Thursday, December 01, 2005

2nd SUNRISE FESTIVAL 2005 Unreels

By: Megs S. Lunn
Imagine a world without art – no paintings, no sketches, no statues in the parks. A world without art would be pretty empty, dull, and cold. So even though people may try to tell you otherwise, and even though you probably won’t make your living at it, art does matter.
Fine artists create visual art, usually specializing in specific type, such as painting or sculpture, cultural songs and dances. Their goals may be many: to create something of beauty, to trigger emotion, and to make people think.
Maharlika Artists and Writers Federation (MAWF) Sunrise Festival II in cooperation with Ang Kasama will be held on November 25, 26 and 27, 2005 in the Island of Boracay. During the Presscon, on November 22, 2005 held at the Kalibo Plaza Canteen, Mr. Deo Palma, the National Coordinator of MAHARLIKA stressed the importance of Art in our culture. The main objective of their forthcoming activities is to promote the art for service and blessedness. The theme this year is “ETNIK KONEK”, which according to Mr. Danilo Dalisay, the MAWF Secretary General, who is also a true blooded Aklanon from Nabas, is “to trace our roots and build our future, thereby connecting our fellow brothers and sisters in blood from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, because our culture is our strength.” In addition, he said, “we are only not limiting artists within the Philipppines, but rather we welcome other nationalities to join our cause.”
With this, Ms. Corren Muller, an international artist from Switzerland and her partner Mr. Jim Tanuevo of Ka-tribu Kapatid na Tribu Mindanaw performed an exhilarating ribbon dance which was originally a fire dance.
Together with them during the presscon are the artists: Jhu Rubio – Kasugbu Sec. Gen; Jean Rapunzel Arnaldo – Kasugbu Vice President; Florence Cinco – Vice President MAWF and Grand Prize Winner for Sculpture {Metrobank}; Margaret Rodriguez – Visual Artist and Nokia and Shell Finalist; Marvin Magbag- Youth Representative Maharlika Social Service Volunteer; Nilo Murallo – Bugtaw Aklan Coordinator; Felix Golez and Jhu Haresh of Bugtaw Aklan provincial representative and Ms. Sumra Dela Cruz-Rojo – Curator of The Museo it Akean in Kalibo.
Most artists work on their own, so it’s also important to be disciplined and self-motivated. One quote said that “people who have really made it big usually know how to promote themselves.” Asked if how they would create awareness to the children and parents to learn to appreciate the beauty of art and not to think of the monetary consolation, an artist from Mindanao had a well-explained reason, “As creative thinker himself, he expresses his ideas from mental to visual and thinks of the money later. The joy of being to express something, may it be visually thru paints, sculpture, songs or dance is more worthwhile than think of the monetary consideration which is later actually is a great reward, but compare to the satisfaction that you feel and make you feel happy of expressing your thoughts and act on it thru art, cannot be compared to what one gets after. However, income from art is notoriously unsteady. One year, an artist may sell several pieces, but the next time he may not sell any. Until one is established, most of his income will come from a day job.”
Creating awareness to the mind of the people that art is our culture depends on the society as a whole. According to the report, government economists expect jobs for fine artists to grow as fast as the average for all careers through 2012. Of course, there are many more aspiring artists than there are opportunities; so competition is fierce.
Mayor Reymar Rebaldo of the municipality of Kalibo welcomed the artists, guests and the tri-media. Mr. Edwin Ramos of the Philippine Information Agency – Kalibo was the program host. The Pioquid’s sisters rendered a very impressive intermission number which they composed the lyrics of the song themselves. KALIWAT and BUGTAW AKEAN hosted the presscon. /MP

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