The most anticipated Art Exhibit of sophomores of the Art Appreciation Class took place in the grounds of Cantabo Canticum Novum Mini Theatre on the 24th of October. With the theme, โExpressing Oneself through Creativity and Artistry,โ the event had waited for students such as yourself to feast on the artistic talents and the clever masterpieces each one exuded.
The event formally commenced at 9:00 AM in the bustling morning of Saint Joseph College. Welcome Remarks were delivered by the dayโs Emcees, Mr. Edeson Custinar and Ms. Jherymae Vilada. The opening prayer was led by Ms. Loujille R. Soriano, promptly followed by the singing of the National Anthem and the Saint Joseph Hymn by the SJC Chorale altogether.
The opening message was spoken by Mr. Riegel Allen Sandigan, the class instructor of Section A, who gave the students a pleasant welcome to begin this annual celebration of arts and crafts with hearts of hope and pairs of dissecting eyesโthe same hearts and pairs of eyes to critically examine what art really means to an individual, despite the collective judgement of a flock.
The first part was the performances where dancing groups flaunted their way to the stage, some unveiling hidden talents that only a few that have had unlocked their trust had known. Some dancing performances were conspicuously known to us that nonetheless have never failed to keep the students by the edge of their seats. The popular ones were hip-hop dancing which were jarring on their own, but there were distinctions such as the interpretative dancing that defied the parallelism of the many and the ballroom dancing that hooked the audience through movements in harmony to flowing music.
Before part one had come to a close, Mr. Ferdinand Garvez took the microphone and stood in front of the lectern, equipped with the wisdom through personal experiences that he would love to share with the audience. He emphasized the need to bring back the essence of historical heritage that was replaced by the industrial infrastructure. He mentioned that in local areas, here in Maasin for instance, art should be showcased in museums for the curious eyes to visit and give appreciation.
Part two was the Talk Show, hosted by Ms. Nykisha Tadena and Ms. Kneezjell Gaviola. They walked down to the sea of crowd, asking them compelling queries that would make one question, โwhat does art really mean and how does it matter as art makers?โ
After that bit, a short drama was exhibited for the audience to scrutinize the flow of its theme in their own versions of interpretation. The short roleplay displayed two families of contradicting societal standingโthe rich and the poor. It was a comical watch, from their cacophonous exchange of banters to their exaggerating facial expressions, yet it precisely accentuated how it could be a grave situation in the real worldโwhere the rich, in a nutshell, put blind accusations on the poor for stealing their spirit of food after the poor whiffed its smell. At the end of the drama, they were accused of stealing the poorโs money when they heard the clinking of coins. The ending was an epitome of the saying: โto have a taste of your own medicine,โ which perfectly served its purpose in the drama.
Mr. Edgarino Tabinas then provided the listening ears his piece of Inspirational Message. One could tell how he had reached the peak of his expertise, and stayed there unwaveringlyโhim being an excellent adviser as well as a speaker of eloquence. To summate his words of inspiration, he mentioned that: โthere is always someone better than you are. Do not compete with them. Work with them,โ which was spoken with profound truthโhaving seen a person you are intimidated by, see how their brain works and abide by the laws of what makes them unique and well-performing.
The closing remarks were spoken by Mr. Dionisio Gayo, a genuinely talented artist, a visionary, one might say, who had found his comforts through a swamp of teaching loads. He expressed his gratefulness to the students for their attending and for making the event possible.
After finishing lunch, students were now given the time of their lives to freely roam around, explore, and relish the masterpieces each maker had madeโfrom the visual arts with dark themes and flower-oriented ones, the quilling arts, to the literary works all displayed to be feasted on.
Now, if you ask me, as an art maker, what is art? It is the willingness of showing your most vulnerable side to the massโlike opening a door full of emotions from the other side, waiting for someone to come in and interpret in their own way the things that youโve tried to express through a medium that youโre most comfortable with.
This time, I give you the turn to answer the same question. What does art mean to you as an art maker?
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Words: Maria Contesa Ronariese Rufin | The Josephinian
Photos: Blessa Joyce Padecio | The Josephinian Integrated Media
