13 Artists awardees

The Cultural Center of the Philippines has been a pillar of artistry and creativity in the Philippines, showcasing various performances and exhibits from different art disciplines and supporting aspiring as well as established artists, poets, playwrights, choreographers, composers, visual artists, and independent filmmakers.

This year, as part of its 40th anniversary, CCP converges six of its edgiest art festivals such as WordJam, Virgin Labfest, Wifibody Independent Contemporary Dance, 13 Artist Awards, Musik Underkonstruktion, and Cinemalaya into one banner, dubbed Brave New Works 2009.

Brave New Works celebrates the deluge of provocative and groundbreaking new works through productions in poetry-in-performance, modern theater, contemporary dance, new symphonic music, paintings, sculptures, installations, multimedia and digital feature films.

The art festival kicked off with WordJam last June 10 with “Bukambibig: Oral Tradition,” featuring Lourd de Veyra and Radioactive Sago Project expanding their unique brand of poetics. It was followed by “Angal at Atungal” which featured protest poetry last June 24.

Poets such as J. Neil Garcia and Aida Santos performed prosaic pieces on love, homosexuality, and its variations in a program, entitled “Karinyo,” last July 1, at the Barbaribas Bar by the Sea. WordJam ends with “Boses Bata,” poetry for children, on July 6.

Virgin Labfest will present untried, untested, and unstaged theater works, and was highlighted by the recent launching of anthology book “Best of the Virgin Labfest Plays.”

Theater stalwart Rogelio Braga, who was acknowledged for his critically-acclaimed work “Ang Bayot, Ang Meranao…,” comes back on stage with his dramatic treatise on the life of a Bangsa Moro freedom fighter, entitled “So Sangibo A Ranon Na Piyatay o Satiman A Tadman” (A Thousand Memories is Killed by a Single Misdeed).

Also, “Ang Kalungkutan ng Reyna” by Floy Quintos returns after bagging top prizes at the Palanca Literary Competition and the 1st Buhay Industry Awards.

Last June 25, Wifibody Contemporary Dance commenced with a live performance installation by multimedia artist Tad Ermitano where he united two art disciplines (dance and art/ computer programming) in “Kina Kambal.”

Choreographer Alden Lugnasin put together new dance routines performed by Davao-based Agnes Locsin Dance Workshop dance members.

Upcoming and aspiring visual artists will be honored in 13 Artists Awards on July 9, simultaneous with the opening of an art exhibit showcasing original artworks.

In Musik Underkonstruktion, which is slated on July 15, Josefino Chino Toledo taps into the wild energy and rhythms of the quotidian in “Ekontra Kongruo Iuonktum” piano concerto. This music festival will feature six original symphonic compositions, which will be played by approximately 80 classical instrumentalists.

Cinemalaya, the festival that produced critically-acclaimed “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros,” will showcase yet again groundbreaking features from independent and breakthrough filmmakers. The film festival will run from July 17 to 26.

All shows, screenings, and exhibits will happen on various CCP theaters, galleries, corridors, found spaces, and partner establishments.