by Sentinel Times Research Staff July 25, 2021 BUKLOD RIBBON CUTTING. From Left- Right: Mr. Bong Suva Marketing Head of Unimart Capitol Comm...
July 25, 2021
BUKLOD RIBBON CUTTING. From Left- Right: Mr. Bong Suva Marketing Head of Unimart Capitol Commons, Noel P. Bueza Visual Artist / Sculptor/ President of Daloylikha, Bing Siochi Visual Artist, Mr. Anton Magpantay owner of ArtisteSpace Gallery. (Photo from Mark Nilo Odiaman)
LUCBAN, Quezon - On the eve of another election year with its looming threats of choking minds of the populace with downright tasteless, tacky, and unsightly pictorial abominations in a welter of political campaign posters that will taint every wall, post, every imaginable space that can be filled in, a group of artists that found a home in Quezon province are on their way to mount a counter-claim, not a direct assault but a gentle flow with a view to sanity and beauty.
The group, Daloy-Likha-- the words for "flow" and "create"-- is by their admission and mission will serve as "sort of Greenpeace for the environment since it is one of our advocacies. Sabi nga nila, umpisa tayo sa sarili nating kapaligiran. That’s the reason why we have Daloy Likha Art and Nature Hub at a farm overlooking the majesties of Mt. Banahaw and Mt. Cristobal in Sitio Kalantibang, Barangay Malupak in the pahiyas town of Lucban, Quezon Province."
As always, even the hands and minds that wreathe out serene beauty will be shunted aside by the rabble that will generate more Sturm und Drang in the wake of political ambitions and frenzy for power-- but Daloy-Likha elects to keep its peace and poise and pace.
The art hub is run by Daloy-Likha International Arts and Nature Society, Inc., a non-profit organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission that has reached out to other artists nationwide in a bid to strengthen its ranks-- because those seized with the spirit of creativity need to band together, muster their energies and wills as a community of kindred souls.
"Daloy-Likha President Noel Bueza launched a membership invitation to all artists. The response was really great. We believe that as long as the membership retention is stable Daloy-Likha will keep going," the group points out.
For the next 10 - 20 years, Bueza’s advocacy is to gain more members, enjoy camaraderie to maintain members, engage the younger generations of artists, partner with other establishments to do more art exhibits and carry out some projects involving how to protect the environment.
Pinoy idiom on show
Member Chalk Zaldivar's exhibit which runs from July 24 to August 21 (Modeka Art | The Glassbox 20A La Fuerza Plaza 1, 2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue in Makati) goes tongue-in-cheek with the Tagalog idiom, "Itaga Mo Sa Bato” referring to a promise that cannot be broken or a statement that is final-- a harbinger of the onslaught of spittle and speeches in the forthcoming poll campaign season.
Zaldivar uses a visual pun with the most final signifier of all: the gravestone, unlikely a wish for promising politicos. His works are "inscribed sardonic witticisms onto marble slabs that mimic grave markers, which at first glance imply a degree of solemnity. Upon closer inspection and reading of the engraved texts, cheeky and biting satire presents itself, a classic comic relief device"-- a respite from the looming blood and thunder of the Philippine political landscape.
Art critic Stephanie Frondozo cites that Zaldivar’s "fondness for irony and contradiction plays out with the same unsettling imagery that sets the stage for bold, mischievous jabs at familiar characters. His contemporary, the artist Joan Cornelia, believes that we all laugh at misery, and it can be enlightening to examine the source of that humor.
"In the tradition of editorial cartoonists, who illustrate their critique on social and political observations, Zaldivar engages his audience by acknowledging certain truths without taking them too seriously.
"His brand of dark humor is immediately relatable, as it captures snapshots of banal and absurd situations from the street and from his peers. The disorienting sight of tombstones at odds with its text is closer to the truth than we expect."
And Zaldivar is one among the hundreds of Daloy Likha artists whose motley voices are sounded off in their creative output.
Art exhibits galore online
This year alone and despite the restrictions and strictures spawned by the Covid-19 pandemic, Daloy-Likha artists saw participation in 6,726 events both global and local-- admittedly, most of the exhibitions are carried out online that ensures a measure of viewers worldwide.
Assessing current conditions, Daloy-Likha rues that "the global pandemic brought by the Covid-19 virus has become one of the greatest challenges that the humanity must face in the modern times. It has not only caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, but it has also plunged the world’s economy into a recession, far greater than we have experienced after World War II."
Also on show online is the group's "Linang: Kalikasan at Paglikha" a celebration of life, hope, and friendship amid the global health and economic crises, as interpreted by Daloy's 52 member-artists. Noel P. Bueza Pauline Juliet Racelis Rebie Victolero-Abas Nelson Basa Roy Babia Louinuel Babia Jonathan Jalac Marvin Teodoro Avie Lafuente Ivan Joshua Galleno Ramon Cada Daniel Dumaguit Brando Bati MJ Palma Raymund Gozon Alexie Gozon Nani Reyes Eric Masangkay Mary Yari Roces Bing Siochi Jun Rocha Renato Palad Sherwin Paul Gonzales Grace V. Madamba Joel Lloren Vicson Apostol Nante Carandang Aron Ray Carandang Felisa Rose Carandang among others.
"Since physical distancing is needed (aside from proper hygiene, disinfecting the environment, and wearing face masks and shields), the Covid-19 pandemic likewise affected the way that we interact with people. Thank God that we have the Internet. This technology enabled us to still interact with our families and friends, while we stay at home, keeping ourselves from contracting the deadly virus.
"But despite the ugliness of the situation, the Covid-19 global pandemic, somehow, has taught us to appreciate life, beauty, and nature more. This is why Daluyan ng Kalikasan at Paglikha (Daloy-Likha) has chosen to celebrate beauty, instead of ugliness; hopefulness, instead of hopelessness; connectedness, notwithstanding the physical distance; the cycle of life (birth, death, and rebirth); the wonders and mysteries of nature and existence; and of course, the power of human creativity. And for us, at Daloy-Likha, there is no better way to celebrate these blessings but to organize a virtual exhibit. This allows the people to participate in celebrating beauty and hope and brotherhood and friendship, through the works of 52 seasoned Filipino virtual artists."
Avers Daloy-Likha: "The agenda is not to divert the attention of the people from the current situation. No, that is escapism. Rather, the true purpose of this exhibit is to fortify the spirit of the people, to give them hope, if not, consolation as we need to deal with this pandemic for quite a long time. As we rekindle the fire of hope, we are able to strengthen ourselves and combat the evil of desperation and despair brought by this pandemic.
"Furthermore, the soul always yearns for something beautiful and wonderful and mysterious. Why? Because the Soul in itself is a mirror of something beautiful, something beautiful, something mysterious, and of course, something that is eternal."
Buklod
July 19 has been historic as Daloy-Likha International Arts and Nature Society, Inc., ArtisteSpace, Inc. and UniMart Capitol Commons, joint force to create a back-to-back exhibit, entitled Buklod: Sining at Pagkakaisa - an exhibit of Daloy-Likha members and Brush Strokes, a solo of veteran artist, Bing Siochi.
Buklod participating artists are Noel Bueza, Pauline Juliet Blazo Racelis, Rebie Victolero-Abas, Nelson Basa, Roy Babia, Louienuel Babia, Jonathan Jalac, Marvin Teodoro, Avie Lafuente, Ivan Joshua Galleno, Ramon Cada, Daniel Dumaguit, Brando Bati, MJ Palma, Raymund Gozon, Alexie Gozon, Nani Reyes, Eric Masangkay, Mary Yari Roces, Bing Siochi, Jun Rocha, Renato Palad, Sherwin Paul Gonzales, Grace V. Madamba, Joel Lloren, Vicson Apostol, Nante Carandang, Aron Ray Carandang, and Felisa Rose Carandang.
It was a fun-filled afternoon for guests and art patrons with live sketching sessions with Bing Siochi and another prolific artist, Jun Sergio Rocha.
The shows were organized, according to Noel P. Bueza, the founding president of Daloy-Likha, is to espouse the spirit of camaraderie and unity among its members and for the public has something to look forward to. The Covid-19 pandemic has already taken its toll on people's minds and seeing beautiful artworks can be therapeutic.
Before this, Daloy-Likha has been able to organize several online and physical group exhibits, as to help the artists to have some income as Covid-19 has severely affected the livelihood of artists and cultural workers.
Daloy-Likha, a nonprofit arts and environmental group from Lucban, was organized during the height of the pandemic and is spearheaded by Bueza, a prolific painter and sculptor. Together with Noel Sales Barcelona, an art critic from Antipolo City; Bueza's kind wife, Marilyn; Engr. Edsel Paroan, a thespian; and graphic artist and painter Pauline Juliet Blazo Racelis, Bueza has been organizing physical and virtual shows for artists as part of Daloy-Likha's mission and vision for the local art industry.
Daloy-Likha also wants to launch some programs for the environment and the preservation and protection of our cultural heritage in the future.
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