ZENSORS Manila & Baguio 2009 by Vanini Belarmino

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Concealed & Revealed. Acrylic & charcoal on canvas by Bencab 2009

Schönhauser Allee 43A 10435 Berlin, Germany Mobile Number +49-15771674481 http://www.belarminopartners.com

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In March 2008, after receiving the collaboration grant from the Japan Foundation through Performing Arts Japan Europe to realise the project ZENSORS, international cultural producer and curator, Vanini Belarmino decided to set-up a company to bring her professional experiences and network together in developing cultural and artistic projects. With a vision of creating innovative framework for artistic exchanges that can change perspectives, the company commits itself to the development of process-oriented and interdisciplinary initiatives by working in different parts of the world. Belarmino&Partners aims to contribute to the understanding of peoples and continued development of the arts profession through the establishment of sustainable projects. Belarmino&Partners works as international project management consultant in developing interdisciplinary and multi-cultural projects actively setting-up ideas for collaboration amongst various institutions, artists as well as the private sector on a local and international level. It pursues the promotion of exchanges and development processes involving cross-disciplinary action

Vanini Belarmino (Philippines/Germany) is an independent cultural producer/curator based in Berlin, Germany, specialising in international artistic collaborations. She received academic training in theatre arts, art history, European cultural policy and management. While working for the Asia-Europe Foundation’s Cultural Exchange section (2003-2007), she was responsible for the establishment of its performing art programmes such as I’mPULSE (music) and Pointe to Point (dance). She likewise managed ASEMUS (AsiaEurope Museum Network), an alliance of over 60 museums in the two regions. Vanini has spearheaded projects in countries like China, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Vanini has been engaged in the field of cultural management since 1990 and has worked for institutions like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Department of Education, Culture and Sports, Ballet Philippines and the European Cultural Foundation.

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©Kiri Dalena

She moved to Berlin, Germany in 2007 to join the team of Walkscreen in leading the realisation of the EU-art-peace project “Challenging Walls ” in Israel and Palestine. In 2008, Vanini launched the project ZENSORS, through the Japan Foundation, at different cultural spaces in Berlin which brought together Japanese new media performance specialists together with photographers, dancer/choreographers and a classical musician from Europe. ZENSORS Philippines represents the second leg of this initiative. Vanini is the Founder and Managing Director of Belarmino&Partners.

ZENSORS – Looking into the Value of Exchange by Vanini Belarmino

On a normal day, my mind circulates on full speed blue printing matches of people I have worked with in the past or those whom I have had overt conversations about life, love, art, passion, books, etc. At times, I carefully follow works of certain artists. Then later, imagery is formed in my head of what it would be like to bring these varieties of people together who have yet to have the opportunity to meet.

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Surviving its second year, ZENSORS pursues the vision of establishing a sustainable platform to encourage artists to work outside the comfort zone and collectively develop artistic processes that speak from within, across different artistic practices; and engage institutions and audiences across international boundaries. It attempts to introduce a fresh perspective on collaboration by coming together and enabling those involved in the process to learn something about themselves and from one another. ZENSORS encourages its artists to seek and respond to the impetus offered by the situation, environment and the people around them. Essentially, it aspires to find a common ground, a meeting point for diverse individuals as well as institutions and cultural spaces, normally working independently from one another.

Blueprinting of Artists for the Philippine Project It was not an easy situation but it was also an opportunity that offered a fresh take on ZENSORS. Considering the atmosphere in Baguio particularly in the newly set-up Bencab Museum, where the project was to take place, the choice of Japanese artists was geared towards the visual arts practice. With the exception of Chiyo Ogino, choreographer and dancer, whom I’ve worked with in an interdisciplinary exchange in Portugal and Poland in 2006, I invited visual and installation artists Shunsuke Nanjo and Mayumi Okabayashi, together with filmmaker, Nine YamamotoMasson, bearing in mind impressions that I’ve gathered about them and their works over a period of accidental meetings and discussions in the past year. With this, I’ve taken into account that for the Philippines the likes of internationally acclaimed filmmaker/director, Auraeus Solito; Philippine National Artist for Visual Arts, Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera; composer/musician, Diwa de Leon; and new media installation artist/musician, Lirio Salvador were to take part in the exchange process.

As I’ve met each of them on separate occasions nor have any of them worked together before, I’ve spent a fair amount of time discussing with them in person (or via email, facebook and skype correspondences) the basic premise of ZENSORS prior to our meetings in Manila and Baguio. I repeatedly stressed the abstraction of such a process whereby the existence of a framework comes only with the coming together of each and everyone at a given place and time. ZENSORS follows an invisible structure where the contributors decide everything: when they meet and when they get to the place, what the mood is, what the weather is like, etc. In an attempt to have a base for the explorations, ZENSORS followed a theme on “Parental Guidance.” This was in reference to how each one is shaped or influenced by his/her own environment, family life, history, tradition, heritage, roots and identity. To provide a perspective that loops both familial relations and art, the visiting Japanese artists had a dialogue with Filipino artists Julie Lluch, sisters’ Sari, Aba and Kiri Dalena and filmmaker, Kidlat Tahimik. Altogether the diverse selection of artists for ZENSORS who carry with them

trans-national identities coming from Japan, Philippines, France and Germany had a twoday meeting in Manila, introducing their works to one another and then engaging in a 3-day professional artist laboratory in Baguio. Together they explored how they can connect their work regardless of their music, film, dance or visual arts background. Value of Exchange There was a recurring question of how those coming from the disciplines that require ample amount of time to produce work (i.e. film, visual arts, creative writing), present their creativity at the ZENSORS performance jam in a period of 3-days? Mayumi, for example, spends nine-months in her studio painting. Auraeus and Nine dedicate at least over a year on research for their films. Shunsuke allots a minimum of one-month to familiarise himself with the surroundings in order to develop ideas for his installations. Diwa has formed a habit of becoming a “hermit” as he composes music in the comforts of his studio. Then there is Chiyo, who is actively engaged in “delivery performances” that meant constant development of site-specific works for her choreographic pieces. Lirio, on the other hand, has his share of making original sculptural instruments/pieces that he uses for his improvised music. While Bencab follows a very disciplined regimen over his

many years of visual arts practice. The answer to the question was another question: How can one express and transform one’s work into a performative action? The days went by quickly. I have been with the thought of ZENSORS in the Philippines for about 450 days; 10-days with the four Japanese artists; 3 days with a team of 15 individuals; and the awaiting 150 audiences at the museum on the 21st of August. By this time, creativity was overflowing. Layers upon layers of artistic responses were apparent. Bencab led the “patong”* together with a number of Baguio artists; Diwa composed a 20-minute original music for the ZENSORS jam; there was an interactive sound installation, reverberating chair to be more precise by Lirio; a poetic visual installation by Nine; Shunsuke produced a clay sculpture his first public performance; Mayumi premiered as a live painter; Auraeus’ unfinished film was interspersed with images and video collage done by Japanese artists; Chiyo threaded her moves in between the spaces available. There was a live jam of all the different elements that never expected to meet. There are many artists but such format or non-format is only braved by a few.

One can plan. Lay everything down. Clarify and create a concrete outline and then something unexpected happens. In a team where different personas meet, motives and expectations differ, perspectives are diverse, egos collide, the greatest value of exchange surfaces when everyone acts and moves towards a parallel direction. When I saw the sincerity of how the artists of ZENSORS worked together and their dedication to achieve excellence – amidst all the givens: limited resources, shared accommodation, Manila traffic jam, long transits, shifting weather conditions, mood swings, the pressure of having a brief artistic encounter with a public presentation in the end, I feel grateful to gain both their confidence in such an idea and in themselves.

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While I cannot claim much credit to the creative output presented at the Bencab Museum, I take pride in laying the groundwork its realisation. The participating artists of ZENSORS encapsulised my work by a powerful creative force shared with the audiences in the spirit of collaborative exchange. At the height of adrenalin rush a few hours before the show, I am assured that there is a great reason of going through the above-mentioned process and it is all worth it.

Auraeus Solito (Philippines), Filmmaker/Director, A man of two worlds, coming from a lineage of the ancient Palawanon shamans and growing up in the heart of Manila, amidst the slums- Auraeus Solito’s films reflect these diverse aspects of his being and environment. His feature films “Basal Banar (Sacred Ritual of Truth, 2002)”; “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros, 2005),”“Tuli (Circumcision 2005-2006)”; and “Pisay (Philippine Science, 2007)” have been screened and won awards in major festivals around the world including Berlin, Sundance, Montreal, Pusan, Toronto and Rotterdam. He is the first Filipino to make it to the premiere independent film festival in the world, the SUNDANCE Film Festival, two years in a row. Aureus just finished a new film entitled “BoY” just received a 6 month script development fellowship at the Binger-Film-Lab in Amsterdam”. He is also known for his tribal name Kanakan-Balintagos: coming-of- age- filmmaker, a world bridger and hunter of truth. © Mayumi Okabayashi

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solito cabrera

Benedicto Cabrera (Philippines), National Artists for Visual Arts , or BenCab, as he is more popularly known is widely hailed as a master of contemporary Philippine art. He was born in Manila on April 10, 1942. BenCab began carving a niche for himself in Manila’s art circles shortly after receiving his bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines in 1963. A painter and printmaker, he has exhibited widely in the Philippines and in Asia, Europe, and the United States. He has won several major art awards in a career spanning four decades. In 1992, he received the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining (Cultural Center of the Philippines Award for the Arts). In 2006, he was conferred the Order of National Artist for Visual Arts by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacanan Palace. His works have been the subject of three books, Ben Cabrera: Etchings (1970-1980) by Cid Reyes; Bencab’s Rock Sessions by Eric Caruncho; and BENCAB by Alfred Yuson and Cid Reyes.

Chiyo Ogino (Japan), Choreographer/Dancer has been working with of Monochrome Circus since 1996. She has performed extensively with the company and participated in the “Harvest Festival” series that presents works in nonconventional theatres such as private residences, schools, temples, welfare institutions, over 200 times. Apart from working locally, Chiyo has participated in residencies and international collaborations in France, South Korea, Portugal and Poland.

©Kiri Dalena

She is also considered as one of the first contact improvisers in Japan. In 2003, Chiyo co-founded “Twin Widows” with Yuka Saeki. Through her experiences, Chiyo is currently researching on universal senses starting with the thematic approach on “love.”

ogino de leon

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Diwa de Leon (Philippines), Composer/Musician, is a professional composer and arranger specialising in film, television and stage music. His most notable works include the “Survivor Philippines theme music”, the film score of Raymond Red’s “Himpapawid”, the modernised sarsuela, “Ang Kiri” preformed by Dulaang UP, and various compositions for his world music band, Makiling. In, 2008 he won “Best Music Score” at the Cinema One Originals Awards for his original music for the film “Kolorete”. He finished his Bachelor of Music degree, Major in Composition and Minor in Violin at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. He is also the valedictorian of Philippine High School for the Arts batch 1997 where he majored in Visual Arts. His other interests include blogging, gaming and producing Youtube videos.

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salvador Lirio Salvador (Philippines), New Media Installation Artist/Musician – a native of the Philippines, he has created a number of experimental instruments based on his own concept of ethno-industrial art/music. Lirio’s works reflect his thinking that its all about the merging of his native oriental culture and the present industrial environment that is slowly corrupting his native land. He creates his assemblage of musical instruments using day-to-day materials that are found in his environment, including bicycle gears, drain cleaning springs and stainless steel tubes. He attempts to integrate music, performance art, sculpture, and audio art, all into one. His band Elemento produces oriental industrial noises and experimental music using his own instruments that include strings, electronics, winds and percussion

Mayumi Okabayashi (Japan/Germany), Visual and Installation Artist http://www.mayumi-o.com At the heart of her art lies a paradox between objectivity and an emotional fluidity. Composed of multiple transparent layers, her filigree networks of waves, ripples, roots or nerves appear at once clearly structured, yet the eye picks up subtly alternating patches of activity, focus and colour. Frequently working with mixed media and large installations, Mayumi Okabayashi plays with this third dimension even in her drawings and paintings – the forms invariably reaching and radiating out well beyond the work’s physical edges, often leading to a macroseries of interconnecting panels.

As a Japanese artist active for more than a decade in Germany, Mayumi Okabayashi straddles two worlds - her work is informed by a core-dissonance between vastly incongruent societies – a resonance between one culture’s insistence on categorical precision and the other’s reverence for ambiguity. This constant background noise fuels Mayumi Okabayashi’s exploration of ‘melting polarities’ – elements which masquerade as opposites – but that are actually intuitively connected or various embodiments of the same thing. Series such as “Verschmelzung” and “Ten” examine these tensions cyclically over implied time.

okabayashi yamamoto

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Nine Yamamoto-Masson (France/Japan/Germany), Filmmaker – international activities are rooted in her upbringing: Of Japanese and French parents, Nine Yamamoto-Masson was born in the Netherlands, grew up in France and Germany, and studied in Paris, Berlin, New York and Tokyo. She studied History of Art and Philosophy at Paris Sorbonne and gained her masters in English Literature (with a focus on Postcolonial Cultural Studies) in 2004, and her postgraduate Studies in Critical Studies (with a focus on contemporary art) and Philosophy at Berlin’s Humboldt University.

She has been active in the art circuit since 2003, when she was part of the production team of the Rencontres Internationales Paris-Berlin festival, which established a international creative dialogue and has since expanded to also include Madrid. In 2003, she was on the production team of a documentary film on women in science, and has produced and co-directed her first full-length documentary film on war photographers in 2007. She is currently producing and co-directing her second feature documentary film on Japanese contemporary mythologies of nature with the participation of Professor Nakazawa Shinichi (Tokyo Tama Art University). As an artist, she has exhibited in Paris and Berlin.

8 © Kiri Dalena

nanjo ZEN SO RS © Kiri Dalena

Shunsuke Nanjo (Japan/France) Born in Tokyo, Japan, Shunsuke’s work is focused on the concept of trans-culture employing varied media such as photography, painting, video and installation. Having exhibited in Europe, US and Asia, He is drawn towards experimentation and exploration of personal memories and myths contained in spaces or given environment. Shunsuke uses different elements of his work as tools to invite his audiences to look at different points of view questions while constantly posting questions “Where are we from? Where are we heading to?” Shunsuke lives and works in Tokyo and Paris.

With its vision of bringing arts closer to the people, the museum houses the artist’s collections of his own works, as well as those of acknowledged Filipino masters and rising contemporary artists. The granary gods, lime containers, native implements, weapons and other outstanding examples of indigenous arts and crafts of the Cordilleras are also highlighted – a reminder of the rich material culture and traditions of the northern Philippine highlands that has fascinated BenCab since the 1960s, and part of the reason why he has made Baguio home since the mid-80s. The Bencab Museum is committed to the promotion of the arts, and the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment, as well as the culture and traditions of the Cordilleras, as an expression of the artist’s gratitude to the country that nurtured and inspired an artistic career that continues to grow, mature and fascinate.

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The BenCab Museum houses the permanent collection of Philippine National Artist Benedicto Cabrera (BenCab) in several galleries, as well as venues for art shows and exhibitions. The Philippine Contemporary Art Galleries highlight the artist’s collection of paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture. The smaller exhibition rooms contain other collections accumulated by BenCab through the years.

www.bencabmuseum.org

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Cultural Center of the Phillipines (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) The Cultural Center of the Philippines was created in 1966 through Executive Order no. 30, with the purpose of promoting and preserving Filipino arts and culture. It was formally inaugurated on September 8, 1969, starting a three month long inaugural festival opened by the epic musical Dularawan. Since then, the CCP has sought to truly embody its logo of katotohanan (truth), kagandahan (beauty) and kabutihan (goodness). The best artists from all over the country and around the world have graced the CCP theaters and galleries, enthralling Filipinos for over forty years.

The Japan Foundation, which was established in 1972 as a special legal entity to undertake international cultural exchange, became an independent administrative institution on October 1, 2003. As part of the changes being initiated, a new organizational structure was adopted in May 2004 that consists of the following four categories in order to aim toward the even more comprehensive and effective development of its international cultural exchange programs. These include: • Promotion of Cultural and Arts Exchange • Promotion of Overseas Japanese Language Education • Promotion of Overseas Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange • Support of Collection and Provision of International Exchange Information and International Cultural Exchange Standard Bearers The Japan Foundation, Manila is the 18th Overseas Office to be established. It was inaugurated in June 1996. Its work is promoting programs for the introduction of Japanese culture through cooperation with local groups. Its regular activities include lectures, film festivals, exhibitions and performances. It also conducts the annual Japanese Language Proficiency Test in cooperation with other Japanese Language Education institutions.

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Japan Foundation Manila www.jfmo.org.ph

PROJECT STAFF

Producer/Curator VANINI BELARMINO Technical Director BARBIE TANTIONGCO

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Documentarist/Filmmaker JUN SABAYTON GYM LUMBERA Post Production BRUNNENSTRASSE PRODUCTION/Truong Ngu Graphic Designer RAUL P. HABABAG MARIA CHRISTINE V. VALLIDO Project Assistants Martin Santner (Berlin) Boy Sanchez (Manila/Baguio City) Rishab Tibon (Baguio City) Coordinating Partners CCP International Desk BERNADETTE ABELLA

Bencab Museum ANNIE SARTOU

Jennifer Goodale Cecily Cook Margaret Cogswell Georg Kochi Tess Rances Nestor Jardin Bernie Abella Irene Rada Eugenia Billiones Tomoyuki Sakurai Ben Suzuki Bambi Diaz Annie Sarthou Christina Rogers Dr. & Mrs. Manuel Agulto Christian Agulto

Arlene Agulto Meliza Agulto Carlos Celdran Tengal Drilon James Ong Lito Zulueta Dexter Mantilla Joseph Cortes Jerome Gomez Julie Lluch Sari Dalena Aba Dalena Kiri Dalena Kidlat Tahimik Menchie Umali

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Belarmino&Partners wish to express its gratitude to the generous support given by Mr. Ken Parkinson for enabling it in pursuing the realisation of this project. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

©Rishab Tibon

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©Rishab Tibon

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ab Tibon

kabayashi

©Rishab Tibon

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Photo courtesy of Bencab

The Asian Cultural Council is a not-for-profit foundation supporting cultural exchange in the visual and performing arts between the United States and Asia, and between the countries of Asia. Headquartered in New York City, the ACC has representation in Hong Kong, Manila, Taipei, and Tokyo. Its geographic purview includes an extensive area of Asia, ranging from Afghanistan to Japan. Grants are made in the following fields, including both traditional and contemporary arts: archaeology, architecture (design, theory, and history), art history, arts administration, arts criticism, cinema, conservation, crafts, dance, design (not commercial), literature (Japan-U.S. Arts Program only), museology, music, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, theater, and video. Fellowships to individuals constitute the central feature of the ACC’s grant program, with an emphasis on awards to artists, scholars and specialists for research, study and creative work. Grants are also made to educational and cultural institutions engaged in projects of special significance to Asian-American exchange.

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