#QCBlogventure : Historical travel and adventure is available right here in Quezon City

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Enjoying the wonderful world of Quezon City as it celebrates this month of October its 75th Diamond Jubillee Anniversary.

It’s always more fun in the Philippines and traveling within the city I think is a must and discovering good spots in Quezon City is a journey. And here's a part of our historical and fun experience in this years #QCBlogventure to celebrate Quezon City’s 75th Diamond Jubillee Anniversary.

I am one of the bloggers in the group that assigned to journey with the nature and arts in QC.

The first adventure is at the Ecopark at La Mesa Dam La Mesa Ecopark and La Mesa Watershed Nature Reserve.

The Ecopark at La Mesa Dam, what used to be the virgin forest beside the road has been adopted by ABS-CBN Foundation and was lately given a new facelift, converted into an Ecopark.

Now open to the public, undeniably, the most complete family-oriented Nature Park in Metro Manila.

The Ecopark offers a lot of family-oriented activities like Boating Lagoon, Bicycle rides, Swimming Pool, Fitness Trek, Fishing Pond, Camping Ground, Open Amphitheater.

ABS-CBN Foundation's Bantay Kalikasan (Nature Watch) Project collaborated with Metropolitan Waterworks & Sewerage System (MWSS, the government agency that owned La Mesa Watershed) and the Quezon City government to stop illegal settling, poaching and logging through a proactive Bantay Kalikasan Project that aims to rehabilitate, reforest, preserve and protect the area. The Adopt/Protect-A-Tree/Hectare Program was so successful that out of the 1,500 hectares that needed reforestation, only about 158 hectares remain to be planted, providing children and adults with experiential learning about environmental and biodiversity conservation.

La Mesa Ecopark has become a center for Bantay Kalikasan's environmental advocacies and causes. La Mesa Ecopark continues to be a venue for both recreation and raising environmental awareness.

We were lucky and I am really glad that our next adventure is for the first time to see one living hub and nerve center of the arts within a place in Quezon City.

Erehwon Center for the Arts 

The Erehwon Center for the Arts devoted to the Arts, aims to bring together artistic energies of the Filipino here and around the globe, and create a new brilliant rebirth of the arts, which the opportunity of working together with both traditional and modern concepts, media, tools and resources will inspire. This is a living hub and nerve center of the arts in the Philippines and in the region as a whole.

According to Erehwon Chairman and CEO Mr. Rafael Benitez, "it is a space which will provide a multi-sided colloquium of artists eager to advance art to a new and higher level in our world and to strengthen art as a means of communication and understanding among people throughout our contemporary world."

To achieve this, the Center opens a project of space residency for working together in a non-formal education program, exhibiting in large and small shows, as well as storing and documenting artists’ works. 

The Center hopes to stimulate and invigorate art-making in the region, and will give the needed boosts to artists and to their role in the contexts and in the region as a whole.

The company, Erehwon Artworld Corporation is a business enterprise offers integrated publishing, design and modern printing services.

The Erehwon Center for the Arts Building is located #1 Don Francisco Street, Villa Beatriz Subdivision, Barangay Old Balara, Quezon City.

After the journey at the arts, we just had a quick sneek at the Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center.

Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center, a 64.58-hectare (159.6-acre) zoological and botanical garden located in Diliman, Quezon City. It was named after Benigno S. "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. The Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center has a lagoon, an aquarium, a playground, botanical garden and a Wildlife Rescue Center, which the Department of Environment and Natural Resources uses as a temporary shelter where confiscated, retrieved, donated, sick, abandoned, and injured wild animals are placed to be taken care of. The park houses several indigenous plants and animals such as crab-eating macaques, water monitors, Philippine deer,binturongs, Palawan bearded pigs and several varieties of birds.(Wikipedia)

Quezon City is really one of my comfort places in the country. As the final bloggers adventure is the foodtrip, food journey with side trips to some of the attractions in the vicinity.

We had our snack time or early dinner at Kenny Rogers Roasters at the Matalino St., Brgy. Central, Quezon City.

Kenny Rogers a casual dining restaurant that offers friendly service in a comfortable setting of serving home-style family foods. Kenny Rogers Roasters is well known as "the favourite place for rotisserie roasted chicken.” And it also makes healthy lifestyle choices.

Known for all-time favorites, like Round-up Platter, a medley of 3 side dishes complemented with 1 Kenny's Home-made Muffin.

We also witnessed the Grand Parade of Lights at the Quezon City Hall where we started and ended up the #QCBlogventure this October 10, 2015.

The whole Saturday is not enough to do blogdventure around Quezon City to celebrate the city's 75th anniversary. And on Sunday, I joined the Concert and parade of lights held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle with celebrities and Mayor Herbert Bautista. (Watch out for more updates in the coming stories here)

There are many places worth visiting in Quezon City, Quezon Memorial Circle, a national park and a national shrine, Quezon Memorial Shrine, an entertainment capital and media houses TV and radio buildings, education as UP in Diliman, Ateneo and more.. a shopping destination too, a health and wellness center and hospitals, like Heart Center and many places of government operations, places or restaurants, streets where people can take their foodtrip and festivals… and more.

#QCBlogventure Bloggers group at the rooftop of Erehwon Center of the Arts Building with Erehwon Head and staff (photo: Martin Andrade)

With all these happenings and celebrations, I agree to Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista as he said in one of the events before:

“The 75th Diamond Jubilee of cityhood gives us the perfect opportunity to show off what Quezon City has to offer not only to the country but also to the world, and this can only be achieved successfully if we work hand in hand.”

This is one fun and awesome historical adventure and educational trip! We have seen some and experienced what Quezon City achieved. More great opportunities, travel and adventure is available right here in Quezon City.

Thank you very much to the organizer of ‪#‎QC75‬ ‪#‎QCRocks75‬ #QCBlogventure #‎QuezonCity75thJubileeAnniversary who invited us bloggers to become part of Quezon City’s celebrations.

Happy 75th Anniversary Quezon City!

#QC75 Diamond Jubillee Celebration; A visit at the Quezon Heritage House

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The most populous city in the Metro Manila, National Capitol Region in the Philippines, Quezon City, also called QC celebrates this month of October its 75 Diamond Jubillee Anniversary.

Quezon City was named after Manuel L. Quezon, the second official President of the Philippines and the first of an internationally recognized independent Philippines.

Rich with heritage, one of the city’s most famous landmark is the Quezon Memorial Circle, a national park and a national shrine located in Quezon City, which became the capital of the Philippines from 1948 to 1976. The park is located inside a large traffic circle in the shape of an ellipse and bounded by the Elliptical Road.

At the center is the Quezon Memorial Shrine, a 66-meter mausoleum that houses the remains of President Manuel Quezon and his wife, the First Lady Dona Aurora Quezon. 

And inside the Circle is the Quezon Heritage House, where bloggers and guests enjoyed a visit and tour the replica of Manuel Quezon’s house last Thursday, October 1. 

https://instagram.com/msmyrnz/

With excitements, we also had a photo shoot with collaboration of Project Headshot Clinic. I’m gladly to be reunited with Niccolo Cosme, founder of HSC and a celebrity and fashion photographer. "Project Headshot Clinic", a digital concept that merges profile photos used online with advertisement and/or advocacies. This is my 4th time to have my personal tribute to Headshot’s greatest inspirations. 

Thanks organizer, Sir Anton and MsEarth Rullan for a historical and an educational tour to Quezon Heritage House, also known as the Quezon family’s Weekend House. It used to be situated in No. 45 Gilmore Street in New Manila, until it was transferred to the QC Memorial Circle. 

The Quezon Heritage House is open to the public from Tuesdays thru Sundays, 9 am to 4pm.

Quezon City is also well known as an entertainment capital, a shopping destination, a health and wellness center, many places of government operations and media houses, like ABS-CBN, GMA 7, UNTV, Ch. 13, Ch 9, Ch 4 and TV5.

For its 75th anniversary this year, the QC government prepared a set of activities designed to pay tribute to the monumental figures and events that served as its foundation. Each of these culminating activities are scheduled on October 10 and 11, 2015 and has been crafted to leave a mark on the city’s 75 years of cityhood.

To mark 75th anniversary with parades, concerts, dances, food festivals, and more to welcome to coming year with positive vibes and shrill momentum.

Everyone will be treated to a night of music, performances, food, and fireworks as they countdown to the city’s anniversary. Simultaneously, there will be a city-wide medical mission, job fairs, fun run, Senior Citizens' Program, Sports Exhibition by the PSC, Skateboard Competition, Volleyball Tournament, Rock Concert, Martsa ng Musiko, among others.

Happy 75th Anniversary Quezon City! 

Photos: Arts & Travel Magazine

Epson Corporation marks 40 years

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On June 12, 2015, Seiko Epson Corporation (SEC) will mark the 40th anniversary of the Epson brand the company uses on many of its products and services. 

To commemorate the 40th anniversary,  Epson aim to show appreciation to the stakeholders who have supported the brand over the years. Epson also will take a retrospective look at the meaning of the brand and reaffirm the commitment to continuing to provide the customers with products that surprise and delight

Epson Philippines Corporation (EPC) capped off another successful fiscal year with the achievement of market leadership in the categories of Projectors, Inkjet, Dot Matrix, and POS printers. 

EPC President & Country Manager Toshimitsu Tanaka as the company shared the achievement with the media during the annual media thanksgiving event, Epson Fusion Six held at the Huma Island Resort and Spa, Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines.

As the leading brand in Projectors, Inkjet, Dot Matrix, and POS printers, Epson is now poised to create more opportunities for growth with the innovative products that we offer. We are eager to demonstrate the latest Epson advances that we believe will drive our momentum, as we continue to be the brand of choice among Filipinos," stated EPC President & Country Manager Toshimitsu Tanaka. 

The 40-year story of Epson began in a small Japanese town called Nagano. It started the joumey into the printing business by making the world's first compact, lightweight digital printer - the EP-101. 

Epson (then Daiwa Kogyo) was founded in 1942. Originally a developer and manufacturer of watches, Epson later leveraged its core technologies -- which enable products that are compact, energy saving and high-precision -- to enter and gradually expand in other business areas. As a vertically integrated enterprise with capabilities ranging from product development and manufacture to sales and marketing, Epson began moving into the information equipment business in 1968 with the release of the EP-101 , the world's first compact, lightweight digital printer, and followed this in the 1970s with a succession of computer peripheral products. As the company went on to develop new markets and provide customers around the world with satisfying products and services in a broad range of categories, we decided to develop a unique, original brand. 

Now, Epson is one of the leading digital imaging brands with nearly 70,000 employees in 94 companies around the world. The proprietary core technologies and customer-focused innovation helped make us the brand of choice in the markets serve. 

The Epson brand name comes from the EP-1 01 , the product that kicked off the company's expansion into the information equipment business. The "EP" stands for "electronic printer" and the "SON" represents our desire to follow the original electronic printer with many worthwhile descendants (products and services). 

The "Exceed Your Vision" global tagline that accompanies the Epson brand concisely states our promise to customers that Epson will continue to exceed their expectations. 

"We use Epson's unique core technologies to transform our businesses as customer and societal needs change. Under our current corporate vision, SE15, we are continuing to develop unique products and services in an effort to drive change in four areas: printing, visual communications, quality of life, and manufacturing. Going forward, we will refine these core technologies and will continue to pursue our corporate ethos of creativity and challenge in an effort to provide products an services that bring positive change to the lives of our customers around the world,"  said EPC President & Country Manager Toshimitsu Tanaka, who will concurrently become Managing Director of Epson's Regional office (Epson Singapore Pte. Ltd.), President Director of Epson Thailand, and Director of Epson Indonesia starting June 2015, 

Edsa Shrine: Filipino legacy, faith continue to live on for 25 years

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Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue or popularly known as Edsa is a famous landmark that left an indelible mark in the Philippine history as a bastion of power that emanated from the people to oust an oppressive dictatorship.

At the heart of this cradle of heroism is a shrine that was consecrated and dedicated on December 15, 1989 to Our Lady, Queen of Peace, who miraculously interceded to bring down a tyrannical leadership and restore the country's democracy through the peaceful and bloodless People Power Revolution in 1986.

The Edsa Shrine that came into being since then has become a living monument of praise and pride for every Juan. 

"And that has developed from a small, thriving community into a full-grown, practically huge one that is not only serving the Church, but serving the people who come here to fulfill their spiritual needs," said Rev. Fr. Nilo Mangussad, rector of Edsa Shrine.

While others think of it as a parish, the priest reiterated that it's merely a "quasi-parish" welcoming individuals and families of faithful, forming 23 ministries and serving multitudes of people from different sectors. 

Simply, its vision and on-going mission is to become a vibrant community of Christian servant-leaders that advocates love, peace, truth and unity, inspired by Mary, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of Edsa.

"So, it is indeed a conglomeration of a lot of different people from different dioceses," Fr. Nilo said. "Historically coming from then Cardinal Sin and Archbishop Socrates Villegas, it is trying to become a community that will show that unity is possible; prayer to love problems is possible; a community that loves, understands, forgives is possible; and that truth, freedom is possible not by powerful means or force, but by prayer."

Although the Shrine has constantly grown as a community for the last 25 years, he conceded that still it has been faced with a lot of challenges and yet "the essence of the spirit is continuing up to now that the community growing with that spirit is not only keeping to themselves, but going upwards to let the people experience it at the way we experience it here inside."

"The Shrine is growing bigger and bigger that the space is no longer enough to contain the organizations, the ministries, and the various groups that want to come here to experience it. And we are now exponentially going out," he stressed.

As the Edsa Shrine turns silver this year, it is but apt to relive its glory with a big bang revolving around its theme,"EDSA Shrine @ 25: Truly Alive!"

Kicking off the jubilee celebration was the unveiling of its logo last October, followed by the Bayanihan Clean-up activity by the different ministries of the EDSA Shrine last month, and a series of talks on the Art and Architecture of the EDSA Shrine. 

Leading to the inception date itself, Novena Masses to Our Lady, Queen of Peace are now ongoing until December 14, at 5:30 pm on weekdays and Saturdays and 6 pm on Sundays. Different bishops and beloved priests preside, among which, no less than His Eminence, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, who will celebrate with the community on the ninth day.

The ceremonial mass of the 25th Anniversary of EDSA Shrine will be on December 15 at 5:30 pm to be officiated by His Excellency, Socrates B. Villegas, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan and incumbent CBCP president. 

A grand celebration concert dubbed "Edsa Shrine @ 25: Truly Alive!" shall follow at Meralco Theater at 8 pm. This free concert is produced and participated in by many volunteers of the Shrine to look back at its humble beginnings and where it is headed to. Performances from the various ministries and members of the community as well as surprise guest artists are lined up.

STI’s 31st Anniversary Celebration

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From Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, over 20,000 students from various STI campuses, academic personnel, officers, employees, and special guests gathered last September 26, 2014 at Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna to celebrate the institution’s 31st year.

STIers had a blast as they continue to rock at the Enchanted Kingdom at he whole-day celebration of talents, skills, and achievements of STI Heroes.

“Be the hero. Be STI!” is this year’s call to action as STI challenges the whole community to be the hero they can be by encouraging them to thrive to reach their dreams, honor their work, and to become responsible members of society. STI also honors its alumni as model heroes who paved the way to achieve their personal triumphs in life, and continue to empower others to be heroes in their own rights—heroes who are ready to take action and enact positive change.

STI’s 31st anniversary will kick off a grand year-long celebration with the annually anticipated showcase of talents and wit and exciting fun-filled activities. Promoting the prowess of STIers, the event staged the finest talents in different fields emerging from all over the country. Gifted singers sang in the Singing Idol competition, while young master musicians grouped together to contend in Battle of the Bands. Agile dancers stomped to the beat in Hataw Sayaw, and the brightest, most charming STI personalities competed for the titles of Mr. & Ms. STI 2014. Following this occasion, there will be more events in the following months that are focused in academic, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities such as the STI National Youth Convention (STI NYC) to provide vitals lessons outside their classrooms, and the Tagisan ng Talino and Tagisan ng Sining competitions to showcase the aptitude of STI’s most skilled students.

“In this event, STI does not only honor the heroic feats STIers have done in the past, but we also aim to motivate the students to be heroes in their own rights. Successful alumni from different batches help us inspire our current students to be the best that they can be. Likewise, this event is more than just a traditional celebration of our anniversary; we aim to advocate the well-rounded development of young individuals. More importantly, we’ve ensured that these activities instil the necessary positive values as part of our learning systems,” says STI’s President Monico V. Jacob in a statement.

STI celebrates its foundation day every year in a joyous event where members of the STI community participate in the showcase of talents and skills in different fields. In this festive gathering, STI proudly upholds the achievements of its students who were trained and nurtured with the holistic education the institution provides as it continues to realize its thrust towards excellence and real life education. 

For more information, visit http://anniversary.sti.edu.

Agnes Locsin’s La Revolucion Filipina celebrates Ballet Philippines' 45th Anniversary – The Sapphire Season

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The country’s classical and contemporary companyBallet Philippines in cooperation with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines proudly announces the return of Agnes Locsin’s La Revolucion Filipina to kick off the company’s 45th Anniversary – The Sapphire Season.

Agnes Locsin’s La Revolucion Filipina will be performed at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) from July 25 to 27, 2014. It will be on 3pm and 8 pm (Friday and Saturday) and 2pm and 6pm (Sunday). 

The sublime paralytic Apolinario Mabini and the story of his role in the Philippine Revolution are brought into the limelight once again, just in time for the hero’s sesquicentennial birth anniversary.

Named Outstanding Dance Production and winner of Outstanding Choreography for Agnes Locsin at the 2008 Gawad Buhay! Awards, La Revolucion Filipina features original music by Ryan Cayabyab and libretto by Dennis Marasigan. 

Jean Marc Cordero as Apolinario Mabini 

Choreographer Agnes Locsin was a former artistic director and resident choreographer of Ballet Philippines. She was the Gawad CCP awardee for Dance in 2012.

This fourth restaging of the modern dance masterpiece is led by three members of La Revolucion Filipina’s original cast, Annette Cruz-Mariano, Judell de Guzman-Sicam, and Alden Lugnasin. 

The role of Mabini was choreographed on Lugnasin, now the company’s resident choreographer and artistic director of Ballet Philippines II. 

Jean Marc Cordero as Apolinario Mabini 

Preparations for the production began at the start of summer, with eleven of the company’s dancers being sent to Davao for a six-week residency at the Locsin Dance Workshop. The dancers underwent intensive training in Agnes Locsin’s signature Neo-Ethnic dance style on top of taking regular classical ballet classes. They also participated in the 32nd Locsin Dance Summer Showcase on May 14 alongside the Dance Workshop's regular students. 

BP principal dancer Jean Marc Cordero plays the role of Apolinario Mabini. Cordero danced Mabini in the 2008 restaging, which was his first lead role for the company. He shares the stage with BP principal dancer Richardson Yadao and Tanghalang Pilipino actor Nicolo Magno, the new production’s Emilio Aguinaldos.

Several notable actors have essayed the role of Aguinaldo, starting with Nonie Buencamino, then Raymond Bagatsing and Richard Joson. The most recent cast included former Ballet Philippines dancers Angel Gabriel and Patrick Rebullida.

The artistic and creative teams of La Revolucion Filipina are led by Agnes Locsin (Choreographer), Ryan Cayabyab (Music Composer), Dennis Marasigan (Librettist), Mio Infante (Set Designer), Virgilio “Katsch” Catoy (Lighting Designer), Victor Ursabia (Costume Designer), Annette Cruz-Mariano, Judell de Guzman-Sicam and Alden Lugnasin (Restagers).

For bulk reservations, show buys, and inquiries, visit www.ballet.ph, send an email to info@ballet.ph, or call Ballet Philippines at 551-1003. For tickets, call the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 or Ticketworld at 891-9999. 

You may connect to Ballet Philippines online through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/balletphilippines

Twitter: @balletph

Instagram: @balletphilippines

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/balletph

The 45th Anniversary Sapphire Season. Rare scenes of power and grace. Love, valour and redemption. Under the artistic directorship of Paul Alexander Morales, this is a toast to 45 years of dance excellence!

Ballet Philippine’s launches “The Sapphire Season” on May 21

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Enjoy the wonderful world of theater ! 

THEATER NEWS 2014: BALLET PHILIPPINES SET TO LAUNCH 45TH ANNIVERSARY – THE SAPPHIRE SEASON ON MAY 21

BP’s Sapphire Season: 10 Things You Should Be Excited About!

1. Opening our season is the award winning choreography of Agnes Locsin, LA REVOLUCION FILIPINA, with a libretto by Dennis Marasigan and set to the music of Maestro Ryan Cayabyab. This “powerful and poignant” production will give you another reason to be honored to be born of the Filipino race.

2. Guest Artists from the American Ballet Theater (ABT) essay the roles of Giselle and Albrecht in our Fundraising Gala of GISELLE. Watch out for ABT Soloist Stella Abrera and Principal Dancer James Whiteside as they dance with Ballet Philippines. Did we mention that Ms. Stella Abrera is a Filipina?! More Philippine pride!

3. THE BLUE MOON GALA and THE HOMECOMING GALA: two “once in a blue moon” gatherings of BP’s dance community celebrating its 45 years.

4. Ballet Philippines will go on a US Tour on October 2014 – Get ready, West Coast!

5. Alice Reyes’ CINDERELLA will bring merriment to families – especially to children – as this happy production’s comeback will surely bring fun to the Yuletide season!

6. Ballet + superheroes + the music of Eraserheads back when they were in UP all in one production = MANHID: THE FILIPINO SUPERHERO MUSICAL, which will bring the season to a rocking close. This production features Tanghalang Pilipino was created by Auraeus Solito and choreographed by Artistic Director Paul Alexander Morales and Resident Choreographer Alden Lugnasin

7. Three schools of Ballet Philippines officially opened in the beginning of the season – CCP Dance School (for its 45th Summer Dance Workshop), Ballet Philippines Dance School in SM Aura and Studio 1 near Folk Arts Theater. More space, more opportunity for young dance talents!

8. Ballet Philippines goes to USA International Ballet Competition and Varna International Ballet Competition. Support our dancers who DREAM BIG!

9. MANanayaw, a documentary on the male dancers of Ballet Philippines, will be part of Cine Totoo: the First Philippine International Documentary Film Festival!

10. Ballet Philippines now offers FLEXIBLE SUBSCRIPTION where you can choose 4-series, 3-series, and 2 -series. Subscribers can get to choose the productions they want this early, choose seats before they are posted publicly, and save up to 25 percent!

Join us and without your enthusiastic support, where would we be?
THANK YOU FOR A GLORIOUS 45th YEAR!

Renaissance Art Gallery : “Driven to Abstraction”

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Renaissance Art Gallery as the celebration of its 11th anniversary, an art exhibit “Driven to Abstraction” will feature abstract artists: Max Balatbat, Bien Benitez, Benji Bisaya, Marco Coching, Arley Carig, Jane Ebarle, Fitz Herrera, Josef Laureano, Sio Montera, Cid Reyes, Aner Sebastian, Resty Tica and Valen Valero.

A highlight of the show are the works of master abstractionists such as National Artists Hernando R. Ocampo, Jose Joya and Arturo Luz, as well as Malang, Romulo Olazo, Gus Albor, Lao Lianben, and Nestor Vinluan.

Renaissance Art Gallery's 11th Annniversary Exhibit “DRIVEN TO ABSTRACTION” to be held

June 6 - 24, 2014 at the Art Center, 4th Level, Bldg. A, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Malang

Through over a decade, Renaissance Art Gallery has built a reputation as a nurturing ground for emerging abstractionists.

Here's from Cid Reyes:

“DRIVEN TO ABSTRACTION”

By CID REYES

In this writer's early interview, the late National Artist Jose Joya reminded the reader of the universality of abstraction:

"It was only during the late '50s or early '60s that I started doing these Abstract Expressionist paintings, and I use that label as mere convenience, a label attached to the New York School of Painting.... Abstraction is an international trend; it isn't a contemporary development as most people would think. Even in ancient times, the Orientals were already doing calligraphy and Persian geometric designs; it isn't at all a recent phenomenon.... No, abstraction is not a time-honored convention in the Western world as it is in the Eastern world."

Credited with having created the first abstract work in the West is the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky. In 1906, he did a watercolor consisting of squiggly lines and blots of colors commingling, suggesting no reference to the visible world, yet seemingly engaged with the spirit, akin to the mysterious power of music to touch the soul. The works of the American abstractionist Mark Rothko were said to move the audience into tears.

Aner Sebastion 

Thus, through over a century, abstraction has evolved its many variants, from gestural to geometric to minimalist. In his last public lectures, Kirk Varnedoe, director of the Museum of Modern Art, then in the grip of a terminal illness, kept the faith and trained one final light on abstraction: "It is the production of forms of order that are not recognizable as order, but vehicles of feeling that seem impersonal, vessels of intelligence that appear utterly dumb. Abstract art is a symbolic game, and it is akin to all human games: you have to get into it, risk and all, and this takes a certain act of faith. But what kind of faith? Not faith in absolutes, not a religious kind of faith. A faith in possibility, a faith not that we will know finally, but faith in not knowing, a faith in our ignorance, a faith in our being confounded and dumbfounded, a faith fertile with possible meaning and growth."

Indeed, there are Filipino artists, too, who believe in this faith. In 1951, the first group exhibition exclusively devoted to abstraction, or nonobjective art, was held. Over half a century later, Renaissance Art Gallery continues to uphold the tradition of promoting the works of both emerging and established abstractionists. 

From its inception eleven years ago, Noli and Agnes Romero made a commitment that the aptly named gallery will be instrumental in the rebirth and regeneration of abstraction in the country.

Max Balatbat

To this day, they are driven by the conviction that abstraction is an essential visual language that enriches the human spirit, capable, as no other idiom can, to connect man to the depths of universal emotion.

Arley Carig

Arturo Luz

Benjie Bisaya

Bien Benitez

Fitz Herrera

Gus Albor

HR Ocampo

Jane Ebarle

Josef Laureno

Lao Lianben

Marco Coching

Nestor Vinluan

Resty Tica

Romulo Olazo

Sio Montera

Jose Joya - Urban Beat