAsian A

Arts • Culture • Events Published Quarterly Ruth Chua Editor in Chief

Filarts Inc. Publisher

Roy Espinosa Creative Director

Ingrid Aimee Vanessa Tan Gana Mark Shellshear Arnaldo Mirasol Writer/Contributor

Editorial and Satellite Business Office Blk 4 Lot 13 A Gemini Street Cruzville Subd Brgy. Kaligayahan Quezon City 1124 Email: filartspublishing @gmail.com

South East Asian Artists Magazine

CONTENTS: Page 5 Don’t be caught in the sales trap. by Mark Shellshear Page 6 Ingrid Aimee: The Life of an Average “ Trouvaille” Page 8 Artist with a Heart Dr Dipankar Roy Page 18 Danny Simbulan : Folkways and Unrequited Desires by Arnel Mirasol Page 22 Asedas Continues its role as Asean and International Digital Art Platform through Asedas 2021 Page 28 Cover Story A Brief History of Junyee’s Art Making

Our Cover Story:

A Brief History of Junyee’s Art Making

3 South East Asian Artists Magazine

From The Editor

aw in the news today that a new two-week long curfew in the Metro is enforced a year since the COVID 19 - imposed lockdown was declared in the Philippines. A swift move by the government in the hope of curbing or slowing down the spread of the virus. The Covid 19 pandemic has taken a toll not only to the economy but to the well-being (physically and mentally) of the people as well. Lives and normal routine were abruptly changed. Worry. Anxiety. Uncertainty. Loneliness. These are just some of the feelings that the pandemic has brought to the people. Browsing through the artworks of the featured artists for this issue somehow created a feeling of warmth, calmness, and hope. Made me veer away from the Covid 19 issue even for a moment. Reading through, it is gratifying to know that despite the restrictions on physical movements, there are organizations that continue to work on their advocacies, notwithstanding the current situation. Thanks to the internet and social media platforms, these people are able to continue extending a helping hand. May you continue to thrive and gain more support for your cause. For the time being, allow us to keep you company through the lockdown. Keep safe.

Ruth Chua

“ The old man.” One day when I was out walking I walking past some plate glass windows and in them I saw the reflection of an old man and I turned around quickly to see if I could see him but he wasn’t there. I continued to walk around down by the creek and around the beach and on top of the cliffs. I looked every where for this old man but I could not find him. When I got back home I went into the bathroom to get changed, I looked in the mirror and lo and behold there was the old man with the hat on, it was me. I didn’t recognize myself. Acrylic on canvas. 50.5cm x 40.5cm. 20ins x 16ins.

Don’t be caught in the sales trap. In the sales situation, buyers protect themselves, make excuses and sometimes will simply lie to get away from you. Some buyers will over exaggerate interest to flatter you only to ask for a discount at the end. They seem red hot and you are excited and believe they will buy and then they ask for discount, you say no and they go from red hot to ice cold and say they will think about it. The truth is try not to say no but use a question or an interrupt. Using an interrupt you could say, “ It may not be for you?” This has the effect of bringing a little confusion into the mix. And they will probably come back and ask what do you mean? I would then say, “ I get the feeling that this painting may not be for you?” You do this to get them to disqualify themselves and say, “ yes you are right.” Or to say, “ no, no I really like the painting,” and we are then back on track. I do not want to defend, no discount, but I do want them to commit or say no. I am happy with both outcomes. This is why I say learn these drills so you can always come back with a question or an interrupt, that way you know where you are in the sale, either moving forward or you get I will think about it, that’s a polite no.

Mark Shellshear

0947.647.34.65 markshellshear@gmail.com galeriadelasislas@gmail.com

Life of an Average

By Ingrid Aimee

There are so many memes and quotes out there that say, “Be positive, not negative. Focus on the bright side.” I’ve never been very good at ignoring the negatives and focusing on the positives. Call me a critical, over-analytical over-thinker if you want, but at no point in my journey of self-loving and self discovery have I learned to ignore all my flaws, all my mistakes, all my regrets. At no point in my journey of compassion have I learned to ignore all the times that someone has hurt me or all the destruction caused by abuse. That never felt right to me. And you know something? It hasn’t actually been necessary.

Rewind to six years ago when I was staring at my makeupless face in the mirror. My thoughts said, “Ugly. Horrible. Pale. Look at those blemishes. Look at those hairs. Disgusting. Revolting. Put a bag over your head and hide.” But I kept looking. I couldn’t unsee those blemishes. There they were. I couldn’t unsee those hairs. There they were too. Plain as day. I also couldn’t stop myself from thinking that these were disgusting and revolting. Those thoughts were certainly there too! And no amount of positive self-talk was going to make them go away. What happened next was fascinating. In addition to observing those hairs, those blemishes, and those thoughts, I saw something else. I saw my face as pure visual information—the way I’d perceive the colors and shapes in an abstract painting. I was giving my face meaning, and I was seeing it as something meaningless. Those moments revolutionized my relationship with myself. I didn’t erase my negative self image. I just added a new perspective. That new perspective balanced my view of myself.

I think balance is a key word. What bothers me about the whole “be positive, ignore the negatives” idea is that I was abused by some very unstable people in my life who did that very thing. They refused to see how they hurt others. They focused only on their good intentions. A certain amount of self-criticism, self-judgment, and self-doubt is absolutely essential. It’s what makes us apologize for hurting someone. It’s what makes us improve the areas of our lives that are lacking. It’s what makes us question idealistic, romanticized notions of the world and see things clearly. The so-called “dark side” is essential. It isn’t bad at all.

And learning to look at ourselves and, instead of asking, “How can I get rid of this horrible part of me? How can I stop doing this unhelpful thing?” We can instead ask, “What could this mean? Which needs might I be meeting with my actions, and how could I meet those needs in a way that serves me more?” We can focus on holistically understanding why something has happened and allowing ourselves to explore different, new solutions to the puzzles of our existence. I suppose what I’ve learned over the past six years has been more than self-love. I’ve learned balance. I’ve learned that real happiness is being unafraid of my emotions. I can be sad, angry, happy. I can feel it all, whenever it comes, and know that I won’t get stuck on it. I will let myself experience all the available emotions, and then I will come to peace. 7

Instead of trying to focus on the bright side, my task is to let myself see all the sides, remove my judgment about what they mean, and try to appreciate the complexity of my experiences. That is the power we have as human beings. We can let ourselves be curious instead of always fearful. We can choose to work on understanding who we are instead of always trying to be who we think we should be. We can let ourselves see what is there and not only what we are used to seeing. We can choose to understand better. We can choose to be aware.

“Terra Mater”

20×16 inches Mixed media on Canson Giddy 2021

An Artist with a Heart

It was in 26 December, 2004 when the Sumatradedication to uphold human rights and sustainability is Andaman earthquake followed by a catastrophic tsunami worthy of attention in an evolving and increasingly gobbled up landmasses, washed up the islands and rendered interconnected world. thousands of children without parents. Even though several organisations came forward to physically With an impetuous passion for painting, he has rehabilitate them, very few understood the need for sought guidance from Rama Nanda Bandyopadhyay mental rehabilitation and among them was a Mumbai-based and Manjit Bawa. His paintings have been exhibited NGO, Multiple Encounters - The International Relief Team invarious international, national, regional and state with its then International Director, Dr. Dipankar Roy. The juried, invitational, group and are collected by relief team set up an international school cum hostel in artlovers from the world over, including LM Singhvi, a Jammu for the quake victims. His untiring efforts to find former Indian ambassador to both the UK and the USA. peaceful solutions for Tsunami affected children’s welfare, and working for people’s amelioration through medicine, makes Presently, he is the regional advisor of the Dr. Dipankar Roy a true humanitarian for which he was eastern India of Yuva Unstoppable, an Ahmadabad based deservingly awarded the Gusi Peace Prize in 2006. NGO, working towards the education of underprivileged After completing his higher studies from Royal College children. He has taken various initiatives towards the of Surgeons of Edinburgh, he served the Red Cross relief and rehabilitation of the Sundarbans after the for 12 years with a vision to alleviate the sufferings of damage caused by devastating Cyclone Amphan, numerous survivors of national and international calamities. in West Bengal. He currently holds the position of Principal convenor of the International Department of International Art Acts, founded in April 2020, with UNESCO Center for Peace-US Federation, Washington Dr. Dipankar Roy as its CEO and President, has touched D.C, USA and Global Chairman at World Art Summit for more than 16,000 people around the world promoting Peace 2021 due to his relentless passion to provide relief peace through creative interaction online. At present, the to the unfortunate and the marginalised in a divisive world organisation’s footprint covers more than 60 countries. His of uncertainties as ours. He did not tread an

already laid out road in a world of endless tragedies, but made his own. He has been recently awarded the World Diplomat of Peace Award, World Peace Mentor Gandhian Award and Global Ambassador of Art for Peace Award for his contribution towards world peace with his art. His commitment to the health of the indigents, not only in India but in International Community makes him a living model for others to imitate.

“Shakti “, 4ft x 2.5 ft., Oil on Canvas, June 2014 Upper right image

“Mahatma-Kasturba “

8 Ft x 3 ft , Oil / Acrylic, Veg mix extract colour , wax on canvas. Date 26th December 2020 Lower right image

“Rangras “

8 ft x 3 ft Oil on Canvas July 2017

The Artist in Perspective By Ms. Dorie Gaspar Gervacio

ntonio P. Daleon III, the country artist from Lucena City grew up amidst bucolic surroundings in a community of gentle people guided by a deeply spiritual mother. All these contributed to Tony’s reverence for nature and deeply rooted respect and love for the beauty of God’s creation. This reverence can best be seen in his early works that covers the whole gamut of men’s emotions from love of family and unstinting appreciation of one’s environment from trees, flowers, birds, butterflies and anything and everything that God created. As a young boy enjoying academic excellence, at the same time showing artistic inclination, he successfully bridged the gap of his life’s situation and managed to develop himself into an artist with delicate perception of what life is, including his immediate environment. The struggle though was not a walk in the park. It was a challenge which he had to overcome and with his indomitable spirit, the battle for recognition was slowly being won. To compete with equally or more better artists for a share of that elusive recognition by art lovers, patrons and critics never dented his spirit to plod on, strive more until he reaches his goal. That is Tony the person, an artist and family man par excellence. Tony, the artist has traveled far, gone a long way to prove his talent and will surely have more artistic miles to go, as he has exhibited his ability to shift from one genre to the other, best depicting his gift as an artist of this modern time. The fluency with which he harnesses his brush from a visual artist guided by his eyes and prevailing emotion at the time, to one who relies on his imagination as far as his mind goes into such “ imaging course” is seamless. His brush strokes and cacophony of colors manifests the competence and familiarity of his mind and heart with the technical skills that he possesses. And his COLORS!! ....his myriad colors speak volumes, a searing testament to the breadth and depth of his imagination. The blending of various hues of primary colors are in itself outrageously characterized by “Artistic Chutzpah”, that results to colors seemingly waltzing together in perfect harmony, dazzling viewers no end. The breath-like nuances, subtle deviations of dark and light, the variance in hues and shocking splashes of bright deep colors are all incredibly fascinating, liberating and at times visually mind boggling as only Tony can do with relish, total abandon and confidence.

Upper left: Cherishing Nature Series I 36in x 24in Acrylic on Canvas 2020 Upper middle: Celebration Series 36in x 24in Acrylic on Canvas 2020 Upper right: Celebration Series 36in x 24in Acrylic on Canvas 2020 Lower Left Cherishing Nature Series IV 36in x 24in Acrylic on Canvas 2020 Lower right: Sparks of Hope 40in x 24in Acrylic on Canvas 2020

Being a good visual artist and someone with boundless imagination is something he developed effortlessly and managed to hone to perfection. His recent foray into abstract, with endless possibilities dictated by his rich and wild imaginative spirit of adventure and possibly cosmic interpretations are a vast source of materials to be mined and put into canvas, to delight patrons with equal imaginative zest and spiritual interpretations of our universe. As an afterthought, Tony’s abstract paintings are just as mesmerizing as the Aurora Borealis or the visual sights of planets, moon and stars. Wishing he can join the civilian group of Elon Musk on their space travel so Tony can see the revolving planets, moons and bursting stars in their infinite glory for they in a way represented the reality of Tony’s abstract artworks.

ne of the trailblazers and eminent artists in her homeland, Cheong Mei Fong was born in Penang, Malaysia in 1951. After receiving her Diploma in Fine Arts from the Oriental Art & Cultural Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1989, Cheong’s passion and desire to create artworks has become more incessant. Cheong is a life member of a number of premier art groups and associations in Malaysia, which includes the National Art Gallery of Malaysia, PeRUPA Malaysia, Malaysia Art Society, and the Penang Art Society wherein she also serves as Vice President. Cheong, under her chairmanship, has also organized the WWF Charity Art Exhibition for three years (2014, 2016, and 2017). Besides painting, Cheong Mei Fong is also into sculpture. Her sculpture entitled “Hope” is in the art collection of Penang State Art Gallery. In 2019 Cheong, as founder of CD Sculpture Art, called upon the public to recycle used CDs and DVDs and turn them into sea animal sculptures. By turning them into works of art, artists are able to maximize the full use of the waste product, thereby helping to protect the ocean from being polluted with plastic.

Left Photo:

Golden Shine Acrylic on Canvas 60cm x 60cm 2019

Bottom Photo:

Bright of Nature Acrylic on Canvas 142cm x172cm 2020

“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.” - Leonardo da Vinci

Jose Armin S. Virata is a doctor by profession but an artist at heart. As a medical practitioner, he not only heals the body but also offers solace for the soul. His paintings are a tributary offering which embodies his commitment to the upliftment of the society’s humanity through the arts. For him, art serves a higher purpose as a catalyst for positive change. Whether doing it as a visual artist or just appreciating it as a spectator, the process of artistic creation has a healing component that engages the physical as well as psychological aspect of a person’s wellbeing. A congruent mending of body, heart, and soul occurs which is attributable to the curative power of art. Virata sees artmaking as a form of expressing truth. He has to be true to his calling as a physician and as an artmaker. And the commonality between these two vocations is that it enables him to delve deep into the core of his humaneness and uncover the spiritual and altruistic maxim that governs both practices. This is the reason why his artworks pose a subliminal take in addressing both the social issues and personal struggles undergone in life; his insightful view on such themes reveal an underlying allegorical narrative which presupposes a profound understanding of man’s nature and the functioning of the human psyche. Its translation defines his artistic practice as aligning with the neo expressionist mode of figuration exemplifying a romanticist approach in the handling of the Realism style. In his (Swimming Man painting), he magnificently captured a moment in time when man wrestled with himself to overcome his own limitations, surfacing triumphantly as he approaches the finish line. The precisely-rendered physique of the swimmer with his

expressive face and defined musculature attests to Virata’s mastery of rendering anatomy; moreover, the whole composition is evocatively portrayed as the bluish-white translucency of surging water is punctuated by the rhythmically-spaced red globs of barrier which is in turn foreshadowed by the orange-tinged horizon r epresenting the setting skies. His (Mother and Child painting) on the other hand epitomizes the emotional bond shared by the mother and child. The reciprocatory facet of ‘love’ is explored meticulously through the emotive apprehension of emotions as expressed in the gestures. Virata graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines. He is a self-taught realist-expressionist visual artist accomplished in the use of watercolour, oil paint, acrylic paint, pastels, and charcoal medium. He is also proficient in executing clay and cement sculpture pieces. As a versatile artist, he has participated in myriad group art exhibitions in the Philippines and abroad. He was involved in the recent Sekasi International Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2020, and joined online virtual art exhibitions in 2021. He is an active member of art organizations such as the International Watercolor Society of the Philippine, Philippine Guild of Watercolorists, Philippine Pastel Artists, Freedom Arts Society, Let’s Paint Art Group, Pahid Art Group, Art M.D., and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Visual Arts component. His artworks have been included in several publications:Watercolor Magic, Different Strokes Vol.2 (2016), Physical Diagnosis (medical book, 2017) as cover

photo, Fabriano in Aquarelle (2018), Long Live Art Book 2 (2018), and Artful Creations Book 3 (2019). He was the featured artist of the month in the Tabula Ras Unlimited publication (2020), and his painting was the cover art for the song Undone By You (2020) accessed online through the Spotify website. - V. Tan Gana

15 Last Lap

Oil on canvas 24in x 19in

Gaze

Oil on canvas 24in x 30in

Nestled

Oil on canvas 18in x 24in

Light In The Darkest Canyon Oil on canvas 24in x 30in

Singapore 16

AN KAY NGUAN is an internationally established artist honoured with Master of Arts, UCE, United Kingdom, B.A. from RMIT Australia and Diploma from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. TAN KAY NGUAN has held 63 solo exhibitions and more than hundreds of joint exhibitions all over the world, nam ely United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, and had won many top prizes and awards in art tournaments in Singapore and overseas. His awards include the Grand Prize in the UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), 1st Prize in the Dr. Tan Tsze Chor’s Art Awards Singapore, 1st Prize in the CAAS Painting Competition Singapore, The Beijing International Art Exposition Gold Prize Award, Japan Osaka Governor Award, Japan Osaka Mayor Award, Japan Osaka Educational Art Award, International Art Cultural xchange Award, Top Influential Artist Award, Ngee Ann Artist of the Year , Gold Arts Award etc. His works are widely collected by art collectors worldwide. TAN KAY NGUAN often travels and makes brief stop at places like Europe, England, France, China, Japan and Asia.

ecology of animals, birds and fishes and centres around the fusion of heaven, earth and water. Steadfast strokes with balance of colour, brushes and profound implication generates the overwhelming dynamics that coincides with artist’s feel and his up-to-date awareness. Employing western technique to depict and embrace the deep temperamental mood of Chinese painting and the out of ordinary concept of abstract painting. His works thus represents a unique character, excellence and marvels of the world. To keep up with the modern works that tend to have diversified artistic styles, Kay Nguan is constantly seeking for new visual sensation. From the backdrop of his painting that brims with colourful pleasure and splashes with smooth flowing strokes, one can sense the artist’s deep love for nature. In the same light, the viewers will be able to sense and appreciate how the colours turn into light and light into substance and substance into melodious note. The variation between light, colour, rhythm and interaction is so subtle, delicate and yet magnificent. His art works are plain and yet rich in natural beauty, simply because the art works are reflections of the nature and hence no need to feign and strive painstakingly. Indeed, beauty can be found and felt everywhere by one’s heart. Unusual beauty can even be found and annotated in the most common matters and occurrence.

TAN KAY NGUAN loves nature and thus merges art and living together. Often, the main topic of his works is nature and it is a reflection of his sensibilities and the distillation of his feel and appreciation for the nature and not TAN KAY NGUAN is famous with his unique way of just an emulation. His creative works often depict the living

painting cranes where he received many excellent comments and won many awards with good grace. Kay Nguan’s inclination towards cranes allows him to paint with noble,elegant and graceful posture. His work exhibits the elegant qualities of cranes like exquisite figures whirling in dance, orchestrated by changing light. With unrestrained touch of brushes and natural forms, Kay Nguan fully elaborates the free rein of artistic imagination and further stages a performance of “Dance of Millennium” which is overwhelmed by admiration and enriched the visual enjoyment of all viewers. His creative works of cranes are well-received and collected by many local and overseas.

Left Photo:

Dialogue

Oil Canvas 118cm x 163cm Right Photo

Jubilant

Oil on Canvas 118cm x 163cm Bottom Photo:

City Jungle

Oil on Canvas 163cm x 118cm

By Arnaldo Mirasol

he bayanihan, that quintessential Filipino demonstration of cooperation, is a theme that Danny Simbulan Rodriguez returns to again and again. For those who do not know what bayanihan is, it is that Filipino practice of lending a helping hand (or should I say shoulder) to neighbors who wish to relocate their house. But that practice, which we carry over from times when nipa huts abound, may be on the wane, especially now that more and more houses are being built of concrete and other sturdy materials, and whose foundations are firmly rooted in the soil.

That’s maybe one of the reasons why Rodriguez frequently revisits that theme---to remind the current and future generations that what we were in the past is worth emulating. The other reason could be plain aesthetics. The subject lends itself to stylistic variations that never fail to please the eyes. Though the bayanihan theme was pioneered and popularized here by National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco, it was not him who influenced Rodriguez style-wise, but the American Regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton.American Regionalism is a realist modern art movement that specialized in depicting scenes of rural and small town America. Prime exponents of that movement aside from Thomas Hart Benton, were John Steuart Curry, and Grant Wood. This movement was launched in reaction to the influx, via the Armory Show, of European Abstraction. That could be the context in which Rodriguez creates. He aspires perhaps to be the chronicler of folkways still extant in rural Philippines, like the playing of the card game pangginggi, the bunong-braso (arm-wrestling), and of course, the bayanihan.

painter Gabriel Custodio in Ermita, and went out to the countryside of Bulacan to do plein air painting. These outdoor painting excursions stood Rodriguez in good stead, because his facility in doing watercolor impressions of the subject matter before him is very evident now.

Rodriguez studied at the University of Santo Tomas College of Architecture and Fine Arts, where he majored first in Advertising, but shifted later on to Painting. When asked if he finished the course, Rodriguez revealed that he did not, because he only enrolled in laboratory courses, like basic drawing, painting, and composition, among others. After leaving school, he hanged out with Alfonso Medilo, one of UST Fine Art’s outstanding students, who’d been winning prizes left and right. Obviously a fan, Rodriguez presumed that he’ll learned much from Medilo, who brought him along to the weekly nude sketching sessions of the original Saturday Group in Taza de Oro, alongside the august company of senior painters who are now National Artists. They also used to visit the studio of Classical Realist

Rodriguez was assigned to the Ethnology Division where he did drawings, mostly in pen and ink, of ancient artifacts and relics. I asked him what he exactly drew at the museum. Rodriguez answered: “Kadalasan mga artifacts. Kung hindi bato, buto. Kung hindi buto, banga. Minsan diagrammatic drawings showing cross-section ng isang artifact. Minsan visualization ng proseso ng archaeological methods. “ (Artifacts most of the time. If not stones, bones. If not bones, jars. Sometimes diagrammatic drawing showing the cross section of an artifact. Sometimes, the visualization of the process of archaeoiogical methods.)

Although they had lived for a while in Tondo, Rodriguez’s family were truly from Betis, Pampanga. He got married in 1982 to a Bulakenya, Cynthia Estrella, who had influenced perhaps his decision to settle in Guiguinto, Bulacan, where they now lived with their four children. Rodriguez took on the first suitable job that came his way when he got married, which was as an artist at Rubberworld Philippines. After a year there, April Gamboa Villacorta, a classmate at UST Fine Arts, told him that the National Museum was in need of a scientific illustrator. Rodriguez promptly applied for that job and got hired.

Rodriguez said that what he really wanted then was to do botanical and zoological illustrations. Anyway. despite being assigned to a job that wasn’t his first choice, his stint at the museum became memorable when he got to scuba-dived with the group of French oceanographer Franck Goddio who was then excavating the wreck of the British trading ship Griffin in the sea off Basilan. The results of these underwater forays were the series of illustrations he did of blue and white porcelains, which he copied from pictures taken by the expedition’s underwater photographer. Rodrig uez worked next for a non-profit organization at the Vietnamese refugee camp in Morong, Bataan. The organization, the World Relief Corporation, was sponsored by the United States’ Department of State. Rodriguez was art coordinator there, conducting art workshops for English teachers and Vietnamese volunteers. Rodriguez had exhibited thrice in the United States---in New Hampshire, New York, and Los Angeles. He can afford to paint full-time these days, especially now that his children have all finished college. His being born of working class parents had influenced his choice of subject matter. His father was a carpenter and his mother was a former farm worker. Rodriguez spoke fondly of how good they were as storytellers, of how they can describe in detail the sartin cups and plates they used, and their cooking methods. His memories of his childhood days in Betis is the wellspring of his art. His painting “Gambling Madonnas”could be an eyewitness depiction of how mothers in their neighborhood spent their free hours, as was his interpretations of the bayanihan and bunong-braso.But Rodriguez’ art isn’t all nostalgia. He had also done a series of drawings and paintings on beerhouse habitues a la Danilo Dalena, but with the difference that the characters in Rodriguez’ paintings are not people with blurred faces. They are flesh and blood people, with distinct identities, who cry when hurt and bleed when cut, He painted men that are far from charming, and who seek solace by haunting bars where satisfaction can be had for a fee. The paintings in this series, although apolitical, falls within the ambit of social realism. These are powerful works, and this writer could only hope that Rodriguez not drop the series.These beerhouse paintings may not be bestsellers like the ‘happy paintings’ and abstracts that are so in demand these days--- but they would put Rodriguez on a par with Dalena, who was a chronicler without equal of unrequited desires.

s a Viennese-based multidisciplinary artist who mostly explores the themes of ethnic tribes and preservation of the indigenous arts and cultures throughout photography, painting, animated pictures and film. She started her education and career as a painter creating a unique painting style that brought her numerous in exhibitions as well as in permanent and private collections of museums worldwide. What ties Bransha’s art together, besides spiritual vibes, are definitely the strong colors that are like a signature of hers and can be seen in all her art aspects. 20

Her unique painting style gives a look of plasticity yet at the same time a feeling of sensation of fascinating folk stories. With every brush stroke she transforms blank canvas into a colorful, dreamy fairytales. The paintings are highly decorated with smallest details being covered in sacred symbolism of diverse cultures as well as floral design. She uses a lot of gold leaves, little stones and other decorative jewelry, to emphasize the richness of the world we are living in. “Art is like a sacred space for me, I don’t like to describe a lot any of my creations but rather to leave it open to interpretation, especially since art is very subjective and everyone observes the world around themselves differently.. For me the act of painting is like meditation, it seems that painting comes from some deeper place, like from out of the world and that’s the other reason why I don’t like to describe it, words just point to something they are not necessarily the truth. Throughout the years, she continued to profound her artistic skills more towards photography and film as a reflections on feminism, identity and heritage. In her range of themes on unity in diversity she tries to embody the values of multiculturalism and to develop her visual language by symbiosis of completely diverse traditions and cultures, showcasing despite heritage differences, humans profound need for oneness. In her multidisciplinary practice, the reflections move around the threads of time, the memory, the disappearance and the identity. On one side she’s trying to show the beauty and uniqueness of every culture through rituals, folk and tribal dances, traditional ethnic wear and at the same time the

connectedness and oneness of each and everyone of us. From the Long Neck Karen tribe, who brings the idea of beauty to a whole new level to unique heritage of Sudanese people over Cubans who seem locked into their cultural world on the isolated island to the heart of Brazilian jungles.. their cultural roots extends beyond simple national practice and infuses every aspect of all our existence. As an established artist, Bransha participated in countless exhibitions and film festivals that enabled her to travel and work as an artist all around the world. She experienced closely diverse cultures by living with locals and teaching e.g. in Raschid Diab Art Center in Khartoum/ Sudan, Birla Balika School in Rajasthan/ India or holding workshops and seminars in Brazil, Korea, Thailand and China. That gave her a unique opportunity to connect with natives, spend time in their cultural and educational institutions engaging with their everyday lives. Some of her selected exhibitions and awards includes 2nd Dafen Oil Art Biennale- Dafen Museum in Shenzhen, China; ‘Speaking Gandhiana” Birla Academy of Art in Kolkata, India; ‘China Dragon Award” in Shenzhen & 8th Beijing International Art Biennale National Art Museum both in China, 20th London Biennale, 18th Asian Art Biennale, just to name a few.

upper left: Ma Chi Manca? Mixed Media on Canvas 60cm x 80cm 2016

Lower right There’s No Love Like the Future Love Mixed Media on Canvas 60cm x 80cm 2007

Upper right The Ritual Mixed Media on Canvas 60cm x 80cm 2006

Lower left Zhongguo - The Land of Beauty and Mystery Mixed Media on Canvas 40cm x 100cm

Middle left Blue King Dynasty Mixed Media on Canvas 60cm x 80cm 2019

ASEDAS CONTINUES ITS ROLE AS ASEAN AND INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL ART PLATFORM THROUGH ASEDAS 2021

22 Assoc. Prof. Ahamad Tarmizi Azizan (ATAN AF) Founder / Chairman of ASEDAS President of ASEDAS (Malaysia)

he year 2020 saw the practice of the New Normal as the New Normal being introduced due to the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic worldwide. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of Movement Control Orders (MCOs) or curfews in many countries around the world have led to artistic activities, especially MICE related activities (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) that directly involve physical clashes between visitors and organizer or exhibitor. The gallery and museum sector as well as MICE activities around the world were largely closed and delayed curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation has caused many artists and art galleries to lose their source of income due to not being able to carry out exhibitions and MICE activities to sell their works. Based on this awareness, academicians from two ASEAN countries, namely Malaysia and Indonesia have sought to implement new initiatives by establishing the ASEAN Digital Art Society or simply called ASEDAS on 1 April 2020. ASEDAS was founded on the synergy of two countries (Indonesia and Malaysia) which then spread creative energy throughout the world. ASEDAS has organized digital art-based online exhibition activities as the main platform called the ASEDAS 2020 project: 1st International Virtual Digital Art Exhibition as the first international project especially for artists and academicians in the ASEAN region. The results of the ASEDAS team’s efficiency in manipulating social media (medsos) and digital platforms have been successful in convincing and involving the cooperation of more than 20 universities, colleges, and Non-Government Agencies (NGOs) as well as professional bodies to be directly involved as ASEDAS 2020 strategic partners.

The main objective of the ASEDAS 2020 project is to emerge as a major platform at the ASEAN and international level in the context of contemporary art in line with the implementation of the New Norm as a New Normal for artists, academicians, students, and the public in exhibitions and arts activities. The findings of this project found that in a short period of 1 month 16 days, ASEDAS 2020 can act as a platform that successfully provides space and opportunities to most of the art community around the world. In this regard, all ASEDAS 2020 participants involving more than 400 artists, academicians, students and the public with 34 countries from 4 continents namely Asia, America, Africa and Europe have united and together strive to express their solidarity as the frontline in the context of visual art to fight the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide with over 500 works successfully exhibited online. Many participants consisted of academicians, artists, graphic designers, university, and college students, as well as school students. The oldest artist is a 70-year-old professor from Egypt. Meanwhile, a 4-year-old child from Indonesia was among the seven young participants in the age range of 4 to 14 years. Through this exhibition, the ideas of artists as early as 4 to 70 years old have been successfully translated symbolically and creatively through the works on display. Based on AEDAS 2020 participation statistics, it was found that most participants aged 17 - 35 years are the largest group of participants which is 307. The statistic explains why the artworks received by ASEDAS 2020 has various creative ideas through a visualization process that translates solidarity to the COVID-19 pandemic by displaying clear messages and clear symbolism related to existence, destruction, positive and negative implications, frontlines situations, economic situations, psychology and physiological effects, including the practice of new norms to become new habits (new normal) in everyday human life that have been and will be faced by humans around the world to this COVID-19 pandemic effect. The results of the analysis also found that within 4 days, from June 6, 2020 to June 9, 2020, ASEDAS virtual gallery has received more than 1,000 visitors from all over the world. In addition, to ensure the impact of knowledge transfer on all levels of society around the world, ASEDAS 2020 has hosted more than 10 live online ASEDAS International Seminars worldwide since June and July 2020. In fact, ASEDAS 2020 activities are also widely covered by local and international media from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Mexico. Among these achievements, factors on the efficiency of the ASEDAS team in using digital technology as a platform and making social media (MEDSOS) a new norm in new habits as online working methods. ASEDAS is rapidly going virtually by actively holding official meetings through the WhatsApp Group, Zoom Meeting, Zoom Webinar, Google Meet, and YouTube Channel applications. Even the use of social media such as the use of Facebook groups, Facebook pages, and Instagram is optimized as an official medium in mobilizing ASEDAS 2020 project activities. The findings also found that there are at least 7 methods and

techniques that can be used and made a new normal for artists, academicians, students, and the public to continue to practice a culture of handling an exhibition based on digital technology and internet technology to facing of new norms COVID-19 pandemic namely: 1. Submitted Artwork for Exhibition via Email or medsos, going through the selection process via online or manually, exhibit in 2D Virtual Gallery or/and Physical Gallery such as ASEDAS 2020, Malaysia / Indonesia; Go-Gallery, National Art Gallery, Malaysia; C-iDEA, Poland and RNIC, Mexico. 2. Submitted Artwork for Competition or Contest via Email or medsos, going through the selection process via online or manually, exhibit in Virtual Gallery or/and Physical Gallery such as International cartoon competition Malaysia and International Cartoon in Iran 3. Submitted an Artwork for Exhibition or Competition or Contest directly in medsos Group Page as Realtime Exhibition through the online selection process, exhibit in medsos page such as Byoung Poster + U Exhibitions (USA-KOREA)

4. Submitted an Artwork for Exhibition or Competition or Contest via Email / medsos, going through the online selection process, exhibit in 3D Virtual Gallery or/and Physical Gallery such as V-ART Exhibition Poland and Bolu Design Competition 5. Submitted an Artwork for Exhibition or Competition or Contest via Email / medsos, going through the online selection process, exhibit in Video as Virtual Gallery or/and Physical Gallery such as V-ART Exhibition Poland and Pameran Alam Maya Pelukis 01/2020 6. Submitted an Artwork for Exhibition or Competition or Contest via physically, going through the physical or online selection process, exhibit in Video as Virtual Gallery or/and Physical Gallery such as Seminar dan Pameran Kertas Sejagat, Indonesia 7. Submitted Artwork for Exhibition via Email or medsos, going through the selection process online or manually, exhibit in 2D Virtual Gallery via Instagram such as Trench Spain

Efforts to excel in digital innovation in the cultural sector have been widely implemented by various countries of the world. Based on these factors and the success of ASEDAS in organizing ASEDAS 2020, in 2021, ASEDAS has partnered with Maranatha Christian University, Bandung, Indonesia as the host led by Dr. Ariesa Pandanwangi, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Chairman of ASEDAS has worked to implement ASEDAS 2021: 2nd International Virtual Digital Art Exhibition as a project in 2021 to continue to develop and strengthen the art platform digital at the international level especially for artists and academicians in the ASEAN region. Through ASEDAS 2021, the term NEW HOPE related to the impact of covid -19 has been chosen as the theme of ASEDAS 2021. This time ASEDAS invites artists, academicians, students, and the general public from all over the world to continue to be creative in carrying out MICE activities despite the global outbreak and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is still impacted worldwide. The ASEDAS 2021 theme of new hope refers to the hope of every human being in the world to the various initiatives planned and implemented through various efforts that have been taken by various governments and various parties to address the spread of this pandemic, but until now this pandemic impact has not been fully controlled. Announcement of the discovery of the vaccine is always spread, but it still has not been able to convince and provide peace of mind to most of the world’s population. The question is whether the use of the Covid-19 vaccine will be new hope for the people of the world to eradicate the spread of this covid-19 pandemic? Thus, through ASEDAS 2021, it is becoming the ASEDAS objectives that this new hope can be translated visually through digital art and traditional art to become proof that the discovery and use of this covid-19 vaccine or other new hopes will be able to unravel the

anxiety of the world’s population to eradicate covid-19 epidemic completely. Until now, ASEDAS 2021 has received the support of strategic partners from over forty (40) academic institutions, NGOs, Professional Bodies, and Media locally and internationally, and is still open to the participation of various strategic partners at the local and international levels. In ASEDAS 2021, ASEDAS has further expanded the participation category by opening the open category ( http://bit.ly/ASEDASopencategory ) , student category ( http://bit.ly/ASEDASstudentcategory ), children’s category ( http://bit.ly/ASEDASchildrencategory ), and invitation category ( https://forms.gle/bmA7eCDJt7HW7iqK7 ). A total of fourteen (14) professional jury panels from academics and professional artists have been appointed by ASEDAS in ASEDAS 2021 to screen participation so that it can meet the requirements of the project theme. Eleven (11) people have been appointed as panel jury for the open category, special invitation category, and student category, namely four (4) professional artists and academicians from Malaysia are Assoc, Prof. Ahamad Tarmizi Azizan, Ts. Dr. Maria Mohamad, Ts. Dr. Jasni Dolah and Rossem, four (4) professionals artist and academicians from Indonesia are Dr. Ariesa Pandanwangi S.Sn, Yunisa Fitri Andriayani M.Ds., Maya Purnama Sari M.Ds., and Sigit Purnomo Adi M.Sn., one professional artist from the Philippines are Roy Espinosa, one professional artist from Singapore Mohd Idham and one professional artist and academician from Vietnam Nguyen Thai Binh. Meanwhile, a panel of judges for the category of children consisting of three (3) people were appointed, namely Peter Rhian Gunawan MD.s from Indonesia, Anitra Lykke, Ph.D from Norway and Elida Maria Matsumoto from Japan. ASEDAS 2021 also appointed three international curators, namely Assoc. Prof. Ahamad Tarmizi Azizan (Malaysia), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuning Damayanti (Indonesia), and Prof. Angela Saldanha from Poland. In the aspirations to meet the digital art definition whereby involving hybrid elements in the artworks, ASEDAS 2021 has expanded and facilitated participation by considering the factors of the online exhibition as the main medium. Therefore,ASEDAS 2021 has agreed to introduce a new category in the organization of the e xhibition ASEDAS 2021 related to Video Art or Augmented Reality (AR) with MP4 format Min.1024 x 768 pixels. At the same time, ASEDAS 2021 still keep on continuing to maintain the 2-dimensional category with an artwork format that is easier with the size of A4 (portrait) and PNG (portrait) with a resolution of 300 dpi for Digital Art, and A4 PNG (portrait with HiRes Scan) for Traditional Art ASEDAS 2021 is planned to be displayed online from 2 June 2021 until 31 December 2021 will be officiated by Mr. Pustanto, Head of the National Gallery of Indonesia, Ministry of Education and Culture Indonesia, the Republic of Indonesia which is expected on 1 June 2021 in full online methods. Online registration and participation of ASEDAS 2021 by using Google Form have been officially opened from 15 March 2021 until 25 April 2021, where the closing date for entries is 25 April 2021.

On the success and great response to the organization of the ASEDAS 2020 Virtual Exhibition, in 2021,ASEDAS once again organized the ASEDAS 2021 International Digital Art Exhibition with the theme “NEW HOPE” and inviting all artists around the globe to submit, join and participate in this great event. Enclosed here are the important dates for your participation and attention.

in the boom of the industrial revolution 4.0 and the intelligent society 5.0 in the era of globalization and the future in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world.

Important Dates and Information: Deadline : 25 APRIL 2021 February 15 - April 25, 2021 (Google registration form. Participant Participation, Biodata Collection, and Artwork) Google Form data to be received by the Committee on April 25, 2021 E-Catalog compilation 1 - May 15, 2021, or post-event Compilation E-Book: post Event Gallery: Maranatha Team The exhibition opens Monday, June 1, 2021 Exhibition June 2 - December 31, 2021 All artists can submit your artwork via a google form below by categories, thank you: Open Category (Submit & click here) http://bit.ly/ASEDASopencategory Student category (Submit & click here) http://bit.ly/ASEDASstudentcategory Children’s Category (Submit & click here): http://bit.ly/ASEDASchildrencategory Invitation Category (Submit & click here): https://forms.gle/bmA7eCDJt7HW7iqK7 Although the world community is still in the process of implementing the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the introduction of the New Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) as a New Normal due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the hope of ASEDAS and Maranatha Christian University for ASEDAS 2021 activities can be able to create a new space and opportunities for the world community to continue to be creatively active through creating and producing artwork in order to reduce and eliminate emotional stress due to the covid -19 pandemic impact. Indirectly, ASEDAS 2021 activities are also expected to be able to push new ideas in the context of new hopes that can be discovered and practiced aggressively so that all walks of life especially leaders, artists, academicians, students, and the public can continue to be creative in implementing MICE activities and continues to meet the demands of generation C or alpha generation

By Cid Reyes

ired of the same old dinner and snack fare? For the adventurous, there’s always fusion cuisine to perk up the jaded taste buds. Fusion cuisine is defined as “the blending of culinary worlds to create new hybrid dishes.” The French chefs, and Wolfgang Puck, are largely credited for starting this trend when they combined traditional French food with Asian cuisine, and hence, as the French expression goes, “Apres moi, le deluge.” After me, the flood. Except that in this case, it’s the food: as in the food revolution. Just the names of the dishes will tell you so much: Tex-Mex, sushi-buritto, sushi-shaped donut, pad thai taco, tandoori pizza, wasabi-risotto, the Vietnamese banh mi with the French baguette. And then there’s Filipino cuisine, which was Asian Fusion before “Asian Fusion” came to be. Artistic Influence As in cuisine, so in art. Fusion in the visual arts is essentially the influence of one artist’s work over another. A more fancy term would be syncretism, which is the combination of different, usually contrasting, aesthetics and style. Would Picasso have conceived of Cubism without African sculpture and the French artist Cezanne? Could Van Gogh have created his later works had he not looked intently at the Japanese ukiyo-e prints? Closer to home, the linearity of the works of National Artist Arturo Luz, for instance, was, admitted by the artist himself, due to the influence of the Swiss artist Paul Klee. Witness the similarity between National Artist Ang Kiukok’s “The Thinking Man” and the Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamin’s “Waiting.” Or the resemblance between the style of National Artist Jose Joya and that of the Italian Afro Basaldella - as claimed by the late critic Dr. Rod Paras Perez. The vaunted “transparent cubism” of National Artist Vicente Manansala’s masterpieces, could not have hovered into view without Picasso and Braque. The late Lee Aguinaldo went through a “Pollock Period,” while the easel paintings of National Artist Botong Francisco are “Gauguinesque.” Unfortunately, many Filipino artists are offended if

you so much as mention their obvious influences - as if one had caught them with their hand inside the cookie jar. Appropriation Art In contemporary times, the matter of influence has been brought to an extreme degree, and alarmingly with tremendous license, in the so-called appropriation art - “the use of pre-existing objects or images with little or no transformation to them.” The Pope of Pop, Andy Warhol, was also The Great Appropriator starting with his breakthrough works, the Campbell’s Soup silkscreen series, done insouciantly with no permission from the company. (The Campbell Company did not sue, realizing perhaps that Warhol’s mega-famous art was tantamount to incalculable media exposure.) For his iconic “Marilyn”, Warhol used a publicity shot from the movie star’s 1953 film “Niagara.” Pushing his luck too far, Warhol cribbed the original image of his most popular works, the Flowers Series, from a photography magazine.The photographer of the hibiscus, Patricia Caulfield, filed a lawsuit against Warhol, who was then forced to pay royalty. In turn, Robert Rauschenberg nicked Warhol’s silkscreen process. All is fair in art and war. Fetishizing a Style Today, the most notorious Appropriation artist in America is Mike Bidlo. He makes exact copies of the works of Picasso, Matisse, Brancusi, Duchamp, Kandinsky, Leger, Man Ray and - the tables are turned! - Warhol’s “Marilyns.” Hereabouts, possibly the Filipino artist who has brazenly practiced appropriation with a daring self-confidence is Levi Yu. Son of the Cubist painter William Yu, Levi fetishizes the styles of famous Filipino painters who have achieved a distinct, distinguished look, a style that is immediately recognizable - what we

might call a brand or a trademark. Some people might call this process “channeling,” which has spiritual resonances whereby someone uses his hand as a medium of communication, a hand to be used by the ghost of a dead person - except that in Yu’s case, the idolized artists are still very much around. Regard, for instance, that in the artworks of Yu, there are at least two, even three, artistic styles that coalesce, interfuse, producing a hybrid that has been distilled into one. Yu - mothlike -is drawn towards the flame of the artists’ celebrity and auction record-breaking fame. Now a continually growing body of Yu’s work - by turns impressively and curiously being sought by collectors - merges the familiar linearity of National Artist Arturo Luz with the omnipresent circle device of Juvenal Sanso. And in Yu’s recent fascination, the “Toledo” landscapes, done by the globe-trotting artist Manny Baldemor. (In the minds of artists, Toledo, the city in Spain, in the Castile-La Mancha region, will forever be synonymous with El Greco, the Greek painter named Domenicos Theotokopoulos.) Of late, Yu has also depicted tourist spots like the Great Wall of China and its mystical mountains, as well as Santorini in Greece. Nothing to Luz In these hybrid paintings, Yu reverentially fuses the zigzagging stun of Luz-like lines, suggestive of a mountain range, upon which, through the interstices, he reproduces the typical Baldemor panoramic sight of structures and edifices. In execution, however, Yu differs in that his lines “zip” energetically across as if in white heat, while Luz - who once said, “I have the patience of a spider.” - punctiliously renders his multitude of lines inch by inch, visible in the stop-start of the nib of his refilling pen. Yu then whips the whole design with a crisp, tight snap through the presence of the Sanso orb. As Sanso says of this trademark, it matters not whether it stands for the sun or the moon. The orb was

Into the woods series 24in x 24in Mixed Media

essential in conveying that his flowers, foliage, and vegetation were not underwater, as often misunderstood. As the critic-artist Alfredo Roces observed: Filipino artists take recourse to the circle whenever they are confronted by an empty wide space. Indeed, as a graphic device, the circle can’t be beat. To his credit, Yu is a skilled draftsman, with a finesse of execution, and a gift for manual dexterity, but, alas, brought to bear on the art of mimicry. Sabel meets Malang As if to further challenge our critical openness, Yu serves up another explicit hybrid - this time the iconic subject of National Artist BenCab, trussed up in the image of the late, esteemed Malang’s “Woman.” In Levi Yu’s work, the brushwork is furious, agitated, limning the trademark swaddled drapery of “Sabel”, while the visage belongs not to the famous scavenger but to Malang’s endearing face with the elongated neck. The viewer may 28

Selfie Series, 48in x 36in, Acrylic on canvas

well ask: what justifies anyone to copy, indeed, to commandeer, to usurp, the hard-won identity of another artist? Is the lionized artist expected to be pleased or amused, complemented that, as the saying goes, imitation is the highest form of flattery? Is Levi Yu’s art an act of homage? Of parody? Or is it just plain - go ahead, say it - expensive rip-off? Pluralistic Art World On the other hand, in defending his work, Yu might retort that in the postmodernist age, in a pluralistic art world, anything goes. That barriers are meant to be broken; that tradition and societal decorum can be transgressed. Moreover, he might claim that his real subject is not the imitation of somebody else’s subject or style - that would be the superficial view - but rather the investigation of the real nature of a so-called masterpiece, the interrogation of the essence of authorship and originality. Indeed, in the West, appropriation has ascended to the rarefied realm of Conceptual art, To his detractors, Levi Yu is the poor man’s Luz, the beggar’s BenCab - and yet his coveted and marketable works are not exactly going at pauper’s prices. Doubtless, the art of Levi Yu raises a conundrum, a difficult, exasperating problem and question, and on the instant, will neither be resolved - nor so casually dismissed.

PISCES SERIES 20x30 acrylic on canvas

Visual of Sound Series 24in x 24in Mixed Media

Pisces Series 20in x 30in Acrylic on canvas

Selfie Series

48in x 36in Acrylic on Canvas

better known as Junyee

It is with pride that we respectfully nominate Luis Enano Yee, Jr. better known as Junyee, for the National Artist award for Visual Arts not because he is our province mate and a son of Mindanao like us, and the very first artist from Mindanao awarded with “ Gawad CCP para sa Visual Arts” nor because we are his family that delights in his artworks even when he was still a kid; nor because we are his classmates in college that admire his dominance in art competitions; nor because, we are his friends who helped him mount “ Balag”, his first outdoor installation one-man show in the country, that frankly, we don’t understand, nor because we are relatives that was in despair in his persistence in doing what he called installation instead of sculpture that could give him a good life. Nor because we are his barkada amazed of what he was doing that nobody appreciated. Nor because I am his best friend who agonize with him in his homelessness and hunger yet triumphant in his struggle. Nor because I am his wife, who, like others, was bewildered of his art making but stayed and struggle with him. We are all in the unity of supporting him not for all those reasons but because we in simplest term admire how he live his life as a man and as an artist. Let us tell you his story then so you will understand.

“MGA KAHOY NATIN”

10 ft. Malabayabas wood 2nd Hardest wood & Mahogany First and only Grand Award that won the over- all prize against other sculptural works, paintings and photography. Manila, 1974

Junyee was born an artist. He joined his first art competition in elementary and won first prize. He was 9 years old. Since then, he never stopped winning art competitions. As freshman in UP College of Fine arts, he won First Prize in sculpture competition and first again in his second year beside winning in other disciplines. He was third year when he won his first professional competition in the inaugural competition of the Society of Philippine Sculptors winning the Special Award. After

college, he joined the biggest art competition so far in the history of Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) where the first prizes of painting, sculpture, prints and photography vie for the Grand award. He was first prize in sculpture and his piece won the grand award. He won over his mentor National Artist Napoleon Abueva, and other leading and veterans of the art world.

He set the record of winning Grand Awards in every decade from the 60’s to the present – 6 decades in all, a record hard to equal much more to beat. In this decade- in 2016, he won Grand Award in the latest competition he joined to design a marker monument for the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino “ Bantayog- Wika” for our 132 languages from Batanes to Tawi-tawi. So Far, he had installed 20 Bantayog Wika. It will take him years to finish all markers, but when finished, it will be the longest public art installation in the country if not in Asia. Occidental Mindoro

Ifugao

In 2007, he won the competition to design a monument for the Holocaust Memorial Park in Israel. His design, now the famous “Open Doors” monument is the most contemporary and historic monument done by a Filipino Artist abroad. Israel issued a stamp featuring “Open Doors”

A 7-meter tall monument titled “ Open Doors” at the Holocaust Memorial Park in the city of Rishon Lezion, Israel The monument is made of White marble for its floor from Romblon, Philippines. And metal with auto-finished.

Another of Junyee’s public art abroad was his “ Rebirth” in Surapati Park in Jakarta, Indonesia for the ASEAN Sculpture workshop. He had 30 public arts at present including one in Baler, CEU100 centennial year, in QC Museum ground, and four more for his Sculpture garden in UP Los Baños and adding 10 more next year 2021 to complete the sculpture garden and one monument for Balanghai in UP Diliman.

“Rebirth”

For the 3rd ASEAN workshop and symposium. Sorapati Park, Jakarta, Indonesia

“Baler 400” For the 400 years Anniversary of the town of Baler, Aurora

CEU Centennial Tower

“Ugnayan” (APEC) Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center

“ Fertility” Quezon City Museum Ground

In Sculpture competitions and public arts, Junyee is a dominant force and influence for other artists. His dominion in sculpture and growing body of works in public art is more than enough for any artist to be happy with and to solidly establish his/her name among the best. But Junyee is more than that. In 1970, he put up his first one-man show to the great surprise of his friends who expected a sculpture show but instead were confronted with the first ever outdoor installation one- man show in the country. They cannot understand it. A Balag (Trellis) of bamboo in front of Sampaguita dorm in U.P. Diliman that was adorned with hanging “ Tinapa” Tuyo and slogans, political statements, canned sardines and love letters and poems were hang by students. At noon, the food were harvested, cooked for everybody who wanted to partake and singing of celebration inside the Balag opening. It was the first time that an art show was not for sale, with public participations, made of indigenous materials and away from the confine of art galleries. It was also based on Bayanihan spirit. The art world did not notice. In 1976 he mounted a more ambitious outdoor installation One-Man show in front of the Rizal monument in Luneta and again the art world paid no notice. Still he persisted of doing Installation that nobody notice nor done by any artist. The balag show was the first ever installation in Southeast Asia. A bigger show in Luneta titled “ Malabayabas at iba pang kahoy sa Iskultura ni Junyee” was the second outdoor installation one-man show in the ASEAN.

“Malabayabas”

But in 1979 CCP organized a group show for First Prize Winners at the Main Gallery. Junyee submitted “Abortion”, an installation piece made of indigenous materials that amazed and surprised CCP curator Ray Albano so much that he announced to Junyee that he will award Junyee that year the 13 Artist Award. Again, to his surprise, Junyee declined and asked instead of funding for an open outdoor festival of Installation which was granted by Ray Albano who also participated. That was in 1981 called “Site Works” followed with “Work on Site” in 1983 and 1984. That Site Work Installation Festival was first in the ASEAN countries.

“ Abortion”

“WoodThings “ in 1980 the first Indoor one-man show of Installation in the country at CCP Small Gallery that put him at the forefront of the contemporary movement in the country.

“Wood Things”

It took CCP and the artworld to finally notice, embraced what Junyee was doing ten years after he mounted “Balag” in Diliman. But whether CCP or the world will take notice Junyee or not, for sure, he will continue to follow his Muse undeterred by all hardship he encounters in his visionary journey to introduce art form closely linked to his concern for the environment and cultural identity and independent of Western influences. In that historic outdoor Installation festivals, Santi Bose, Robert Villanueva, Lani Maestro, students from the Philippine High School for the Arts and many others were introduced to Installation Art outdoor.

In 1986, after EDSA Revolution, he shook the art world again when he won another Grand Award but this time with an entry of a big hanging piece made entirely of indigenous materials of bamboo, twigs, branches, leaves, cabo negro fiber, rattan strip and a big stone. The piece titled “Bagong Binhi” totally altered artists thinking and perception about art materials. In the following year competition of AAP and even now, entries made of indigenous materials is already a permanent fixture. One of the artist who joined that competition was now active in installation in international scene, Freddie Aquilizan, who after seeing Junyee’s work shifted his approach and philosophy in art making and use of indigenous materials.

In 1982 he was invited to participate in the Paris Biennial after Philippines’ absence of ten years. Ray Albano, Nonon Padilla, and Johnny Manahan joined him in that Biennial and “Wood Things” was his entry.

“Bagong Binhi”

Grand Award, 1986 Art Association of the Philippines

Before the decade was over, outdoor Installation Festival spread first to Baguio and now it is all over the country. All outdoor Installation Festivals in the country today traces its beginning to the 3 Site Works outdoor that Junyee started in UPLB in the 80s. By the end of the 80s, Installation art making is widely practiced that altered the art landscape in the country and included in art subjects. In 1998, Junyee won the top spot of 3 grants in the first and only Installation competition by CCP and the Centennial Commission for our 100 years of independence. “Isang Daan” was the first outdoor installation covering more than one hectare in front of CCP. This competition was the first and only art installation competition in the country.

“ Isang Daan”

For the Centennial celebration of our country.

In the Japan National Bamboo Festival in Oita being the only Filipino contemporary bamboo artist in the Asean. A big bamboo work titled “If Rain You Are, Ill Bathe the Earth with You” of 200 bamboo poles in a 35 meters long outdoor installation was his entry. It consist a centerpiece Rainstick measuring 12 meters long.

“If Rain You Are, I’ll Bathe the Earth with You”

Year 2007 saw Junyee mounted his second outdoor Installation in front of CCP that like “Isang Daan” in 1998 covered more than one hectare of CCP ground for the 2007 Earth Day celebration. Called “Angud a Forest Once” featured more than 10 thousand Angud that he collected for 4 months in the forest of Real, Quezon. Angud is a discarded part of an illegally cut tree, where the illegal loggers tapered one end of the log, drilled a hole where they inserted a rope for the carabao to haul it to the log pond. There, the tapered part is cut off and utilized as fire wood or made into charcoal. This installation, the biggest in history of installation in the country was a clear evidence of the rampant practice of illegal logging all over the country.

“ Angud a Forest Once” In 2017, to commemorate the 47 years of “ Balag” his first outdoor installation one-man show, a Fraternity and Sorority in UPLB sponsored a musical “ Balag” based on his life. In the following year, 2018 CCP Resident theater group, Tanghalang Pilipino Produced “ Balag at Angud” also based on the life of Junyee. Junyee is the first Filipino artist whose life, and struggle and triumphs were made into musical. Not once but twice! We think that it was only fitting that his life was made into musical because his life struggle to be an artist is so inspiring. He is a full-time artist for the last 55 years that surprisingly held only 5 one-man shows in commercial galleries preferring the outdoor and non commercial spaces like CCP, Metropolitan Museum, Alliance Francaise, where he served as a curator for 2 years, UP Diliman and UP Los Baños “Sining Makiling” that he founded in 1985, as the first art gallery in the UP System and where he served as founding curator making him the first art curator in the whole UP System, serving for 5 years without salary thus earning the first Artist- in- Residence award for him in UPLB.

If there’s anyone who fits the requirements for National Artists perfectly, it is Junyee. His sustained excellence in art making proven by the many awards he received in sculpture, public art and most specially in the art of Installation that he pioneered, proved beyond doubts that he is an original for his works were his own and cannot be said to be influenced by foreign or local talents. While others introduced art styles and ideas they learned while studying abroad Junyee on other hand introduced a new school of art making without any influence by others, local or foreign. His Pioneering installation works was his own idea and concept that developed independently from other artist abroad. In fact Junyee at the beginning was not even aware that he was doing will be called installation later. Junyee is an “Orig”! He is an original mind whose works has been recognized abroad as original and not a product of foreign or local influences. He is for us an original mind in the art world today. He, more than deserves to be declared a National Artist in the field of Visual art more than anyone today. His records speak for itself. We are fortunate that once in awhile an

original mind like Junyee came along to give proof that Filipinos can produce a great artist that can make us proud of our own race. In June 2022, Junyee will have his Retrospective exhibition of 56 years of art making at CCP. That for the first time will use all art venues from the ground floor to the fourth floor, the main gallery, the small gallery, the two alcoves and all areas used for exhibitions. Added to this he will again put up a hectare big outdoor installation in front of CCP. The show will last for 4 months. This is the first time in the history of the CCP that an artist is invited to have an Exhibition as big as this. Junyee will have this first honor. Junyee fits perfectly all the requirements to be a National Artist but beyond the technical requirement, we in simplest term are aware that he conducted his life as simple, modest and spiritually strong in his belief and never commercialize his art. He leads his life as a man committed to what is good and an artist always expressing his art in original way.

Pastel Art by Some of the Most Famous Artists of All Time by Courtney Jordan

Why Master Artists Chose Pastel I love art history. Love it with a passion. But I’m

also woke to its shortcomings, most notably that the art history I was exposed to is but one art history among many. The art history of pastel certainly fits the bill as a history that has been sidelined over the centuries. The “why” of that has many answers, but it isn’t because notable artists didn’t use pastel. They did. Any artist who works with this medium today should remember that. It has a fascinating lineage and is the source of so many unique, moving and just beautiful works of art — and by some of the most famous artists of all time, no less!

Odilon Redon

I lead with the French Symbolist because I love his pastels like no other. This cloudscape expresses all the wonder of color and mark-making that can be explored with pastels. This medium was one of Redon’s favorites. Whether painting portraits, still lifes or imagined landscapes, he made pastels feel rich, powerful and yet honest to the medium.

Poppies, Isles of Shoals by Childe Hassam, 1891, pastel.

Childe Hassam An illustrator by trade, Childe Hassam was one of the most notable American Impressionists working in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He is also one of the most famous American pastelists. He exhibited in the fourth, final, show of the Society of Painters in Pastel in New York in 1890. The urban landscape, summer gardens and abstracted night skies all were captured by his hand, working in this medium.

Mary Cassatt Mary Cassatt was one of the most influential artists of 20th-century American art. Her friend Edgar Degas was the one who first inspired her to work in pastels and painting portraits using this medium was eventually how she made a living in Paris. Pastels could be manipulated with greater speed and ease, had no odor and allowed for frequent interruptions. For Cassatt, who did many portraits of children, that was essential. Her pastels are most noted for their bold linear strokes that create sensitive, substantive forms.

Lower Clouds by Odilon Redon, 1903, pastel.

William Merritt Chase Notable portraitist William Merritt Chase founded the Society of American Painters in Pastel in 1882, which included such artists as John Henry Twachtman, Childe Hassam and Robert Reid. The Society only lasted eight years and held four exhibitions. But it drew attention to pastel and helped it gain respect as a medium. Chase worked in a variety of media, including oil, pastel, watercolor and etching. His pastel drawings were sometimes very large, up to six feet high, and done on canvas.

Baby in His Mother’s Arms, Sucking his Finger by Mary Cassatt, pastel

41 Watering Horses, Sunset by Jean-François Millet, 1866, pastel and black Conte crayon.

Jean François Millet From 1865-1869 Millet painted almost exclusively in pastel for a collection that would eventually include 90 works. With this collection, the artist explored the possibilities and limits of the medium. He was one of the first to really draw with pastel and use broken strokes of color, rather than blending the colors extensively the way many early pastelists did.

And Maybe You

Self-Portrait by William Merritt Chase, ca. 1884, pastel

Using pastel as a guide, the history of art opens up in a new way. For me, I’ll always be drawn to the medium because of the famous artists who made it come alive in the past: Redon, Degas, Chardin, Millet, and Schiele. But I’m also as intrigued, if not most intrigued, by the pastel art made by artists today. Maybe one of those artists is, or could be, you. If you are thinking about how this medium could be the way you explore art — first off, know that you are in good company — and second of all, resources like Pastel Innovations by Dawn Emerson will show you how to make it uniquely your own. Enjoy that sense of discovery!

rs Simia Naturae’ (in Latin) is directly interpreted as art is the ape of nature, which also means ‘art imitates nature’. Alice resonates to the works of Renaissance art on how animals have been represented in signifying human characteristics. She relates to the idea of how animals act as mediators, demonstrated through the artists’ works to express not only on empathy, but also to identify our relationship with them. In celebration of Alice’s 10 years journey as an artist, this also marks a fresh beginning as she opens up a new space, turning it into her arts studio as well as an exhibiting gallery. This exhibition titled as ‘Ars Simia Naturae’ features 30 artworks from a vast selection throughout her career, and highlights on some of her life’s significant moments. Her persistence in becoming a female artist whilst coping with her role in the family has been challenging, yet remarkable in shaping her past and current focus in her direction. With a strong commitment and self-discipline, she has managed to turn complex art materials into both prominent and intricate paintings and sculptures. From figurative representation of animals, to the artist embracing her own path, the relocation of her studio will see greater opportunities and diversity in the development of her artistic experiments. This new space also sets out to become a gallery platform for herself and others. Workshops and exhibitions will be held for the less-privileged communities, such as individual with special needs, single parents, and more. By building confidence and empowering them with a voice, these communities can come together to exchange ideas and share their stories through artmaking. It is grounded in her belief that she could contribute back to the society in the arts. The selection of this building was carefully chosen by the artist as it reminds her of the past. All the interior spaces and its’ façade were preserved. Old marble flooring, with curved and geometrical openings on the walls, are all that carry our sentiments and memories from the bygone days. We could all anticipate how this space will continually be transformed and grow alongside her arts practice. Furthermore, it will be a local house for newer ideas to manifest, and to bind with the arts communities and public.

Guests of Honor: Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro, Tabaco City / Bishop Joel Baylon, Legazpi Diocese / Teacher Ofel Peralta, Owner, Sunshine International School / Mr. Ryan Servano, SM Legazpi Ast. Mall Manager ARD Cynthia Berces, NEDA Region 5 / Mr. Darlito Perez, Jr, Curator, Museo de Legazpi

EGAZPI CITY. A home-grown art group will once again exhibit their works from February 7 to 14 this year at the SM Mall here.Kugos 3 will be the third year the group will be showcasing their ouvres since 2019 in the same venue as part of the annual National Arts Month celebration in February . This year, the group has adopted for its theme, Padanayon, Pagkamalinalang sa Gabos na Panahon (Sustain Creativity at All Times) along the declaration by United Nations of the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021. The declaration was made at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in 2019 and was proposed by Indonesia as the main sponsor. The Philippines was among the countries composed of Australia, China, India, Mongolia and Thailand which pushed for the declaration which recognized the role of the creative industry in promoting social and economic development. NEDA Bicol Regional Director Agnes Espinas Tolentino, who was invited as the Guest Speaker, will further expound on the declaration in her talk on the Role of the Creative Industry in Socio-Economic Development. Albay Bishop Joel Baylon is also expected to share his thoughts on the significance of the celebration of the 500th Year of Christianity in the Philippines being observed this year. They will be joined by Mayors Noel Rosal of this city and Krisel Lagman - Luistro of Tabaco who will deliver their respective messages in the opening program of the exhibit co-sponsored by the Legazpi City LGU Museo de Legazpi, AWORD Advertising Design Studio, Ricab Food Delights, Avicraft. and Style, Cotton City Marketing, and the Legazpi Lions Club, in partnership with SM City Legazpi. Kugos 3 is also dedicated to one of it’s members, Salvador Pagaduan, an advertising entrepreneur who passed away last month. His work Crown of Thorns, form the backdrop of the exhibit poster designed by retired DTI regional official, Engr. Chito Aguilar. He will be joined by Manila-based members, Pancho Piano, actress Elizabeth Oropesa and production designer Gil Bien; historian Danilo Gerona, photojournalist Ping Peralta, ceramic sculptor Maria Magdarnit , art patron Lilibeth Estevez; and writers Jun Balde and Frank Penones Jr. Kugos 3 which wilI also feature two guest artists. BU journalism student Jaffa Arelu B. Oliva and paper-cut artist Gir Albia Corporal both from Iriga City.

KUGOS of Bicol Pancho Piano

Internationally Acclaimed, award-winning painter from Lagonoy, Camarines Sur, specializing also in murals and stained glass designs. His passion focused “ Ki Ina ” Patrones of Bicol Region. He has long been Philippine’s pride in Foreign art exhibits. We refer to him as the Father of the Kugos artists of Bicol.

Elizabeth Oropesa

A Multi-Awarded movie actress, painter, underwater photographer, Healer from Guinobatan Albay. With her showbiz maturity and diver’s tenacity, she is home with depths. She is bespoke as a visual artist, then and now; even without spotlights but with only plain delights.

Chito Aguilar

Photo-Artist- Poet from Daraga Albay, known for his stellar photos presenting our cultural icon, Mayon, in either diametric or refreshed light. His pitik-at-titik series promotes photo poems (tularawan or Rawitrato). His photo artistry garnered local and International awards.

Ping Peralta

Multi-awarded, Seasoned Photo Journalist, Mountain climber, Painter, Videographer, Graphics designer, Visual Artist, Media specialist from Legaspi City. His Artworks reflect his focus, merging art concepts with individual identity. He takes you to the next realm in acrylic or charcoal dare to cross secret borders or climb steep mountains with him in pursuit of story.

Gil Bien

From Bacacay, Albay, a contemporary designer artist who communicates thru abstract language and illusionistic depth. His art levelled up to abstract impressionism. He is widely known as institutional art designer experimenting on various art forms whether sculpture and paintings.

Maria Magdamit

Passionate allegorical sculptor from Daraga, specializes in artworks of Sea, Glass, Botanical Accents and forest colors as a form of thanksgiving prayer to the creator. She is a mentor and teacher to young artists and inspires them with her artistic “not” flare. She continues to elevate pottery art to higher plane.

Danny Gerona

Historian, Researcher, Prolific scholar, Painter from Naga City who specialized in early Spanish Colonial History of the Philippines. His valuable researches in various archives abroad rewrites Philippine history. He is a most-sought after resources speaker and blogger for many events here and abroad.

Abdon Balde Jr.

From Oas Albay, writer, painter, consultant, poet, researcher, storyteller and memory keeper who is known for his Tigsik series. Interestingly informative stories “Kislap” various articles and very amusing memes. A multi-awarded writer, he wrote many books promoting the culture and arts of the bicol region.

Frank Penones, Jr

Writer, Poet, Cultural worker, Indie Fila Actor, Sculpture and Visual Artist from Iriga City. He channels both the temporal and the Divine in his art pieces. He published Bicol Poetry books, award winning works in Bicol Dialect. His visual artistry finds merit in various forms, both in sculpture and literature.

Lilibeth Esteves

of Legaspi City; A pharmacist by profession. Her initial painting style had shifted from realism to pointelism, and to textured abstract style using oil paint. She then went back to acrylic which she found more versatile and comportable. She has various commissioned works from discerning art patrons.

Buddy Pagaduan

Joined our creator last January 15, he was a professional graphic designer, photographer-painter. He integrated scriptural and spiritual messages in his artwork. He endeavored to spread the gospel through arts. He was a businessman specializing in advertising design solutions. His son, Jhun Pagaduan represents him in the Kugos group and continued the business he left behind.

The Museum and Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art

The Museum and Gallery

dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting developments in the late 19th century to post-World War II art through 1970’s (Modern Art) and 1970’s to the present (Contemporary Art) in all media and creating a welcoming environment for its public appreciation. The Museum will promote understanding and interest in art and artists through art shows and exhibitions, curatorial research and publications, and a variety of educational programs, including lectures, guided tours, and workshops. The Museum is an organic, changing place. Although all the works seen are part of our permanent collection, in order to show the full range of our holdings - over 2,000 objets d’art - and to accommodate important temporary exhibitions, certain works must occasionally be taken off view. Modern Art Modern Art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation. More recent artistic production is often called contemporary art or postmodern art.

Contemporary Art Contemporary Art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Some define contemporary art as art produced within “our lifetime”. Free Admission Come Visit Us by Appointment Mon - Fri: 10am - 4pm Sat, Sun and Holidays: Closed Moncada - Alcala - Bayambang National Road (Arboleda Street) San Pedro Ili, Pangasinan, Philippines museumgallery.ph@gmail.com

Delegates of Freedom and Love event who participated in the mural making in the wall of the museum.

French artist Salette Viana Le Cornet doing her mural

Ray “ Beng “ Duque discussing to the Freedom and Love delegates about the museum.

ART VOGUE D’ NATION INTERNATIONAL Qingdao China

ART VOGUE D’ NATION INTERNATIONAL Exchange Art Exhibition has started to host international art exchanges since 2011 and has exhibited exchange art exhibitions all over the world. International artists participating in the exhibition led by ART ACTION Contemporary Art include countries from China, Singapore, Philippine, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, France, India, Korea etc. The International art exchange exhibition showcase artist’s own unique creation and features local lifestyle of art works. Every artist immerse themselves in their various styles of art which represent the countries’ culture and further enrich the arts scene. For arts to flourish, there are no boundaries in communicating arts through cultural exchange regardless of each other’s distance. This exhibition, through myriad of art pieces, enhances mutual friendship and fosters appreciation of cultures among the participating countries, thus creating continuous distinguished art events. Would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the ART ACTION for its support and the participating artists for this inspiring and distinguished gathering from all over the world. It’s a great honor for ART VOGUE D’ NATION INTERNATIONAL to continue to shine and cultivate art with art around the world. Looking forward to the next stop of Philippines exhibition.

NUVE Heritage

Hotel Art Space 52

One of the world’s busiest business and tourist capitals, Singapore, has long been the art aficionado’s paradise. With such vast wealth of public galleries, creative events, and white spaces, no selection of the top contemporary art galleries can be comprehensive. Aside from better-known exhibition spaces such as Gillman Barracks, ION and Ode to Art, some strategically located art space such as NUVE Heritage Café Art Gallery are well worth a visit. This humble art space is one to watch. It places you within a 10-minute stroll of popular attractions such as Bugis Street Shopping District and Raffles City. This 19-room, 4-star hotel has conveniences like a restaurant, a bar/lounge, free in-room WiFi and a wall space dedicated for visual art. NUVE Heritage art space has become the hub of burgeoning artistic life for established and promising young artists. With only 2 set of spacious walls with high ceiling, the exhibition space is undeniably compact – but each show is allowed to breathe, with a surprising fluidity between the rooms and space to wander with the knowledge to communicate with the nature of the displayed artworks. Although the gallery platform is dominated by two-dimensional art forms, it champions contemporary artists with wide-reaching horizons, including sculptures. For those who enjoy art that tells a story, while staying at a cosy room, enjoying pastry and black coffee, this space exhibitions are unlikely to disappoint. By Abu Jalal Sarimon, abjartstudio@sg Art Organiser, NUVE Heritage Hotel Art Space 13 Purvis Street, Singapore 188592 Email : abjsarimon@yahoo.com.sg Phone : +6596647914 Webiste : contact@hotelnuveheritage.com

Previous Shows

Imago Mundi 3 Nations Art Exhibition Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia December 2017

Enchanted Odyssey 3 Nations Art Exhibition, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Art dialogue with artists, Roy, Migz, Abu Jalal and Art Buyer Mr Damien, June 2019

My Place Your Place, Solo Art Exhibition by Allen Sanchez, young Philippine artist February 2020

Espacio Manila and Artphile Gallery are twin spaces that foster the artisanship of Filipino virtuosos ranging from conventional to contemporary visual masterpiece. These two galleries celebrate the intricate beauty of Philippine art, cultivating both fledging and prominent creators who significantly contribute to the local art scene. Albeit both serve as an avenue for various aesthetic sensibilities, Espacio Manila ventures as an exploration for the new media and contemporary expressions; while Artphile promotes the perennial pursuits of traditional artistic works. These two galleries continuously thrive since the inauguration in 2018, successfully hosting group exhibits by various artists as well as the Cebuano artists group lead by Orley Ypon, and the known contemporary art group, the KUTA Artist Group. They also held an exhibit for a cause by a three-man show between Bangladesh Pervaj Hasan Rigan and Nabila Nabi and the Philippines —Roy Espinosa. Espacio Manila also hosted Freedom and Love 2019 Plein Air Live Sketching with the visiting artists from all around the world. The twin galleries have been actively participating in ManilArt where they showcase the works of Roger San Miguel, Jean Govinda Marquesto, Mayi Peñaflorida, Pope Dalisay, Chito Borja and talents of their home-grown artists. Artphile and Espacio Manila is located at the 2nd level of Festival Mall’s Expansion Wing, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. For more information, email us at galeriecmg@gmail.com or reach us at 8 829 0831, 0998 964 0832 or 0917 829 3961.

Fundarike No Tho Kametani Aya 2019

Peace and Unity through Art in Japan 2019

May Sky Katayama Kazuhiko 2020

Osaka is Japan’s second largest city after Tokyo. GALLERY wks. was founded in 2002 in the gallery district “Oimatsucho” of Osaka. At a unique location in the top floor of the apartment, the space is a simple white cube. It’s a very creative act to transform an empty space into an extraordinary world through collaboration between artists and galleries.The gallery owners are interested in a wide range of genres such as painting, sculpture, photography, lacquer art, pottery, installation, Contemporary dance. And the gallery presents a truly unique expression and is known for avantgarde activity. In 2019, a joint exhibition “Peace and Unity through Art in Japan” by artists from four nation, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan was held. In the first place, Osaka is a city that has opened overseas. In the 16th century, there was also exchange with the Philippines, which was called Luzon at the time. It is a town that has been interacting with foreign countries since ancient times. As a gallery in Osaka, which is blessed with a rich and rich culture, we can expect further. And finally, I pray that the art fire will continue even if the world suffers from CORONA. May the Asian seas be connected again by art. GALLERY wks. KATAYAMA Kazuhiko 1103, 3-14-26 Nishitenma, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0047, Japan works@r.sky.sannet.ne.jp https://www.facebook.com/GALLERYwks

BRIEF

HISTORY

Galeri Shah Alam was founded under the management of Selangor Darul Ehsan Art Foundation on 26th January 1991 and was perfectly officiated by Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah on 6th July 1991.

Selangor Darul Ehsan Art Foundation was inspired by Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj when he was the Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Muda Selangor, where he himself has deep interest and fond of painting. To realize the inspiration, a discussion between Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Muda Selangor, YM Raja Zahabuddin Raja Yaacob (Prof. Dato’), Syed Ahmad Jamal (Datuk), Tuan Haji Mohd. Musa Ideris and Encik Kassim (Dato’ Dr.), the expert in paintings and design, museum and law was done in order to help implement Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Muda Selangor’s inspiration, in planning the outline of Galeri Shah Alam function and establishment under Selangor Darul Ehsan Art Foundation. This former Selangor’s Cultural and Tourism Office building with a traditional Malay design, was designed by Puan Maimunah Deraman in the early 1980s. Then, Shah Alam City Council renovated the building to facilitate the art activities in Galeri Shah Alam. Other than that, the building was designed with traditional Malay design and carving precisely demonstrated Galeri Shah Alam foundation objectives. Therefore, it was in line with the efforts made to the awareness, understanding, and appreciation toward art and integration of plural society in Selangor to popularize the nation’s visual and liberal art. Galeri Shah Alam as an art centre and tourism attraction in the Klang Valley, is located in the middle of Shah Alam city core. The beautiful building with exquisite traditional Malay art and design surrounded by the lake and recreational park added the ‘art’ value. Besides the peaceful and cosy atmosphere, it can attract more people to visit Galeri Shah Alam.

Centre His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Sultan Of Selangor. (Chairman of Galeri Shah Alam) Sit from right of Sultan Prof. Raja Dato’ Zahabuddin Raja Yaacob (Board of Trustee) Ibrahim Bujal (retire), Iszuan Ismail, Khairulsani Ismail, Noor Mohd Ariff Hashim, and M.Hilmi Abd. Halim. Sit from left of Sultan Siti Nurani Adenan, Ratna Astuti, Nur Syafiqah Zainal, Shafinaz Ismail and Kamariah Mohammad.

The logo was inspired from a combination of soft elements of metaphoric and typography. The logo was made from a combination of the letters “SS” which means ‘Seni Selangor’, invented in abstract formation to highlight the art and aesthetic features. It also mirrors the functions and roles of Selangor Art Foundation in encouraging the visual and liberal art development. To specifically make Shah Alam as an Art City to popularize the nation’s visual and liberal art. To be the driving force of visual art and development a ctivity, also variety of liberal art studies especially in Selangor and Malaysia in general. To be the art reference for students of school, public and private institutions of higher education, and also to share experiences with the art activists especially the young generations. To be the centre of exhibition for the painters and designers, besides as the tourism attraction. To be the art heritage centre for the future generations. To develop appreciation of cultural art through exhibition, poetry reading, discussion and more. Roles of the Galeri Shah Alam • To Establish the Gallery Permanent Collection To acquire visual art works (drawings, paintings, sketches, sculptures, textile photography and others) from nation’s renowned artists from the early days until now as the permanent collections. The acquisition of foreign works is also made to enhance the Gallery collections. • To Organize Exhibition Organizing periodical exhibition by inviting nation’s artists either solo or in groups. Exhibitions by foreign artists and art institutions also being held especially to

Islamic Art Exhibition, Khat Caligraphy 2018.

give chances to the local community to evaluate and as a reference on art development globally. • To Organize Competition Art, photography and print art graphic competitions at

school, institutions of higher education, district, state and national level are always held as one of the ways to develop skill and new talents in visual art. • Art Education Programs like painting class, sculpture, print, textile and photography for children, teenagers and adults are held in line with main role of Galeri Shah Alam in its effort to provide art education to those who are interested. • Research and Reference Provides reference materials for research such as books, magazines, exhibition catalogs, photos and slides, brochures related to local and foreign local art. • Collaboration Programs Organize collaboration programs with National Art Gallery, National Museum, State Art Museum, local art galleries, local and foreign art institutions, government and private departments, local and foreign institutions of higher education and also foreign countries to ensure art programs can be done successfully.

Print making art activity by Faizal Suhif (Artist print maker and he is artist residency 2011)

Clients Charter Always ready to entertain, assist and give information to the artists, painters, art activists and art lovers. To give feedback to enquiries regarding the collections and collections information within seven (7) working days. 58

Always alert to the appropriateness of the needs to exhibit.

To organize Galeri Shah Alam Open Exhibition as a permanent annual activity. Besides additional programs such as drawing competitions, workshops, drawing classes, related seminars, symposiums, conferences, talks and talk shows also take place. Please follow us at: www.galerishahalam.com for any info about Malaysia Art scene

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seven private villas, all uniquely designed to provide exceptional views. VBR is

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S’Kaki Art Residency + Art Gallery #skakiartgroup #skakiartstudio #skakiartresidency #skakiartgallery

Art space in S’Kaki Malaysia and is part of the growing artist network, meaning members in the space will have access to our Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Australian or over the world spaces for rent when they travel, with our S’Kaki Art Residency + Art Gallery .

‘Aim is to build a platform to bring our local art all over the world, and also bringing the world of art closer to us.’ Art For All Serviced Art Studio space and art Gallery for rent in Sri Rampai Kuala Lumpur on flexible week-to-month terms. Why Looking for Studio art space for working in KL? Whether you’re a solo artist or a larger team, S’Kaki space will find a space to suit with you ! Our S’Kaki Art Residency space brings Studio style Space to the capital, living with studio, Art Gallery space and hostel space for rent all available on easy, simple agreements.

We offer a variety of spaces, if you are looking for a private space for just yourself or for a large team we’ve got you covered. Enquire now for more information and pricing. Price can negotiate. Directions / Maps:- https://goo.gl/maps/xFcRonFvLY42 7-2, Jln 67/26 Taman Sri Rampai, 53300 Kuala Lumpur Parking Onsite parking available. (Beside School) Nearby Bus Stops Rapid – AEON @ Alpha Angle Shopping Mall. Nearby Train Station Wangsa Maju Station or Sri Rampai Station visit site: https://skakiartresidencyartgallery.wordpress.com

Hongkong’s renowed artist Eddie Lui are are also on display at the Palm Artspace

alm Artspace is a contemporary art gallery seeking to promote a genuine appreciation and passion for Vietnam and international Arts, ranging from traditional to contemporary artworks. established by Vietnamese visual artist Dang Tuan set in the midst of a lush greenery. It not only conducts art workshops for the young and the young at heart but is also home to local and international art exhibits. The gallery boasts of paintings and sculptures of up and coming visual artists as well as established masters from the local and international art scene gracing its walls at one point in time. Diverse personalities flock the place to marvel at the visual art feast presented everytime the gallery holds an art show. Palm Artspace is dedicated to presenting artists who have brought esteem to Vietnam art by perfecting their skills and talents in traditional media and subjects. Palm Artspace, provides a venue for exploration of new media and contemporary expressions. It nurtures the fresh creativity of artists.“With PalmArtspace, we have given a space to artists who are bolder and more experimental in their creative pursuits. Their artistry could be described as contemporary but we could refer to them as the “Millennials” in Vietnamese art,” Palm Artspace gallery is located at 188A Thao Nguyen Ecopark Hung Yen Vietnam.

Dang Tuan’s artwork are displayed in one of the events in Palm Artspace

Dorothea Fleiss artist residency at Palm Artspace 2019

From left to right : Eddy Lui , Dang Tuan , Nguyen Phuong Mai , Winnie Mac , Pham Huy Thong, Khong Do Tuyen , Le Dinh Nguyen, Vu Binh Minh , Vu Minh

One of the guest looking immensely at the paintings