News and Features
Art From Adversity
[March 14, 2007/ Bacolod City] - Internationally-acclaimed violinist and Ramon Magsaysay Public Service awardee Gilopez Kabayao looked closer at a few sculpted figures and expressed admiration when told that the art works were creations of fishermen who became sculptors after floods swept away their boats and destroyed their homes in Quezon province.
“These works are fantastic. Their creativity stemmed from a catastrophe,” he said as his wife Corazon, a pianist and his constant concert partner, looked at the other sculptures.
The Kabayaos were at the “Art from Adversity” booth at the First National Arts Fair held in Bacolod City during the first week of March. The booth displayed the works of three artists: Banglos Sculptors, fishermen turned artists from General Nakar, Quezon province; their mentor and renowned sculptor Rey Paz Contreras; and the Daambakal Sculptors.
The artists were linked together two years ago by Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART), when the company was looking for livelihood opportunities for the newly relocated residents of its Smart Amazing GK Village located in General Nakar. The residents were from Barangay Banglos also from the same town, the fishermen who lost their homes from the series of typhoons in December 2004. Smart responded to the call of Gawad Kalinga (GK) Foundation and the local government to provide 100 new homes for them.
As part of its efforts to help residents find new sources of livelihood, Smart tapped Contreras to teach the fishermen how to make sculptures from driftwood and fallen logs that were washed down from the mountains during the height of the typhoons.
“We never cut trees. We only use driftwood, some of which, we were told, even came from the Sierra Madre,” said Banglos Sculptor Wilfredo Durano at the Bacolod fair. The Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the country, stretching for 210 kilometers on the northeastern side of Luzon region, starting from Cagayan down to Quezon province.
At the Bacolod exhibit, the Banglos Sculptors for the first time combined into their artworks new material – molten rocks from Mayon volcano, gathered from Guinobatan, Albay recently.
Under the tutelage of Contreras, they learned how to sculpt volcanic rocks. Contreras advocates the use of materials that are readily available – driftwood, volcanic rocks – even discarded materials such as scrap metal, for creating unique artworks.
Smart and the Banglos Sculptors, with the help of Contreras and the Daambakal Sculptors, are planning to share the sculpting technology to the GK communities in Albay and the survivors of the volcanic ash and boulder mudslides in the province.
It’s far beyond the context of ‘misery loves company’ in the case of the Banglos artists’ plan for the survivors of Mt. Mayon’s eruption. “Through the forthcoming training, we want to show them that like us at Banglos, they can survive by using their creativity,” said Allan Sollano, who admitted that he never expected that one day, he will become an artist. Because we lived close to the sea, I wanted to be a seaman, he added.
This ambition was shared by fellow sculptor Jessie Flora, who confessed, “Parang panaginip (it’s like a dream). We never thought that we can be trained to become artists.”
Contreras said he felt a sense of accomplishment when he started sharing his craft to people who survived disasters and catastrophes and became creative artists. He added that art should not be left only to art students in the universities.
The internationally-known sculptor had earlier made himself an advocate of community art by bringing his Daambakal team to train potential artists in many parts of the country – from Isabela, Sagada, Nueva Exija and Pangasinan in the north, to Rizal and Roxas City, among others.
Saying he is a self-made artist, Contreras said creative skills can be nurtured among ordinary people, especially if they went through a crisis and wanted to do something to improve their situation. “This is more than just community-based art for the masses. Kasi malalim ang tama sa puso (It is a deeply emotional activity) for the Banglos Sculptors and, hopefully, for the other future sculptors. Artists will persevere and will endure in their pursuit to further develop their skills and craft,” he said.
The Banglos Sculptors Multi-purpose Cooperative now has 27 members, nine of whom are women, Sollano said. The youngest member is 14 years old and the oldest is 55.
Prior to the National Arts Fair in Bacolod, they have displayed their works in numerous venues – at the Westin Philippine Plaza, Mall of Asia, Cultural Center of the Philippines, SM Megamall, Rizal Park and, prior to Bacolod, in two exhibits in Cebu City. “Sana tuloy-tuloy na ito (I hope this continues),” Sollano said.
More than two years after adopting Banglos, Smart has reiterated that its development efforts for the community were aligned to its philosophies and core values. “Smart and the PLDT Group, for that matter, is known for being creative and innovative in turning around seemingly losing situations toward growth and profitability,” said Darwin Flores, senior manager for community partnerships, Public Affairs Group, of SMART.
“Two years ago, they thought that they would never recover from the disaster that struck them. Through the program we were able to show them that they can reinvent themselves and find opportunities in materials that are abundant in their areas. Even farmers and fishermen can be creative. We see people who now possess dignity, self-worth and perseverance,” Flores said.
If there’s one thing, too that their new vocation has infused among the members, it was the sense of doing something together. “Our community spirit has been strengthened when we do our pieces, as no work is done by a single person. We help each other,” said Flora.
Another icon of Philippine music, composer-singer Jose Mari Chan, who came home to Bacolod City to grace the First National Arts Fair, called the Banglos and other exhibits as “beautiful pieces of art that emerged from indigenous materials.”
“The Filipino artist thrives in good times and bad and it’s interesting to see their world through their eyes,” Chan said after viewing their works. “I wish they could get more support so that creativity will continue to flourish for the Filipino artist. This is very much part of our culture,” he added.
Through our exhibits and our future project in Albay, Sollano said they hope to inspire people in areas where tragedies have befallen that they can rise from adversity.
The Banglos sculptors said they still go fishing “now and then” so their families will have fresh seafood on the table. “Before, we go to sea every day and even every night,” Durano said.
Indeed, the Banglos community has carved a new life after the seemingly insurmountable tragedy. @
