Evo & Grace: The WanderLusts

Get into the mind of the woman who has mentored some of today’s most talented visual artists and mother to one of Philippine Theater’s most-gifted young actresses – in what she says could one of her last exhibitions. “I start with nothing. No preconceived ideas, no studies, no nothing. But this emotion I have inside of me in that moment? How do I express this emotion?” With her instinctual, visceral approach to creating new work, Yasmin Almonte allows her thoughts and emotions to unravel organically. “I paint very fast. I can finish a work in three hours,” Yasmin says about her process and an instantaneous surge of paint and passion. The result can be seen in her new exhibition Unmasked, a journey through her diaristic process and a celebration of life through a deeply expressionistic and vital series of paintings. Currently a professor at the University of the Philippines with a Masters of Arts Degree in Painting from the University of Northern Iowa, she brings her mastery of te...

The CCP closes off the decade with a new media exhibition by Gericho Iniel Cruz.   The exhibit #AngAlamatNgMalikhaingKonsyumer or A ng Alamat ng Malikhaing Konsyumer opens on December 5, 2019 at the CCP’s Pasilyo Vicente Manansala (2F Hallway Gallery) at 6pm.   This three-part show presents 360 degree videos of different aspects of, or “spectacles” at the CCP.   Viewers will experience the physical exhibitions through a virtual tour using a Google cardboard virtual reality device placed on three church pews at the exhibition area.   This is the first time that Cruz exhibits his work at the CCP, and he conceptualized it to support the ongoing 50th anniversary celebration of the Center. In his own words, Cruz explains: “Kung bubuodin: Eksperimentasyon ang proyekto kung papano magagamit ang teknolohiya gaya ng 360-degree cam. Kung papaano maihahatid ng sining ang kakanyahan ng karanasan sa digital space.   Sa madaling sabi: Kung papano dadalhin ang pisi...

Transcendental  by Atsuko Yamagata THIS 14 November 2019, Thursday, 6pm, the Cultural Center of the Philippines unveils the work of visual artists Mervy Pueblo and Atsuko Yamagata from the recently concluded the 7th international art festival called the Nakanojo Biennale in Japan. The CCP invites visitors to look into the insights of the artists in this exhibition who addresses historical, contemporary and societal specters. Pueblo and Yamagata, visual artists based in Manila, met, created and exhibited their works at the biennale that was held in Japan last September 2019. Working both individually during their artist in residency of the biennale, Pueblo and Yamagata realized projects that respond to the physical and nonphysical realm. Pueblo’s installation is interjected with coded references, creating socially charged mysterious draperies that function as a portrait of our contemporary reality. Yamagata playfully explores animist processes and present...

The Cosmic Misfits A whole new music festival is set to premier in the north of Luzon come August 24 at the Filinvest Mimosa in Clark field Pampanga, billed as Oddisee Music and Arts Festival organize by Docdef Productions, the group handling the annual Tagaytay Art Beat since 2016, and the recently concluded Fete De la Musique . “Oddisee is a music festival happening up north, it’s crazy because the vibe is different, usually it’s in Tagaytay Art Beat but now we are bringing the music scene up to the north like Pampanga, a growing City and growing culture for music, and music lovers are all there, what we are doing there is providing indie musicians in the north.” Said by Reuben Pascual, Host of the upcoming music fest. Pugfish The one day festival is expected to draw around 3,000 people,  featuring almost 20 local artists and bands from the indie circuits, the confirm bands are The Ransom Collective, Munimuni, Leanne & Naara, Oh, Flamingo!, Carousel Casualt...

Ballet Manila Dancers perform an excerpt from La Traviata (Photo by Erickson Dela Cruz) Two Princess, one classic and two collaborative opera, are the show offering of Ballet Manila on its 24 th season with a theme “On Pointe” that represent the shoes of all ballerina which make them stand and dance daintily on her shoes. Excerpt from Giselle by Ballet Manila (Erickson Dela Cruz) The line-up of shows according to Ballet Manila CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde is related to the company’s Russian Vaganova style of training and dancing, which is being able to dance on pointe. This season will also mark the 24 years of Ballet Manila. Excerpt from Carmina Burana (Erickson Dela Cruz) “No we're not expecting anybody from abroad this season,  we have 5 principles dancers in the company and so many capable soloists to dance the classic Giselle, the sleeping beauty, we are doing an original Filipino ballet on the 25 th season,” Macuja said during its media l...

Arts in many forms is going solo this October, as Fringe Manila in partnership with The Japan Foundation brings you 1SA - Solo Arts Platform, that will celebrate solo artists and present their works on the Philippine stage in this year’s Museums and Galleries Month, coming this October 20-28, 2018 at Power Mac Center Spotlight Theatre and Pineapple Lab. 1SA Creative Director Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan declare that this pioneer festival is a newest platform or venue that explores various mediums or artistic expressions coin from its title itself “one” or solo, they aim to presents solo artists thru performing arts and exhibits. Daniel Darwin 1SA inaugurates international artists like multimedia performance artist Takao Kawaguchi with his piece, About Kazuo Ohno: Reliving the Butoh Diva’s Masterpieces , Filipino-Canadian director and cinematographer Mark Valino, whose dance video series Moments of Movement will be on exhibition for 1SA. They also restaging Dulaang UP’s ang...

Carrying its tradition and honoring Filipino artistry and creativity, Metrobank Foundation Incorporated (MBFI) established on January 8, 1979 by Dr. George S. K. TY, held its annual Awarding Ceremony and Exhibit Opening on September 20, 2018 at Le Pavilion, Metropalitan Park, Pasay City. This highly anticipated event presented by The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) recognized Filipino painters and sculptors through Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE). US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Yong Kim and Cultural Center of the Philippines chairperson Margie Moran-Floirendo graced the event as Guests of Honor, who were welcomed by Metrobank chairman emeritus Dr. George SK Ty, Metrobank and MBFI chairman Arthur Ty, Federal Land chairman Alfred Ty, Metrobank vice chairman Francis Sebastian, Metrobank president Fabian Dee, and MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepeña. Along with National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose, diplomats, government officials, local and foreign arti...

Arielle Agasang. To celebrate his 50th birthday, Filipino designer Arielle Agasang is paying his homage to Filipino creations and masterpieces through a fashion show. Happening on June 14, the strictly by invitation one night show dubbed as " Ang Alamat Nang Limampu " will be a gathering of more than 50 beauty kings and queens, actors and actresses and executives, politicians doctors and lawyers at Resorts World Manila Newport Plaza for just one night. The show is expected to showcase Filipino greatness for the last 50 years. A fashion legend himself, Agasang has been a recognized name in the fashion industry since 1995. Born to a middle class family in Lavezares Northern Samar, Agasang finished his BS Clothing Technology degree from the University of the Philippines and with beadwork training from India. Since, he has slowly established his name as a designer and has mounted fashion shows in Asia, Middle East, United States and United Kingdom. He has dressed nu...

Diomedes Saraza Jr, Indak Mananayaw and Tanghalang Pilipino. The premiere Arts venue capital in the country, The Cultural Center of the Philippines is in full swing, gearing towards to more dynamic and a lot of shows to watch out for this 2017. A new building for CCP to start construction, some minor renovation of its existing facility, and the launching of the first ever Encyclopedia of Philippine Arts, and the more exciting continuation of its many Art Festivals will soar high this 2017. CCP Vice President and Artistic Director Chris Millado recently announce this plan for this year, including its first offering, the The Noli Me Tangere opera. Millado said that they continue to gather more audiences, because they still remain the country’s art facility that embrace all kinds or form arts.  CCP VP Chris Millado with Cesar Legazpi painting at the backdraft. For its many festivals, the Virgin Labfest will be move to the Littler Theater this year, in order to ...

Ballet Philippines 47th Season Team. The Country’s leading classical and contemporary dance company, Ballet Philippines is now opening their 47 th Season with a theme of Wings, and to soar high on its initial offering, the revisited Firebird is making a comeback in Cultural Center of the Philippines, starting August 19 to 21. Firebird and Other Ballets is a collaboration project with a lot of artist from costume designer to top notch choreographer up to musical side. It show pieces by David Campos, Dwight Rodrigazo and Carlos Pacis, with the choreography by Russian-born George Birkadze. The impressive costumes is created by Mark Lewis Higgins BP President Margie Moran and BP Artistic Director Paul Morales. “As human beings we always think of this wing creatures like angels, because we want to aspire to go high so that we can fly, that’s why we name this season as wings.” Paul Morales, BP Artistic Director said. The Mythical Firebird. Firebird is a neo classic...

The Man of the Hour, Nasser Lubay. The nursery of visual artist Nasser Lubay is finally open to public, this is Nursery of Curiosities, a solo painting exhibit that opens last May 15, 2016 at Arte Pintura in The Address in Wack-Wack,  Wack-Wack Road in Mandaluyong City. It features 24 artworks of Lubay that varies in different sizes. More of Lubay’s pieces are colourful, and it talks about daily living of people and how he imagine it in a very artistic way, from dreaming to brushing of hair to the mirror and many stuff that we routinely does, but mostly are called captured moments as Lubay describe it. “Nag-start ako mag ipon 2009, tapos maraming process na pinagdaanan, may mga personal struggle, may mga kung anu-anung elements ganun, siguro I try to work the best as I can.” Lubay said. Lubay is also in experiment stage regarding the mediums he use for his artworks, mostly combining color paints that result to more colourful paintings. The Nursery of Cu...