Shell NSAC brings art to Salcedo underpass

MANILA, Philippines - Beyond shades of colors that depict a subject’s grain of truth, art illuminates the inner life of a place and its people, providing insights on the journey that gives the place its distinctive character and energy. This is the inspiration behind the Makati Commercial Estate Association (MaCEA) initiative to enliven Makati City’s underpasses with colorful murals that portray how the progress has been paved and sustained through the years. 

Over the past few months, MaCEA has been partnering with private institutions and hiring artists to create art murals on each of the city’s seven underpasses now being used by about 300,000 pedestrians each day. For the Salcedo underpass project in particular, MaCEA has partnered with Shell companies in the Philippines to commission young artists from its National Students Art Competition (NSAC) program to depict how the company has uplifted lives in Makati.

Shell NSAC is the longest-running art competition supporting young Filipino artists to realize their dream of becoming art masters in the future. For the Salcedo underpass project, Shell gathered 10 of its past winners to design the art mural. They were Ferd Angelo Failano of the University of the Philippines; Mark Espina, Wesley Almazar and Mark Laza of Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST); Chrisanto Aquino of Tarlac State University; Catherine Salazar, Kyle Balagtas, Ermaine Manucay and Arnesto Ibanga of Technological University of the Philippines (TUP); and Francis Andrade of Bulacan State University.

Ferd Angelo Failano, 1st place winner in the 45th Shell NSAC Watercolor Category, led the conceptualization of the artwork. The mural shows Makati City brimming with its everyday energy driven by financial institutions, corporations and organizations. Shell is also seen powering people with energy efficient technology and cleaner energy as well as uplifting the people’s lives through its innovative social investment programs for nation-building. The images also illustrate the company’s achievements in the fields of smarter mobility, clean and efficient transport, as well as developing new energy sources such as natural gas.

Now on its 48th year, Shell NSAC has produced a great number of artists who have eventually made it in the real world as critically acclaimed artists, both locally and internationally. Some of its past winners include National Artists Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, Jose Joya, Ang Kiukok and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz. This year’s Shell NSAC is currently accepting entries. With the theme “Highlights,” the competition is calling on student-participants to show the world the main highlight of their lives.

For information, visit www.shell.com.ph/shell_art. Students may also inquire with the Fine Arts department or the student affairs office of their respective colleges and universities on how to join the contest.