THRIVING.
There is no better word to describe the Iloilo art community. The endless rotation of art shows and the sprouting of more art spaces in the city are a testament of this. With the likes of veteran artist Rock Drilon and his peers empowering younger artists to foster a flourishing and inclusive hub of creativity in Iloilo City, the community is now looking outward and seeking to give back.
ART COCOON
Marking its second year in November 2017, Art Cocoon sprung from a partnership between the established Ilonggo painter Drilon and Dumangas mayor Ronaldo Golez, a performance artist turned public servant.
Seen as an “incubator” for young talents in Dumagas, Art Cocoon usually screens participants in the first week of October to pick out those who can participate in a free three-week workshop. Open to students from ages 7 and up, the program hones its potential upstarts with group classes and one-on-one mentoring from the Hubon Ilonggo artists’ organization – led by Arel Zambarrano – and the Red Table group. This year, 60 children from Dumangas were accepted in the Art
The nearly month-long workshop culminated in an art exhibit held alongside the town’s Haw-as Festival. The exhibited artworks, most depicting scenes inspired by the town’s seaside scenes and fishing livelihood, were sold during the event.
Half of the proceeds went to the artists themselves and the other half will be used for the Dumangas’ Araut Visual Artists Collective, which seeks to foster and develop the town’s community of young artists for the rest of the year.
PROJECT BONG
“We want to bring peace and order by aiding the reintegration of various members of gangs in Iloilo City back to society through the use of art, specifically mural painting and street art,” explains Kristoffer Brasileño, former president of the Iloilo Visual Artists Collective (IVAC) – now the Hubon Ilonggo – and one of the conveners of Project BONG.
Project BONG stands for “Project Bringing Order to the Nemesis of Gangs,” a rehabilitation program that seeks to gather youth members formerly involved with local gangs in conflict with the law.
Through the efforts of the Women and Children’s Desk of the Police Regional Office 6, these young Ilonggos – often victims of circumstances and poverty – have since ceased violence and conflict and opted to cooperate with authorities in creating an organization with its own leadership structure for their eventual rehabilitation.
“Arts in Negative Spaces” is one of the first activities under Project BONG. Conceptualized by Sam Paguntalan, who is more popularly known as Ilonggo graffiti artist Wasper, the project aims to be a means to minimize gang vandalism around the city.
The project is part of the city’s diversionary intervention program for the youth – seen to discourage young Ilonggos from joining street gangs, which often lures them into illegal drugs and other vices.
Every Saturday and Sunday, instead of getting involved in unproductive activities, these young boys paint the walls of Camp Delgado with murals, together with the artists of Hubon Ilonggo. Their artwork focus on the theme: “Youth as Duty Bearers of Peace.”
The following youth gangs have already participated in a Mural Painting Workshop held at Camp Delgado on Oct. 14: Cool Amigos, Strong Kids, MC Stuffens, MS13, Bad Burn, Be Right Back, and Silent Killer.
“This project will no doubt channel their untapped talents and give them much needed focus,” expressed BrasiIeño.
Project BONG is a collaboration of the Iloilo City government, the Iloilo City Police Office-Women and Children’s Protection Desk, the Police Regional Office 6, Boysen, Hubon Ilonggo president Arel Distor Zambarrano, Iloilo City administrator Atty. Hernando Galvez, and the National Youth Commission through the Office of Commissioner Rhea Peñaflor./
PN