Dubbed as “Kalalangan Kapampangan”, this art exhibit features some of the best contemporary Kapampangan artists who have carved their names in the national, and even international, art scene. Half of the participating artists are Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardees for Arts and Culture, while the other half is comprised of winners in various national and international competitions. These individual achievements are indeed collective proof that Kapampangans have aesthetic genius and can be world – class.
Let us get to know some of the artists who will take part in this exhibit.
First on our list is Ruston Banal Jr. of Betis, Guagua. He is a professional photographer and graphic artist who earned his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, magna cum laude, from the University of the Philippines. His photos regularly appear in local newspapers with subjects ranging from human interest to social realism.
Kuya Ruston’s Kuraldal series was chosen as “Photo of the Month” by the Federation of Philippine Photographers Cup while he bagged the First Prize in the 2007 Philippine Airlines Photo Contest. He also recently won in a photo contest organized by the National Geographic Society.
Next is Edille Paras is one of the pillars of the Pampanga Arts Guild and the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardee for the Arts in 1996. Kong Edille has won Honorable Mentions in the Metrobank Annual Painting Competition and the AAP Annual Competitions. Among his most recent sculptural works is the centennial monument of Rufino Cardinal Santos in Guagua, Pampanga.
Another master whose works we will see in the exhibit is Alvaro Jimenez of Bacolor and San Fernando. He is the premiere Kapampangan artist who specializes in the rare art of letras y figures, a tradition dating back to the 18th century. His works have been widely exhibited in the Ayala Museum, the National Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. Tatang Allan, as he is fondly called, was conferred the Most Outstanding Kapampangan for Visual Arts in 1990.
Noel Lopez Catacutan of Minalin is a Kapampangan visual artist who is very active in the national art scene. He served as a director in the Art Association of the Philippines from 2002 to 2008. Tito Noel was a consistent winner in the UST Annual Competitions in his college days. He was an Honorable Mention in the First Saudia Airlines Painting Competition. His paintings done in the Filipino folk art tradition have been exhibited in Europe and Asia.
Don De Dios works as an Information Officer of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 3 but his passion lies in the arts. He belongs to the Kalinangan Telabastagan art group in San Fernando and is a cartoonist for the Central Luzon Newsweek. Don bagged the Juror’s Choice in the 2007 GSIS National Painting Competition and an honorable mention in the 2006 Art Association of the Philippines Annual Competition for sculpture. His works have been included in the Korea – Philippines International Arts Festival.
Long Melo, who hails from Angeles City, is one of the few Kapampangan artists who focus on fiber art. Kuya Long was the grand prize winner in the NCCA Diwa ng Sining (indigenous art category) and is a senior member of the Pampanga Arts Guild.
Willy Layug of Guagua, Pampanga, renowned for his ecclesiastical works, received the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award for sculpture in 2003. He is being eyed as a potential Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan awardee for the wood carving tradition for which Betis is famous. His works have been exhibited extensively here and abroad. Kong Willy has also undergone rigorous training in Spain on restoration techniques.
Norman Tiotuico is the Most Outstanding Kapampangan for Arts and Culture in 2008 and is a former president of the Pampanga Arts Guild. He has done numerous commissions for universities and local governments, including the San Fernando Historic Timeline and the Pasbul ning Kasalesayan at the San Fernando City Hall, and the Kapampangan Timeline at the HAU Center for Kapampangan Studies. Kong Norman has represented the country in an International Sculpture Symposium in Vietnam.
Gelo Espiritu is a Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardee for the Visual Arts who is one of the pioneers of the Pampanga Arts Guild. Now US – based, his enduring works in Pampanga include the Parish of Our Lord’s Ascension in the City of San Fernando.
Conderlos Lingat is one of the founders of the Kalalangan Telabastagan art movement and was an honorable mention in the Philip Morris Annual Art Awards. He is also recognized among art circles in the field of indigenous art.
Ronald Salazar is another Kapampangan artist who continues to make waves in the national art scene. Now Manila-based but whose heart remains in Pampanga, Kuya Ron was a grand prize winner in the AAP Annual Art Competition – Sculpture Category and an honorable mention in the Shell National Students’ Art Competition, two of the most prestigious art contests in the country. He recently installed a commissioned art work in his hometown of Santa Rita, the official standard for the relic of St. Rita de Cascia, but he is also renowned for his works in unusual media such as bottles or even scrap objects.
To complete the roster of award-winning artists is the multi-awarded Teta Tayag Capitulo, now US-based, who landed a second place finish in an international competition organized by the United States Olympic Committee and the United States Sports Academy for the Athens Olympics in 2004. Atsing Teta is still very active in Kapampangan Arts fora despite her absence. In the nineties she was a steady winner in the AAP Annual Competitions in both the painting and sculpture categories. She also represented the country in an ASEAN Sculpture exhibition held in Brunei Darusalam.
