Week-long event celebrates role of art in pandemic

PANDELIKHA: Arts, Community and Creativity in the Pandemic and Beyond delves into conceptual and performative digital media, workshops on puppetry and printmaking and discussions on art and society, featuring award-winning visual artists, art educators and student-artists in week-long events.

The events are being hosted by the Design Foundation Department of the De La Salle-college of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts.

An exhibit on art pieces exemplifies the skills and techniques learned and honed by the students from their lectures and studio classes. With the aim to create public awareness on the essential role of art, they will showcase distinct interpretations and applications of various culture and arts practices on pandemic narratives. The display opens on today, August 3, at 3 pm. Another part will feature an online demo-workshop on puppetry to be facilitated by visual artist, puppeteer, dancer, chanter, musician, ceramist, researcher and art educator Carlito Amalla. Multimedia artist Noell El Farol, whose practice borders the disciplines of archaeology and fine arts, will likewise conduct a class on printmaking without press. Both workshops are scheduled on August 5, 11:20 am, for puppetry and 2:40 pm for printmaking.

The week will conclude with conversations on art in relation to community-based projects, social engagement, social justice, creative pedagogies, and traditional and folk crafts as categories in diverse creative industries. The talk will be headlined by award-winning theater and visual artist, educator and cultural activist Dr. Brenda Fajardo; internationally established painter Emmanuel Garibay; painter, writer and organizer Alee Garibay; and visual artist, curator and art educator Karen Flores.

The discussion will be moderated by researcher, cultural worker, and assistant professor Maria Angelica Viceral. It is slated on August 6 at 12:30 pm. The program will be spearheaded by Palanca awardwinning playwright, scholar, and Design Foundation chairman Timothy Dacanay. It will be directed by educator Lara Angelica Rosario.

Pandelikha is a free public event to be held via Zoom. More information is available at www.facebook.com/ benildearts.