Draft punk
Consider this wish list a hypothetical rethink of how we really want to sell ourselves to the world. An online project by cross-disciplinary artist Mark Salvatus, “Neo-Urban Planner” dares armchair analysts and wannabe landscape engineers to “share their own ideas on what they can do to make their cities a nice place to live in.”
Having grown up in laid-back Lucban, Quezon, Mark was initially overwhelmed by the chaos of Manila. A decade of living in the extra-frenetic capital, however, has led to a shift in perception. The metropolis now serves as his muse for his different art projects. W.O.P., or Wednesdays I’m-in-love Open Platform, is one of them.
“W.O.P revolves around urbanism and urban culture, and how artists, creatives, and ordinary people see their city,” he says of the ongoing residency program at Green Papaya Art Projects in Quezon City. “For Neo-Urban Planner, I ask people what they would do if they were tasked to take over the MMDA and make a new urban plan. It can be simple or utopian. I want them to grab their cameras, roam the city, and see what improvements they can make within the urban context.”
Now Gussied Up In Pink
So far, Mark — who also happens to be the co-founder of Pilipinas Street Plan, a community of local street and graffiti artists — claims that the response has been encouraging. “A lot of people are interested in sharing their ideas and I’ve already received some e-mails.” Like a show and tell crossed with a town hall meeting, the proposals will be presented at W.O.P. by those who dreamed them up.
On the one hand, our beloved Philippines has cultivated that pricey commodity, character, after having been managed by a succession of bosses — the Spanish, Japanese, and Americans — at different points. On the other and slightly more downbeat side, small-minded government officials have chosen to view these centuries of colonization with disdain instead of capitalizing on them. The result? Inconsistently designed cities that wow one moment then send children running to their mothers the next. With its rich architectural history now gussied up in pink, Manila, in particular, is a hot mess.
It was precisely because of that that Mark chose to start this little scheme. “I can’t compare Manila to any other city in the world. It has its own charm and flaws — it is very unique. Artists are visionaries and I wanted to share my vision of Manila with the community.”
‘Real plants, please’
When asked for his own initial list of solutions to make Manila over, the young mastermind volunteered everything from footbridges/overpass with some hanging plants — “Real plants, please!” — to sculptures in public spaces. “The underpass could be a great changing site where young artists can exhibit for free!” With a very open mind and a sense of humor, he also proposes “street art on vacant or ugly walls” and even “graphic tarpaulins to give to pedicab drivers, pang trapal,” a moving exhibition of sorts.
These suggestions, along with the corresponding photos, will be used in a future exhibit. Mark sees Neo-Urban Planner as a way to gather new perspectives about the environment in which we move. He hopes the submissions will act as ideas in developing — or redeveloping — our cities. “Designing a layout based on our needs is one way of helping our lawmakers and government institutions. Enough of waiting sheds with names of politicians,” he laughs.
And since we’re in such a sharing mood, I’d also like to throw my two cents into the pot. First, I’d really like the local government to build around the great stuff Manila already has — our Spanish churches, pre- and post-war buildings, and ethnic districts — instead of tearing them all down. We need to decongest the city to let these architectural gems breathe and play against each other.
Next, I’d really prefer it if all power lines were buried underground. Along with billboards, tangled power lines are de facto urban eyesores; embedding them would instantly refresh our surroundings. While we’re at it, why don’t we shake up the train system, too? Not only could Manila use newer trains that can accommodate more passengers; we’re also in need of more high-speed routes to make the urban sprawl more accessible to commuters. By linking more parts of the city by rail, there will be less of a need for cars, buses and jeepneys, which can then be controlled and standardized.
Last, I really want to see the Pasig River all cleaned up. It would be awesome to see it thriving again, with tourists either going up and down its length in ferries or taking a stroll around the hotels, restaurants, shops, parks, and museums that would eventually line it.
A product of heart-in-mouth adrenalin, this dream scenario already exists in my mind. No doubt, it also does in Mark Salvatus’ imagination. Whether we make this all happen in real life is another issue. Then again, who knows?
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E-mail your ideas to markrams@yahoo.com with the subject “Neo-Urban Plan.” For more details, check out neourbanplanner.blogspot.com or marksalvatus.blogspot.com.
Green Papaya Art Projects is located at 41-B T. Gener St. corner Kamuning Road, Quezon City. For inquiries, call 0918 9457387, log on to www.greenpapayaartpojects.org.
