Mindanaon visual artists in ManilART 10

Mindanao's Pride.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - While cosmopolitan Manila enjoys the reputation of being the Philippines’ arts and culture capital, there are actually thriving art scenes across the archipelago.

Various art communities in Zamboanga, Davao, Cotabato, Butuan and even as far as Sulu are emerging – proof that Mindanao with its melting pot of cultures and people generate expression released in visual arts form. And most often the works of art only get to be appreciated within the island…

But from July 29-August 1, 2010, Mindanaoan visual artists will get to invade Manila through the country’s biggest visual arts fair, ManilART 10 at the Mall of Asia’s SMX Convention Hall 4.

Now on its second year, ManilArt is an initiative of the Bonafide Art Galleries Organization and co-sponsored by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. The sophomore year boasts of 1000 art works by 500 visual artists participated in by 56 of the country’s finest galleries nationwide.

Representing the roster of Mindanaoan artists is Gallery of Davao which is located within the Davao Crocodile Park Complex in the Davao City. It houses talented artists and beautiful artworks from all over Mindanao.

Dr. Abdulmari Asia Imao – Mindanao’s first National Artist - joins the roster of artists. Imao, a native of Sulu province, is exhibiting his 2010 sari-fish series and his trademark sarimanok wood sculptures and a sculptured narra table.

Presidential Medal of Merit awardee Tomas Concepcion who is Marawi born - Italy based artist contributes paintings from his bondage series and a bronze sculpture.

Also included in the line-up are the works of Rameer Tawasil – Sulu’s pride and peace advocate; Davao City’s public artist the very prolific Kublai Ponce-Millan; Davao Del Norte’s Joel Geolamen; Cotabato’s Raymond Malicay; and Anoy Catague from Butuan.

Fullbright scholar and multi-media artist Toym Imao pledges support to the Mindanao booth with two of his artworks. And from the famous Ayala artists family of Davao - Cynthia Ayala Alexander completes the foray.

Multi-Awarded Tausug Holds 5th Solo Art Exhibit in Zamboanga City

Multi-awarded Muslim painter Rameer Tawasil gestures as he leads guests to his 5th Solo Art Exhibit at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University’s Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago in Zamboanga City, Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Dubbed as “Tawasil: In retrospect. Celebrating 20 years in Visual arts, Architecture and Design,” the exhibit also coincided with the celebration of the National Arts Month and the 3rd anniversary of the Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago. Tawasil and Fr Antonio Moreno, the president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, led the opening of the exhibit. (Jung Francisco - Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 24, 2010) – Muslim Tausug painter Rameer Amilasan Tawasil opened Wednesday his 5th Solo Art Exhibit at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in the southern Filipino port city of Zamboanga.

Tawasil, who is famous for his many paintings depicting Islam and Peace, displayed his many works, some date back in the 1980s, at the Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago.

Dubbed as “Tawasil: In retrospect. Celebrating 20 years in Visual arts, Architecture and Design,” the exhibit also coincided with the celebration of the National Arts Month and the 3rd anniversary of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University’s Gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago.

Tawasil and Fr. Antonio Moreno, the president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, led dozens of guests in the opening of the exhibit late Wednesday. It will run until March 27.

“This is an event that every must see. The works of Rameer Tawasil really will inspire us all,” Moreno said.

Tawasil for his part thanked the Ateneo de Zamboanga University for the holding of his art exhibit. “All these works are special to me and I wanted everybody to see the exhibit and I just hope that these works will inspire more people to love arts and spread peace through pieces of arts they make,” he said.

Tawasil was born in the village of Karungdung in the town of Kalinggalan Caluang in Sulu province. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the Western Mindanao State University.

According to the website muslimmindanao.ph which is maintained by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication and initially funded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the multi-awarded Tawasil is best known for using bright, strong, and bold colors in his paintings.

It said the foundation of his art is "okkil” (in Tausug; “okir” in Maranao), a design form indigenous to the Muslim groups in Mindanao as seen in their woodcarvings, brassware, and textiles, among others.

His masterpieces adorn galleries in London and Kuching, Malaysia and private collections in Germany, Korea, the United States and the Philippines.

Tawasil has been involved in more than 30 art group shows in abroad and the Philippines and his local exhibitions have been held at the main gallery of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Vargas Museum in the University of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts Gallery, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and various private galleries, it said.

He has had three past solo exhibits since 2003 in Zamboanga City and the fourth was in Davao City which was sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency.

A recipient of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Award, Tawasil also received the Zamboanga Hermosa Recognition Award, Culture and the Arts Category in 2003. In 2006 he was given the Peace Citation Award by the Peace Advocates Zamboanga for his rendition of the "peace dove" logo which has become a peace campaign symbol locally and globally and has been included in the international collection of peace doves.

Tawasil also organizes art shows and directs musical concerts on his advocacy on peace and the environment. He also conducts art workshops on recycled and environmental art.

He sits as a member of the Zamboanga City Government's Committee on Visual Arts, Council for the Culture and Arts and History. (Jung Francisco contributed to this report.)