C1 MAKING WAVES

Arts (ILOMOCA), we talked lengthily about the recent Hacienda Nene massacre. For him, it was too close to home. Nune hails from Fabrica, Sagay, Negros Occidental. He is a social realist known for depicting the difficulty and despondency in the sugarcane fields of Negros, the plight of the sakada and other marginalized members of the society, through his art. Of all the injustices in the country, he is mostly attached with peasant and fisher folk struggle, genuine agrarian reform, militarization, and basic democratic rights, the problems he often saw growing up in Sagay. He is an activist, even a radical, he says, but instead of taking up arms or storming the streets, he uses art, his brush, to push for what he believes is right and just, to join the struggle of the marginalized.

In “Songs from the Sea,” Nune brings everyone to the coastal city of Sagay, his home. Inside the exhibit, the vibe of the rural community is felt, almost as if you are really there— buying fish from the fishermen, people-watching by the bay, feeling the wind on your skin. And it was the goal, according to Nune. The community is poor, the people are impoverished, but he doesn’t want to show them with a clenched fist, no glorification. Instead, he humanizes them.

In his unique style, Nune shows the faces of ordinary fisher folk, their wives going to the flea market, old men lusting on young women, sugarcane workers resting by the field—a perfect illustration of imperfect, feudal Sagay. He takes inspiration from the community he helped create and continually helps to develop. He gives back through art what he himself gained after over three decades of practice. “Gusto ko maging makulay ang buhay ng tao, kaya ginawa ko itong colorful. Kaya maliwanag ang kulay, kahit malung-

Nune hails from Fabrica, Sagay, Negros Occidental. He is a social realist known for depicting the difficulty and despondency in the sugarcane fields of Negros, the plight of the sakada and other marginalized members of the society, through his art.

kot, mahirap sila (I want their life to be colorful, which is why I made it colorful in my works, that’s why I used bright colors. This is in contrast to their real situation),” Nune says.

The exhibit is a product of ILOMOCA’s commitment to promoting contemporary art from different parts of the country. The museum proudly embraces the distinction as the first art institution in Visayas and Mindanao, exclusively dedicated to showcasing the works of mostly Filipino and Ilonggo artists within the realm of modern and contemporary art.

”Tonight marks another milestone for us at Megaworld Foundation as we celebrate the first year since we ventured into the intricate world of museum management, and already we are closing the year with yet another highlight exhibit,” says

vice-president and head of marketing and business development, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls. ”Nune Alvarado’s ‘Songs

Tefel Pesigan-Valentino,

from the Sea’ is a moving masterpiece that showcases the beauty of Filipino culture even in mundane everyday experiences. This is only the beginning and we are committed to upholding the undeniable talent of local creative minds and the promotion and preservation of art in the entire region.”

“Songs from the Sea” runs until Dec. 15, 2018 at the Hulot Gallery in ILOMOCA