Marvin Natural wins anew in the Philippine Art Awards

CEBU, Philippines -  Local visual artist Marvin “Chito” Natural once again garnered the Juror's Award for Excellence in the recently concluded 2014 Philippine Art Awards (PAA), the country's most prestigious national art competition for almost two decades.

Besting hundreds of entries, Natural's winning entry - an oil painting that measures 4 x 6 feet - captures the plight of Filipinos working overseas, anchoring its aesthetic and thematic inclinations on the sight of cargo container vans piled on top of each other.

Entitled "OFW: Ang Walang Tigil Na Paghahanap ng Di-Matagputagpoang Langit Sa Daigdig Ng Mga De-kahong Poot," the work plays with the destination-route texts that are often marked on container vans, citing the various military strengths of different countries.

In doing so, Natural manages to illustrate how territorial disputes and increased military activities have affected the lives of OFWs, forcing even some to come back to the Philippines.

A self-taught painter, Natural is the curator of the Museo de Toledo in Toledo City, Cebu. In 2010, he won the Juror's Award for Excellence of the same competition, and remains to be one of the most active players of Cebu's visual arts scene.

The eight national winners of this year's Philippine Art Awards were recognized in the PAA awarding ceremony and formal opening of the "Quest for Quality" exhibit at the Yuchengo Museum in Makati City late last month. The exhibit currently features the national and regional winning entries of the 2014 Philippine Art Awards.

Arturo Sanchez of Angono, Rizal won the grand prize award in this year's Philippine Art Awards, for his work "In the Hour of Darkness, There is Always Light."

Raffy Napay of Caloocan City also received the Juror's Award for Excellence this year, for his work "The Light Guide."

Jonathan Salvatierra of Valenzuela City, Jan Olympus dela Cruz, Karlo Olavides, Rodolfo Torres Jr., and Roedil Geraldo garnered this year's PAA Juror's Choice of Merit.

Along with the eight national winners, the works of Cebu-based artists Nomar Miano and Reynan Dingal - who made it to this year's PAA regional winners roster - are also featured in the "Quest for Quality" exhibit.

Comprehensive Dance Workshop

The Queen City Metropolitan Ballet Theatre holds a summer workshop in Intermediate and Advanced Ballet as well as in Contemporary Dance from May 29-June 1. It is promised to be the ultimate and most comprehensive dance workshop ever.

Osias Baroso, Co-artistic Director and Ballet Master of Ballet Manila, is conducting the Intermediate, Advanced and Pas de Deux classes. Ms. Faith Javellana, awarded the Most Outstanding Choreographer of the Philippine High School for the Arts and presently the Artistic Director for Theater Arts and Dance of Cagayan de Oro City, handles the Contemporary Dance classes. Ms. Mylene Saldana and Mr. Benjie Diola handle Acting and Mime classes, Dr. Vivina Chiu, MD handles Nutrition, Ms. Maia Franco, Pilates, and Mr. Chris Manlunas, Ballet History and Vocabulary.

Ballet and contemporary dancers are invited to this unique, all-embracing learning event. Likewise, dance schools and teachers are sure to benefit from this singular assemblage of authorities in the fields of dance and theater.

Workshop schedule is: May 29, 2-6:15 p.m.; May 30, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; May 31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; June 1, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Lunch breaks are from 1-2:30 p.m. Each participant gets a certificate of attendance.

Early registrants are given a 20 percent discount on the workshop fee. Inquiries are entertained at phone no. 0905-5539082 (during office hours) or at the Mango Square Dance Studio on Gen. Maxilom Ave., Mon.-Fri., 6-9 p.m.; Sat., 5:30-9 p.m.; and Sun., 1:30-5 p.m.