NCCA commissions mural on Pasay cemetery wall

MANILA, Philippines - The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has commissioned street artists to paint a mural on a wall of the Pasay City Public Cemetery and Crematorium along Sgt. Mariano street.

The mural – which is nine feet high – will consist of 30 panels, each seven meters long.

The mission given to artists from Cavity Collective (CVTY) of Cavite City is to turn the cemetery wall, where residents throw their garbage, into a work of art.

Vanessa Nicolas, NCCA project coordinator for institutional events, said they intend to bring art closer to the people through the agency’s Arts in Public Spaces program.

“The mural painting, through artistic interpretation, would tell the history of Pasay City and its branding as a ‘Travel City’ since the airports and many bus stations are located in the city. To be seen on the mural are the convention centers in the city such as the SM MOA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex. It would also include the environment and the recent visit of Pope Francis since the first time he set foot in the country was in Pasay City,” she said.

Nicolas added that Pasay Mayor Antonino Calixto would also want the mural to be used for the local government’s anti-drug campaign.

She said that the project is a joint effort of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of the Interior and Local Government, the city government and NCCA.

Nicolas said the NCCA decided to include the families living in nearby barangays as part of the mural painting project. 

“The people in the community will do the cleaning while the children will help in the painting. The CVTY artists will work on the top of the mural, while the children will work at the bottom design,” she added.

The concept for the design was approved by NCCA project director Edgar Fernandez. The agency will shoulder the expenses for the project.

The artists and children will work on the project on weekends from Sept. 8 until Oct. 10, and the mural would be unveiled on Oct. 11.