A TRIBUTE TO ILOCANO ARTISTRY AT SM CITY ROSALES
Master artist Nestor Vinluan’s whirlwind of strokes and figures with his circular shapes and curvilinear paintings and installations; the trailblazing works of Ilocos Norte artist Ricarte Puruganan, who is considered one of the Thirteen Moderns, as well as those of his son Victor; “Lord of the Rings,” Joe Datuin’s stainless steel sculptures created from rings and spheres; and La Union artists Alger Guevarra with his tsinelas paintings and Valen Valero’s sculptures using electric meters, a simple tribute to the great artist Juan Luna.
Mallgoers recently glimpsed the rich tradition, as well as the emerging styles and innovations, of artists in the Ilocos Region when “My City, My SM, My Art” made a stop at SM City Rosales.
Located on the northwestern tip of Luzon, the Ilocos Region consists of four provinces: Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur. And the region will dazzle you with its mix of natural beauty, history and innovation. Picturesque landscapes — clear blue seas, white sand beaches, alpine terrains, spectacular waterfalls, enchanted caves and fertile river plains — make it a favorite tourist destination.
Ilocandia also has a rich culture reminiscent of colonial times best seen in its historic sites, World Heritage churches and Vigan’s Spanish-style heritage houses in Calle Crisologo.
The people of the Ilocos region are resourceful and industrious, their resilience probably stemming from their geographical location and extreme weather patterns. With this comes an innovative spirit that has led to a gold standard not only in their business, but also in their artistic pursuits, as seen during the recent “My City, My SM My Art” event.
A joint project of SM, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Shell Philippines, the
Philippine STAR, with support from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Centerstage Productions, “My City, My SM My Art” is a celebration of Philippine visual arts: painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and filmmaking.
The campaign brings art and people together by showcasing the works of masters, modernists and millennials in a road show around the SM Supermalls. Advocating art for all, the team works with communities to mount exhibits, workshops and contests in key cities around the Philippines.
Pangasinan tourism officer Malou Elduayan, Noel Bince Jr., representing his father and board member Noel Bince, and Amy Nitor, representing board member Clemente Arboleda Jr., attended the event.
SM officials led by SM senior vice president for marketing Millie Dizon, SM Supermalls AVP for operations–North 1 Jansen Pe and SM City Rosales assistant mall managers Drake Lim and architect Luz Lani Delovino welcomed them.
Guests enjoyed the program, which included an AVP hosted by Miss Ilocos Sur 2017 Angelica Maranan featuring the amazing works of Ilocano artists. These works were exhibited in and around the My Art Gallery, which was inspired by the
bahay na bato in Luzon. These included works of La Union artists Rodel Rillera, civic leader, nature lover and compassionate artist; Ric Ico, who explores different art techniques like pointillism, abstraction and cubism; Valen Valero, who makes paintings with writings, numbers, letters and codes, as well as electric meters; and Alger Guevarra, who creates realistic portraits using rubber slippers. The works of the members of Artist Guild of La Union (AGLAUN) were also featured.
Art lovers also had the rare opportunity to view the trailblazing works of Ricarte Puruganan, the master modernist artist from Ilocos Norte, whose unique style consciously combines indigenous and folk art elements, and other flatness and painting methods. Puruganan’s son Victor also amazed mallgoers with his versatile range — from ethnic and traditional folk art to futuristic supremacist and abstract impressionist art.
Award-winning artists from Pangasinan Joe Datuin and Pope Dalisay showed how they can transform ordinary objects like steel, clay, plaster, concrete, stone and sometimes a combination of these into sculptural masterpieces. Biskeg Pangasinan artists also showed how their group was committed to promote and uplift artistry in the province in their different styles and media (paintings, digital arts and photography).
The highlight of the event was a tribute to master artist Nestor Olarte Vinluan, who is considered the foremost abstractionist in modern day Philippines. In his works, Vinluan explores the tension between pure abstraction and his reflections and feelings evolved by nature such as sky, water, light and atmosphere. Spirituality is a constant theme in Vinluan’s work, which invites viewers to an immersive, almost transcendent experience.
Born in Pozorrubio, Pangasinan, Vinluan is an educator as well as an artist. He became the dean of the UP College of Fine Arts in 1990, and it was during his nine-year term that the University’s College of Fine Arts moved to its own building.
For his work, Vinluan has received numerous awards, including the grand prize in Painting in the Art Association of the Philippines Annual Competition in 1971, and CCP’s 13 Artists Award in 1974. Fulbright–Hays honored him as the most outstanding Fulbright alumnus in Arts and Humanities in the 60th year of the scholarship program in 2008.
Despite all the accolades he has received, Vinluan still likes to explore unchartered territories, looking at the world through the eyes of a child, viewing things freely and imaginatively.
“My City, My SM, My Art” at SM City Rosales also included a simple tribute to the legendary Juan Luna, who is considered one of the greatest artists in Philippine history in collaboration with his descendant, Miguel Ongpin.
Born on Oct. 23, 1857 in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, Luna is known for his dramatic and dynamic works that focus on the romantic and realistic styles of art. He was also a major player in the Philippine Revolution in the 19th century, with his magnificent works of art sparking nationalism and pride among Filipinos.
Luna gained recognition and respect in Europe and the Philippines through outstanding works like “The Death of Cleopatra,” which won a silver medal at the Expocision Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1881; “Spoliarium,” which won gold in 1884; and “Battle at Lepanto” in 1887.
Other popular Luna works include “Blood Compact,” “Tampuhan, Mestiza Lady at Her Dresser” and “Roman Ladies.” Today, his works can be found in esteemed museums in the Philippines such as the Lopez Museum and National Museum.
With its aim of bringing art and people together, “My City, My SM, My Art” also conducted a papier mache workshop conducted by sculptor Pope Dalisay. Paulo de la Paz from the Manaoag National High School won the grand prize and brought home P5,000 worth of SM gift certificates.
“My City, My SM, My Art” is a take-off from the previous “My City, My SM” campaign which promotes tourism, “My City, My SM, My Cuisine” which highlights regional culinary specialties, and “My City, My SM, My Crafts,” a celebration of traditional art and modern Philippine design in cities where SM has malls. “My City, My SM, My Art”’s next stop will be in SM City Bacolod.