These concepts have always been a contention in the social debate, and have always been part (or not part; depends on whether the leaders champion this advocacy) of the political agenda.
But these topics are more apparent in the arts and culture sector. A growing number of artists, galleries, and arts institutions respond to environmental challenges and inspire creative collaborations to push this social issue.
Year after year, the Cultural Center of the Philippines makes sure that environmental issues are tackled as part of its programming. This year, the premiere art institution celebrated Earth Day with a series of public art installations made by visual artists who advocate the environment and its preservation.
Kintab Artists Group, Inc. (KAGI), a Bicol-based non-profit group of visual artists, writers, musicians, and other creative talents dedicated to expressing diverse identities through their unique artworks, created ‘Surogpon Kita (We are Connected)’.
The expansive structure is made of bamboo, a symbolic material representing unity in diversity, promoting brotherhood and harmony within the installation art. The installation features papier-mâché masks and assemblages made from natural and indigenous materials sourced from Bicol such as abaca ropes, coco coir, palaspas, cogon grass, and balagon (local vines).
Through the installation, the group of artists highlights the importance of connectivity and self-identification with our planet in an organic and grounded manner. Self-proclaimed stewards of Mother Earth, KAGI emphasizes the need for the protection and cultivation of our planet’s resources.
What I like about the art installation is, it engages the public through creative physical conversations. Viewers can walk through the exhibit, and look at the masks created by participants of the art workshops conducted prior to the installation of the artwork.
During the launch, there was a performance of Kawayanon, where seven performing artists drew inspiration from their personal experiences to unpredictably respond to the expansive art installation. The performance conveyed the idea of being present in the moment, fostering connection, and promoting the concept of “being connected” as members of one human family.
The Surogpon Kita art installation can be viewed until May 28. Complementing the art installation is a light show on the façade of the CCP Main Building. The façade is painted in earth colors and will be lit up from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, Abdulmari “Toym” De Leon-Imao, a multimedia artist in both classical and contemporary styles, turned the Liwasang Kalikasan into a folklandia of sorts through the exhibit Tanod-Lupa (Nature Guardians).
Tanod-Lupa public art features Philippine mythical creatures, with illuminated lanterns to enhance their otherworldliness in the installation site. The designs draw inspiration from pre-colonial patterns and iconography to portray these creatures as essential parts of the natural ecosystem rather than just evil or demonic.
The figurative lanterns, made of welded steel, fibers, and fiberglass, are larger than life and internally illuminated by LED lights. The whimsical design ensures that the creatures do not appear frightening or stereotypical.
As of today, there are three “mythical creatures” on display at the Liwasang Kalikasan. And what’s on display are still just frameworks. The exhibit will grow, adding more mythical creatures, as well as the reinvented panolong of Maranao Torogan houses.
The panolong is an architectural element representing the naga, a serpent or dragon protecting the perimeter of the nobleman’s Torogan house. It visually elevates the Torogan above the ground, showing that the structure is unique and has an essential status in society.
Hopefully, by September, the Tanod Lupa will be completed and will be ready for the big launch. So, watch out for it.