Kaye Tinga is the new CCP president
THE CULTURAL Center of the Philippines (CCP) has announced that its new president is businesswoman and philanthropist Kaye Tinga. She replaces early childhood educator Michelle Nikki Junia, who acted as president ad interim from September 2023 to March 2024. Championing Filipino design talents, Ms. Tinga is the co-founder and co-chairperson of the Red Charity Gala, an annual event that celebrates local fashion through the works of renowned Filipino designers and raises funds for charitable causes like the Philippine Red Cross. She is also the co-founder and managing director of W/17, a home furnishing and accessories brand that collaborated with craftsmen from across the country, and is a board member of MINT College, a business and creative arts college and senior high school. She will assume the duties of the CCP presidency on June 1.
Peninsula Manila exhibits eight BenCab tapestries
TO herald the return of its contemporary art program, “Art in Resonance,” The Peninsula Manila has put up a new exhibition of eight, site-specific tapestries by Philippine National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera. In collaboration with Moooi Carpets, the tapestries are located at The Lobby of the hotel as part of the art program that aims to offer hotel guests immersive experiences that promote vibrant local culture. The tapestries — Sette Movementi, Triptych on Sabel 2 and Triptych on Sabel 3, Noong Bata pa si Sabel, Farm Boy, Isadora’s Dance, and Three Muses — are based on Sabel, BenCab’s acclaimed solitary figure of a scavenger emerging from a dark landscape, and on his Larawan paintings, inspired by turn-of-the-century Philippine photographs. The exhibition is open to the public until July 21.
Biodiversity for all
THE WHOLE family can get to know about biodiversity and various species of flora and fauna unique to the Philippines when they come visit the Be Part of the Plan International Day for Biodiversity exhibit at Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City, Quezon City. The exhibit runs from May 20 to May 22 (the actual date for International Day for Biological Diversity). The highlight is a photo exhibit showcasing Philippine flora and fauna from key biodiversity areas where INSPIRE (Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems) operates, distributed across three galleries designed to educate visitors on wildlife conservation in marine, coastal, and terrestrial ecosystems. Species highlighted include the Yellow-faced Flameback, the Crimson Sunbird, the Philippine Crocodile, while for flora, one can learn about the critically endangered Malabayabas tree. The exhibit also features installations made of reclaimed materials and plastic discards by renowned artist Jan Leeroy New, forming arches around the exhibit. The exhibit, which is open to the public, features other activities including biodiversity quiz-games, storytelling sessions with Make Believe, a sketch walk with Urban Sketchers Manila, and flora painting workshops featuring the Rafflesia flower and Waling-waling orchid. On the last day of the exhibit, May 22, the BB. Pilipinas candidates will visit the exhibit. On the same day, there will also be a Kids’ Biodiversity art session, and a performance by the QC Symphonic Band. The exhibit is found at Gateway Mall 2’s Quantum Skyview Activity Center. It is presented by the INSPIRE project of the United States Agency for International Development and its implementing partner, the Gerry Roxas Foundation, together with the Araneta Group and the J. Amado Araneta Foundation.
Dance heritage showcased in Pulso Pilipinas
LEADING dance companies, groups, and artists will be showcasing the diverse Philippine dance heritage, from folk and indigenous, to contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, ballroom, and classical ballet dances in Pulso Pilipinas: Mga Likhang Sayaw. The two-day dance event is slated for May 23 and 24 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila City. It is organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and directed by Marciano Viri, and brings together the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Bayanihan, The National Folk Dance Company of the Philippines, Ballet Philippines, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Ballet Manila, the Philippine Dancesport Team, The Crew, the University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe, and Aljana “Cheenee” Alicia Rose Marie Limuaco. Tickets, costing P500, P800, and P1,000, are available at Ticketworld and the CCP Box Office.
Norjan Ismail Abbas holds Gateway Gallery exhibit
ARTIST Norjan Ismail Abbas has returned to the art scene with an ongoing exhibit titled “Talukbong at Tapis,” held at the Gateway Gallery Studio. It features 16 works, both new and old, depicting vignettes of Filipinas in traditional garb, a continuation of a series of works he had done before. The exhibit combines fashion and pictures of daily life on the islands, conveying feelings of nostalgia and yearning for the simpler life of the past. “Talukbong at Tapis” runs until May 24 at the Gateway Gallery in Araneta City, Quezon City.
Call for entries to Komposo Festival 2024
ON its second year, the Komposo Festival aims to revive, promote, and revitalize the komposo, a Hiligaynon narrative song or ballad that recounts historical events in a locality. Led by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in collaboration with the Hubon Manunulat, Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, National Book Development Board, and Keamanan Inc., participants are invited to explore the theme of “Ang Panulatan kag Paghidaet” (Literature and Peace). The komposo is traditionally accompanied by a guitar, but for the competition, innovations on the melody, arrangement, and accompaniment are welcome. Entries should be written in Hiligaynon, with a length of eight to 16 stanzas. Entries must be submitted by May 25, either via e-mail to hubonmanunulat@gmail.com or at the UP Visayas Delgado Gate Guardhouse. Two winners and three consolation prize winners for each category will advance to the live performance contest on June 8 at SM City Iloilo. The complete guidelines are available at: http://surl.li/trjky.
Hamlet to close CCP’s National Theatre Live this year
SHAKESPEARE’S longest and most popular revenge tragedy, Hamlet, closes the first season of CCP National Theatre Live on May 28. The play stars Benedict Cumberbatch taking on the iconic role of Hamlet, with his inner conflicts and moral dilemmas as he is haunted by the ghost of his father and forced to avenge his death. Also in the production are well-known UK theater actors Ciaran Hinds, Sian Brooke, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Filmed live at the Barbican Theatre, this rendition of the classic story, directed by Lyndsey Turner, comes to the Philippines on May 28, 6 p.m., at Greenbelt 3 Cinema 1. Tickets, costing P250 for regular price and P150 for students and senior citizens, are available via SureSeats.
Robinsons Galleria’s ARTablado focuses on flowers
AS THE DUTIFUL daughter, Rachell Ann Morada followed her parents’ advice and enrolled in an accountancy course. She graduated and began to help support her family — but a creative life continued to beckon to her. In 2021, she discovered acrylic paint and began using color to bring her flowers to life. Following her 30th birthday earlier this year, Ms. Morada went beyond her Instagram account (@rachelience_art) to prepare for a solo exhibition, titled “Life in Bloom.” Her floral paintings aim to evoke the feeling that life is robust and alive. They are on view at ARTablado at Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City, until May 31.
ARTablado Antipolo hosts 3 groups from art program
THE EXHIBITION “Kalampag” takes its name from a Filipino term for rattling against or challenging the status quo. In it, curator Frederick Epistola brings together three batches from the Art Show Philippines (ASP) Online Mentoring Program that began in 2021. “Through the program, the artists got to connect with a supportive community of fellow artists, which, after completion, became equipped with individual artistic styles and powerful narratives that can take their art to the next level.” The three groups that emerged from this program are: Kalatas (2021), Marilag (2022), and Alpas (2023). “Kalampag” is on view at ARTablado on the upper ground floor of Robinsons Antipolo until May 31.
Chrisanto Aquino puts up exhibit at Kapitolyo
THE UPCOMING solo exhibition “Crossroads of Consciousness” by award-winning visual artist Chrisanto Aquino is going up at 29 Kapitolyo Art Space this month. A visual artist from Tarlac, Mr. Aquino’s works are rich in detail. The show will be on display view May 25 to June 12 at 29 Kapitolyo Art Space, Capitol Drive, Pasig City.
Fernando Modesto mounts one-man exhibition
AS a member of the Philippines’ artistic community since the early 1970s, Fernando Modesto is once again set to show off his irreverent, whimsical, and colorful works in the exhibition Looking Back, his first since the pandemic. It is a celebration of the artist’s unconventional and zany approach to art and painting and takes viewers on a joyful journey through seven decades of colorful and eccentric creations. The exhibit is on view until June 30 at Galerie Hans Brumann in Legazpi Village, Makati City.
Bawat Bonggang Bagay makes a comeback
FOR a special Pride Month celebration at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, the multifaceted artist and comedy icon Jon Santos will be back to stage Bawat Bonggang Bagay, an interactive one-act play that was initially staged by The Sandbox Collective last year. It follows the story of a young child growing up with a parent facing mental illness. The show encourages audience participation in telling its message and story. The six performances will take place from June 22 to 30 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. It is recommended for audiences ages 15 and older. Tickets are now available via TicketWorld.
Benilde to hold art workshops for all ages in June
A SERIES of art workshops titled “STAR 2024: A Journey to Stardom” invites kids, teens, and young adults to explore their passion and talent in music, theater, dance, design, and production management. Organized by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), the nine-week program starting on June 1 includes sessions facilitated by artists from Coro San Benildo, Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company Hip Hop and Contemporary, and Dulaang Filipino. Volunteers from the Karilyo Shadowplay Collective, Stage Production Operations Team, and Cultural Promotions Team will also impart their experience at the workshops. Modules cost P5,000 per workshop, inclusive of the recital fee for the concluding recital on July 27. All sessions will be conducted at the Benilde Taft Campus, Malate, Manila. Interested participants may register through https://tinyurl.com/STAR2024Workshops.
