JANUARY to MARCH 2024

Dear Bukal Sining Members,

I know we often toot our own horn with these quarterly updates. Nevertheless, it is not an exaggeration to say that this first quarter has been one of our most ambitious and successful to date. It seemed like we were shifting from one project to one major undertaking at breakneck pace. On top of continuing to give away our books, and the ongoing developments for the Tumba-Tumba Children’s Museum of Philippine Art, we successfully navigated these milestone events:

  1. Art Fair Philippines;

  2. “I Teach My Child”, a major collaborative show between National Artist for Literature Gemino Abad, and artist Manny Garibay;

  3. The opening of our inaugural If Trees Could Talk International Art Biennale;

  4. “Waterscapes”, our first Art for Development Outdoor Banner Project for 2024, participated in by over 100 artists; and

  5. The launch of “BABAE: 18 Fierce and Fearless Filipinas” to celebrate National Women’s Month.

Read on below for details, and as you do, we hope that you take as much pride in them as we do. All these successes are yours too!!!

—Gigo

BOOKGIVING AND BOOK
DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

This quarter, we gave away 1,961 books to children and libraries in Aklan, Bulacan, and Isabela.

We expect to ramp up bookgiving in the coming months. We’re ordering 2,000 copies of our latest book, “Babae: 18 Fierce and Fearless Filipinas” (see below). Then, we’ve received grants as well from Google to develop and publish 5,000 copies of an Ilocano translation of our anti-fake news activity book “YouThink” which we will update with new material to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence (AI); and from Globe Telecom to reprint 2,500 copies of our popular “Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy”.

In February, we launched our 27th Romeo Forbes Children’s Story Writing Competition.

Our artist was Nat Lamina, a Filipino-Canadian artist, based in Manitoba, Canada who we “discovered” on Instagram. We liked the classical aesthetic of his works, and the way he fuses it with Philippine or oriental themes.

We received 188 entries for this contest, and our team of readers is currently going through each one. These entries will be shortlisted into the top 3 to 5 stories, from which Nat will choose the winning submission.

The decision is expected sometime in late April 2024.

BABAE: 18 FIERCE AND FEARLESS FILIPINAS

Finally, to celebrate National Women's Month, CANVAS launched "Babae! 18 Fierce and Fearless Filipanas" on March 26, 2024. We hope this raises greater appreciation for the role that women - grossly underrepresented in our history books - played and continue to play in our past, present and future.

The book was written, illustrated, edited, proofread, and book designed all by women, and published with support from the National Book Development Board.

There's some talk about how there seems to be a dearth of Filipina role models. Nothing could be further from truth. This book is our modest contribution to debunking that misperception.


MUSEUM UPDATE

A lot has happened since we first broke ground in January last year to build the first major structure on the museum land in Ibaan, Batangas.

As you can see above, Leeroy New’s Filipino spaceship-themed gallery (which we are calling “I Am the Explorer”) is fast turning into the iconic feature that we hoped it would become. I estimate that it is about 75% done. The next step is to complete the painting of the exterior, and to work on the interior to enable us to host changing exhibitions inside.

Even in this incomplete state, we can already use it for modest events such as hosting a workshop for children in the local community, which will be conducted by Matthias Garff, a German artist who is arriving in April to participate in our “If Trees Could Talk” International Art Biennale (more details below).

We do need to connect the facility to the electric grid. It’s not as simple as one might expect because the land we acquired was raw and totally undeveloped. We are now working with the local electric company, and expect to resolve this in the next few months.


Aside from “I Am the Explorer”, there are now three other permanent installations on the museum grounds:

“The Tree Huggers” by Elmer Borlongan and Lito Mondejar

“Not a Mirage” by Jose John Santos III and Pam Yan Santos

“The Anti-Monument (The Weight of Words)” by Cian Dayrit

In addition, by the next quarter, we expect to have two functional spaces that will be critical to operations, and the experience of visitors.

“TAWAG” which will provide restroom facilities

“KULANDONG”, an interim multi-purpose space for workshops, a mini-library, initial cafe services, and office operations

With these initial pieces in place, Phase 1 of our plan to build Tumba-Tumba is now complete. Collectively, these existing facilities and installations represent our proof of concept and capability; and with budget allocated for landscaping and maintenance, we now have a serene art space conducive for outdoor art events, as well as for contemplation and reflection.

Our focus this year will be on fundraising to build the one missing piece that will enable us to open to the paying public - our major hall: I Am the Storyteller. This facility will house 150 to 200 of our storytelling artworks, and will be curated to encourage children to imagine their own stories from artworks that connect with them. It will be designed to be interactive and engaging, with children’s books available throughout the building. Once I Am the Storyteller is built, the Tumba-Tumba Children’s Museum of Philippine Art can formally open.

The immediate goal is to break ground for this major hall in June 2025, when CANVAS turns 20 years old, and we estimate that we will need around P30,000,000.00 to build I Am The Storyteller.

We are not starting from zero. We are happy to share that we received a $200,000.00 (roughly P11,000,000.00) challenge grant from the Panta Rhea Foundation as a seed amount to kick off fundraising for this hall. We hope that - with your help - we can raise the remainder in the next ten to twelve months, even as we will already select and commission an architect to make the plans.

If you wish to help us raise the funds for
I Am The Storyteller

There are a number of ways by which you can be more involved in our fundraising efforts. These could include the following:

  • Naming Opportunities

  • Support for specific facilities of I Am the Storyteller, including exhibitions halls, outdoor installations and gardens

  • Endowments - Yours can be a gift that keeps on giving by helping to create a fund that offers a reliable source of income for the Museum.

  • Artwork donations for possible sale or auction

  • Others - we can work with you to explore and structure ideas to fit your own values and priorities

Please let me know if you wish to meet and explore… :)

IF TREES COULD TALK ART BIENNALE

Biennale artists, curators and partners (L-R): Leeroy New, Mark Salvatus, Julian Fuchs of the Goethe Institut, Pam Yan Santos, Jose John Santos III, Don Bryan Bunag, Gigo Alampay, Laurence Vallieres, Elmer Borlongan, Lito Mondejar, Geraldine Javier, and Jaime Pacena II.

The good news about completing Phase One of the Museum is that we can now activate the land to mount new events, and to build greater awareness and support. 

Last February 24, we launched the first  If Trees Could Talk International Art Biennale at the site of the Museum in Ibaan, Batangas. "If Trees Could Talk," explored the relationship between humans and nature through contemporary art. Participating artists were invited to create major installations that would captivate and engage with visitors, particularly children. We encouraged the use of upcycled and found materials to demonstrate and promote sustainable practices and artistic innovation.

Artists were encouraged to respond to the site, using their creative expressions to highlight environmental issues, including climate change, and inspire reflection and dialogue.


The If Trees Could Talk International Art Biennale will run until June 24, 2024, allowing ample time for visitors to experience and immerse themselves in the diverse range of artworks and activities. It is open Thursdays to Sundays, from 9am to 4pm, and admission is free.

Throughout the duration of the Biennale, a series of special events will be organized to enrich the visitor experience. These events include artist talks, special tours, pop-up food events, bookgiving events, and tree planting activities. CANVAS will also organize interactive activities specifically tailored for children from the surrounding communities, fostering creativity and environmental awareness among the younger generation.

OTHER MAJOR EVENTS

ART FAIR PHILIPPINES

We used Art Fair Philippines as a prelude to the If Trees Could Talk International Art Biennale, noting particularly that the theme is not new to CANVAS, but in fact has been a recurring subject. We had organized three "If Trees Could Talk" group exhibitions in 2014, 2017 and 2018, among other environment-related books and events. Indeed, the issue is deeply rooted in our origins. Our very first book, "Elias and His Trees", was a celebration of the beauty and importance of trees, and the power of individuals to effect positive change.

The Biennale, then, is not merely an event - it is a continuation of CANVAS's long-held commitment to foster environmental awareness through its various programs and campaigns.

I TEACH MY CHILD

This collaborative project between National Artist for Literature Dr. Gémino Abad and highly respected visual artist Emmanuel “Manny” Garibay, mounted in partnership with The Ayala Museum, began with one of Dr. Abad’s most popular poems, I Teach My Child.

After careful consideration, I had approached Manny to interpret the poem, believing that his reflective nature, activist history, and socio-political inclinations would add fresh layers of interpretation to the poem. Looking at the series of works that emerged from this process, I can’t help but imagine Manny reading the poem and responding not merely to Dr. Abad’s prose, but to the very idea of parenthood, particularly the relationship of a father to a son.

In conversations with Manny, he told me that the poem led to his thinking about the father as a mentor, and recalling the tales of Oedipus Rex, and of Abraham and Isaac, among others. From there, the connection to the idea of the white man’s burden, our colonial history and our present context was surely a short jump.

The process of responding and not merely interpreting appears to have also challenged Manny to explore new forms and new media in his own art. There is a clear attempt to try and develop new kinds of iconography using found objects. I found it poetic (pun intended) that he was able to find old and discarded objects that had previous use and history, and give them new function and meaning.

The final works created in this exhibition—coming as they did first from Dr. Abad’s poem, and then from Manny’s own reflections and output—went well beyond what we had expected or even imagined at the start. It was a very surprising and ultimately welcome outcome because it reaffirmed what we in CANVAS have always strived to convey: that poetry and art have lives of their own, and given a chance, will continue to teach us all.

WATERSCAPES

"Waterscapes," the 16th edition of CANVAS' Art For Development Outdoor Banner Project, opened last March 24 at One Ayala in Makati. Organized with the support of Manila Water and Manila Water Foundation, the group seeks to use art to help raise awareness and appreciation for an often taken-for-granted resource that plays an outsized role in the environment, history, economic prospects, and future of our archipelagic nation.

More than one hundred artists shared their interpretations and reflections on water's essence - its fluid grace, its reflective calm, and its life-sustaining force - and to incorporate water-related elements into their respective artworks. Each piece, then, was a confluence of creativity and advocacy.

In late April, images of these artworks will be used to create art banners that will be installed at the future site of CANVAS' Tumba-Tumba Children's Museum of Philippine Art in Ibaan, Batangas; as well as in other pedestrian-friendly venues to bring both the art and the theme closer to the general public in non-intimidating, and more relaxed environments.

Thank you! Maraming salamat! ありがとう(Arigato)! Danke!
Gracias! 谢谢 (Xièxiè)! 감사합니다 (gamsahabnida)!