Toothpick sculpture among winners in art awards

For many people, being an artist involves a lot of effort and years of studying the theories and practicing the techniques.source: gmanews.tv

For a select few, however, being an artist comes naturally.

Sculptor Priscillano “Jun" Vicaldo is part of that exclusive club. The 48-year-old is the recipient of this year’s Metrobank Prize for Achievement in Sculpture, an award given to artists 50 and younger who have made immense contributions to Philippine sculpture.

Vicaldo’s love for shaping stuff began early, when he would create simple toys out of mud and clay as a little boy, he told GMA News Online at the sidelines of the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence awarding ceremonies last Sept. 15 in Pasay City.

In his college years, Vicaldo worked under the tutelage of National Artist Napoleon Abueva while studying Fine Arts at the University of Philippine in Diliman. Several award-winning sculptures later, Vicaldo still finds fun in molding various materials.

“Hindi kasi enough sa akin na makita ko sa papel yung ideas ko. Gusto ko yung solid, yung nahahawakan," he explained. Vicaldo has done pieces for the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, the National Historical Institute, and Adamson University.

‘Accidental’ artist

Another winner, Architect Jonathan Dangue, walked away with a Grand Prize for “Walang Pinanghahawakang Anuman sa Palad," a sculpture made out of an everyday material lying around his house—toothpicks.

Dangue said that prior to his winning piece, he had never dabbled in sculpting. The artwork was born out of frustration after he failed to place in the January 2011 Architect Licensure Exam. He would work on his piece every time he felt sad, explained Dangue. “So thank God for not making it into the top ten," he joked.

Described by the awards body as a “uniquely Asian take on the nature of modernist sculpture," Dangue’s work depicts an empty human hand. “We are born without anything in our hands, and even in our death, we cannot bring our earthly possessions," he said.

That the “hand" is still depicted holding its palm up emphasized Dangue’s themes of contentment and the taming of desire by denying oneself wealth and power.

Excellence in art, design

Dangue and Vicaldo are only two of the eleven visual artists and designers honored in this year's Metrobank awards for visual artists and interior designers, which is meant to discover young talent and assist them in launching their careers.

All the winning pieces and runners-up were displayed inside Le Pavillon in Pasay City. Some of the pieces were made available for sale and just two hours after the exhibit was opened, around 10 pieces had already been sold.

Art and design, Metrobank Foundation President Aniceto M. Sobrepeña said in his opening remarks, “[seek] to represent the underlying order in the seemingly diverse events of a nation."

This year’s winners, who all received cash prizes, join the pool of over 500 young artists that have been awarded by the foundation in the last 27 years.

Vicaldo, who was plastered to his exhibit station the whole night to entertain well-wishers and fans, expressed his appreciation for art contests.

“Kung minsan, yung [commissioned] artists, yung clients nagdidikta kung ano gusto nila. Pero kung sa competition, habol ng artist ma-express yung kanyang saloobin though art," he said.

One of the exhibit’s first visitors, Risa Hontiveros, said that the importance of art and culture has long been underestimated in the country.

“Culture is not just an underpinning to [political and economic events]… they are in themselves agents of change," the former Akabayan representative told GMA News Online.

Hontiveros added that art can go beyond self-expression.

“It’s not just about what art can do, but what art can be... It can point us to new directions or back to old directions that we need to return to and combine with the new directions that we’re discovering," she said.

source: gmanews.tv