Category Archives: Arts and Culture

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The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

in

“The Spirit of America”

Laura Jackson, conductor

Adolfo Mendoza, bassoon

This evening features the best of American popular composers. 

PROGRAM

G. Gershwin – Porgy and Bess (Symphonic Pictures)

J. Williams – The Five Sacred Trees (bassoon concerto)

G. Gershwin – An American in Paris

L. Bernstein – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story 

October 10, 2008 – 8 p.m.

Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

In cooperation with the Embassy of the United States of America

Tickets at P1,000/P800/P500/P350/P200

Call CCP Box Office 832-3704 or Ticketworld at National Book Store and Tower Records 891-9999

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Tracing the evolution from pigment to venerated object

Don’t expect to see only beautiful paintings hanging in this show. 

The current Lopez Museum exhibition The Sum of Its Parts features pieces from the Lopez Memorial Museum collection which have undergone or are slated to undergo conservation procedures. These are the works by Felix ResurrecionHidalgo, Juan Luna, Pacita Abad, Nena Saguil, Juvenal Sanso and Claudio Bravo. Also included is contemporary artist Jonathan Olazo’s installation work called “Healing Achiles” taking off from the “Diaphanous Series” of his father Romulo Olazo which the latter began to develop in the late 1960s through printmaking.

At the opening, husband and wife curator Eileen and Chit Ramirez, museum director Cedie Vargas, Mrs. Olazo and Romulo and Jonathan Olazo 

The young Olazo’s installation consists of three sets of works: large-scale paintings, light boxes with pictures of the staff, and Mouse Traps. The paintings, borrowed from his father, were exhibited circa early 80s in a one-man exhibition in the Cultural Center of the Philippines. 

He said “I learned from my folks these paintings were stocked in my grandfather’sbodega in Pasay City, for almost a period of 20 years. Just recently, my folks had gotten very excited over a survey of Dad’s body of art work, and had begun initial salvos to recount and go over their storages, and  hence, they ‘discovered’ these paintings, cast by Dad as a landmark output that can easily highlight his almost forty year artistic career. The find was marred though by the state of the paintings: very dilapidated and almost   decaying in a degree beyond recognition, all of us were dumbfounded and shell shocked. What we have at the most are documentations of the pieces via catalogues published, and we were prompted with the challenge of what can be done to salvage these paintings, or at least arrest its pending deterioration.”

The Lopez Museum‘s conservation team fumigated and installed the pieces.The installation itself is a visual statement alluding to states of rest, a position of surrender to conservation processes. By sharing weathered art objects crafted by the hands of his fellow artist and father, Jonathan brings up questions about how art gets treated and conflated with value through the workings of institutions, collectors, viewers and cultural workers. 

The exhibit aims to make the viewer aware of how various agents in the art world – from the artist, the institutions and the audience themselves – participate in the transforming an art work from pigment to venerated object.

The Sum of its Parts exhibit will run until September 30, 2008 at the Lopez Memorial Museum, ground floor Benpres Building,Exchange Road, Pasig City. Museum days and hours are Mondays to Saturdays, 8am-5pm, except holidays. For more info, call 631-2417.

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LOPEZ Memorial Museum’s reputation as one of the country’s leading museums got a boost with a donation of hundreds of rare film memorabilia from LVN Pictures.

LVN, along with the other members of the “Big Four” (Lebran International, Premiere Productions and Sampaguita Pictures), is acknowleged as one of the great Philippine movie studios whose output of critically acclaimed films helped usher in the Golden Age of Philippine cinema in the postwar years.

1947 Miss Philippines Jose Padilla, Jr Norma Blancaflor 

The heirs of Doña Narcisa Buencamino vda. De Leon, represented by Narcisa L. Escaler and Nieva Paz L. Eraña, presented the bequest to museum director Mercedes Lopez-Vargas, trustee Margot Fragante and Lopez Group chairman Oscar M. Lopez.

Escaler said that her grandmother wanted “to make the collection available to the public, to several generations.”

The collection includes photos with LVN  firsts in Filipino Movies; e.g. “Orasang Guinto” (1946), the first Filipino post war film with Mila del Sol and Bimbo Danao under the direction of Manuel Conde; “Batalyon XIII” (1949), the first Filipino full-color movie with Carmen Rosales and Jaime dela Rosa, directed by Manuel Silos; “Rodrigo de Villa” (1952), the first Filipino co-production with a foreign film company, Indonesia’s Persari Productions, Inc., with Delia Razon and Mario Montenegro, directed by Gregorio Fernandez; scripts of acclaimed films  including those under the direction of the National Artist Lamberto V. Avellana and casts led by Tony Santos and Rosa Rosal; “Anak Dalita” (1956), an Asian Film Festival Best Picture and“Badjao” (1957), Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay & Best Editing in the Asian Film Festival;  posters, music sheets that include the song “Doña Sisang”  with music by Jose Climaco,  lyrics by National Artist Levi Celerio and  four songs sung by Tessie Quintana and Armando Goyena in the film “Hawayana” (1953); and newspaper clippings relating to 327 movie titles and productions from 1939 to 1965.

 1953 Dagohoy Mario Montenegro Tessie Quintana

Formed in 1938, LVN took its name from the first letters of the owners’ names: De Leon, Carmen Villongco and Eleuterio Navoa Jr. De Leon, known as Doña Sisang subsequently took over as president of LVN after buying out the inactive partner-families.

giliw ko, 1939 First movie of LVN  From left Mila del Sol_Fernando Poe Sr._Ely Ramos and Fleur de Lis 

LVN rolled out its first production, “Giliw Ko,”  under the direction of Carlos Vander Tolosa starring Ely Ramos, Fernando Poe Sr., Mila del Sol and Fleur de Lis (later known as “Mona Lisa”), in 1939. In 1941, it jumpstarted a new trend by producing the first Filipino film in color, Vicente Salumbides’“Ibong Adarna”; the cast included Mila del Sol, Fred Cortes and Manuel Conde, who went on to become an acclaimed director.

LVN also became home to some of the biggest stars of the era, including Rogelio dela Rosa , Armando Goyena,  Nestor de Villa, Mario Montenegro, Mila de Sol, Lilia Dizon, Norma Blancaflor, Rosa Rosal, Delia Razon, Nida Blanca, and Caridad Sanchez.

1954 Dalaginding  Nida Blanca

In all, LVN made over 350 movies in a variety of genres: musical comedies, costume adventures, and socially relevant fare now considered Philippine classics, including “Lapu-Lapu,” “Badjao,” “Anak Dalita” and “Biyaya ng Lupa.” Its output contributed in making LVN the Philippines’ foremost movie studio for 30 years.

LVN produced its last film, “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?,” in 1980, 19 years after reinventing itself as a postproduction house in 1961; it closed in 2005.

Lopez Memorial Museum now houses LVN’s glory years with 12,250 rare and original photos, scripts, posters, music sheets and newspaper clippings relating to 327 movie titles and productions from 1939 to 1965.

The Lopez Memorial Museum now ranks as one of the premier Southeast Asian institutions, built upon a rich trove of Philippine primary historical and cultural source materials. It is dedicated to advance Philippine scholarship and preserving the heritage of art and literature, especially through the help and support of collectors such as the heirs of Doña Sisang’s.

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WORD OF MOUTH (WOM) Theater Philippines’

MACBETH

brings Shakespeare into the throne rooms and battlefields of the 21st Century: Big Business and the Multinational Conglomerate.

The classical verse remains unchanged but is re-imagined and placed into a modern corporate context. The Bard’s classic tale of greed, ambition, supernatural temptation, political domination and murder is now brought even closer to home.

JAMIE WILSON and ROEDER CAMAÑAG

alternate as Macbeth, while GIGETTE REYES and KALILA AGUILOS share the role of Lady Macbeth.

An ensemble of respected actors completes the cast, with WOM’s Artistic Director JEREMY DOMINGO at the helm.

On Wednesday July 2 and Thursday July 3, 2008 at 8pm, we are staging two special preview performances at the PETA Theater Center, #5 Eymard Drive, Barangay Kristong Hari, behind the Quezon City Sports Club off E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City.

MACBETH UNPLUGGED is a fully-realized performance presented by WOM on a bare stage: an evening of prose, poetry, choreography, streamlined scenography and some of the finest actors working in Philippine Theater today.

You don’t have to buy a movie ticket, watch TV, buy a disc or download one of the most thrilling, action-packed, sensual, provocative and harrowing stories ever written.

It’s coming to life onstage before your very eyes this July.

…and it’s over Four Hundred Years old…

Visit our office and rehearsal studios, or contact our Marketing Manager, Myra A. Butac at (632) 489-4819 or (0927) 451-9179.

Contact InfoWebsite:

http://wordofmouththeater.multiply.com/

Office:

2/F 6678 Taylo Street, Barangay Pio del Pilar, Makati City

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This is the 5th ART IN THE PARK event of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines and it is the BEST by far in terms of sales.  The foundation gets a percentage commission from the sale of all art works which will benefit the National Museum and its projects.   

Congratulations to Trickie, Lisa, Mel and the rest of the organizers.  This is a great idea!!!  

By doing what you are doing, you promote Filipino artists and support them, you bring art closer to us and you make us aware of many talented Filipino artists and you help sustain our culture and heritage by supporting the National Museum. That is a great contribution to society!! A big thank you to all of you who make it happen!

The Museum Foundation of the Philippines creates an exciting event for first-time buyers and experienced collectors to purchase original contemporary art by up-coming and celebrated artists.  For the first time in its three years, Art in the Park will extend until evening but only after transforming into six interactive art spaces.  Allow yourself to be wooed by an equally impressive line-up of artists and art groups showcasing one-of-a-kind pieces.

LOCATION:

Velasquez Park, Valero St.,

Salcedo Village, Makati City

FAIR HOURS:

June 28, 2008

Art in the Park:  8am – 2pm

Art after Dark:   5pm – 10pm

 Art in the Park features original paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures by promising art students and established visual artists.

Art after Dark is a relaxed evening affair featuring 6 interactive art spaces highlighting one-of-a-kind or specially selected pieces from different artists and art groups.

Telefax No. (63-2) 404-2685

E-mail add. inquiry@museumfoundationph.org 

website of the Museum Foundation:  Museum Foundation 

website of the National Museum:  National Museum of the Philippines 

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