Promoting Filipino excellence in the arts
Staying true to its commitment of cultivating a culture of excellence in the fields of painting, sculpture, architecture and interior design, the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE) presented its 2011 winners during the awarding ceremonies and exhibit opening held at Le Pavilion. The grand prize winners are Jericho Valjusto Vamenta (painting), Jonathan Dangue (sculpture), Oscar J. Peñasales (architecture) and Angelo Venci del Mundo (interior design). Priscillano “Jun” Vicaldo received the Metrobank Prize for Achievement in Sculpture. Joining Metrobank chairman, Dr. Antonio Abacan, Jr and Metrobank Foundation, Inc. president Chito Sobrepeña in giving recognition to the winners were a vibrant mix of artists, art patrons, business and government leaders, diplomats, and society mavens including Federal Land president Alfred Ty and Japanese ambassador Toshinao Urabe.
Representatives of the Zero In consortium: Ayala Museum’s Ditas Samson, Museo Pambata president Nina Lim-Yuson, Bahay Tsinoy’s Meah See, Ateneo Art Gallery’s Ramon Lerma, Lopez Museum’s Mercedes Lopez-Vargas and curatorial consultant Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez, Museo Pambata’s Maricel Montero and Joseph de Vera, with Ateneo Art Gallery’s Yael Buencamino-Borromeo ‘Zero In’ at the Mall
Breaking barriers by literally bringing art closer to the public through a mall exhibit was the “Open Call” art festival, the 10th anniversary offering of Zero In, an annual project of five of Manila’s highly-regarded private museums. The SM Mall of Asia was transformed into a dynamic space featuring items from the five participating museums: images from the manga exhibit of Ayala Museum, a painting reminiscent of Pacita Abad’s work for Bahay Tsinoy, a TV and tablet computer for the Ateneo Art Gallery, a kulintang and costume from Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group for Museo Pambata and, from the Lopez Museum, a speaker which echoed the sound produced by benches that had been wired by artists to sound off. Museum representatives — Mercedes Lopez-Vargas, Wilma Zapata, Meah See, Ramon Lerma and Nina Lim-Yuson — together with SM Premier Malls vice president Steven Tan were on hand to kick off the festival.
Fil-Am tenor in homecoming concerts
Sal Malaki World-class US-based operatic tenor Sal Malaki is set to perform in a series of concerts billed as “Christmas Showers of Grace” with Tricia Amper-Jimenez as guest soprano and a six-piece string ensemble as accompaniment. Performances are scheduled on Dec. 2 at Cebu International Convention, Dec. 4 at Bohol Cultural Center and, on Dec. 11, at 8 p.m. gala with a 3 p.m. matinee at the Star Theater, MBC bldg. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex in Pasay City.
The concert series is for the benefit of the Oblate Sisters of the Most Holy Redeemer. Sal holds the distinction of being the only Filipino-American member in both the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Los Angeles Opera Company under the general direction of world-renowned tenor and conductor, maestro Placido Domingo. A flute and voice major, Sal was once a member of the world-famous UP Madrigal Singers.
