al-nezzar ali

Silak Galang Arts Exhibit 2011, Glan Sarangani

2011-10-26T00:37:00.000-07:00

Silak Galang-or 'shine Glan' is the first visual arts exhibition in Glan, Sarangani province together with a photo exhibit curated by Jayson Dona-al, a Glan resident...exhibiting artists are Edgar Baunillo, Al Monto, and Gaylord Murcia...the exhibit is under Glan's 12th Lubi-lubi Festival & co-sponsored by Dr. Ruiz, the Festival Director

works of Jayson Dona-al

Edgar Baunillo is creates sculpture...

the exhibition is in the Municipal Hall of Glan...works of Gaylord Murcia and Al Monto

with a photo exhibition..

collection of Dr Ruiz, Jeepney work of jayson dona-al

kandapada gensan artists meets silak galang artists

sold artwork of jayson dona-al

israel oca & mark ty, visual artists from gensan

mark ty, israel oca, jayson dona-al, me, edgar baunillo, & edrick aguirre\

jayson & edgar, sarangni visual artists

Lemlunay Resort & KCAC Meeting 2011

2011-10-26T00:08:00.000-07:00

Artist planting Trees-Tboli Watershed Project 11'

2011-10-25T23:23:00.000-07:00

Alma, Zita, Madam, Fr. Angel & Me at the back..the most tiring and toughest climb I ever made in my life...but once you reach the top, its heaven..and the scenery...thats why ancient people always associated the top of mountains as abodes of the gods...no wonder!

my super besfren going home at the back of a pickup truck...

Why planting trees is important

Tree planting is a very positive action to take for the environment and is one answer to the threat of global warming.

If you are concerned about global warming and your carbon footprint, the most important step you can take is to reduce CO2 emissions. It is not possible to truly 'offset' carbon emissions or become carbon neutral simply by planting trees because:

Burning fossil fuels releases carbon that has been locked away for millions of years, creating a net increase of carbon in the atmosphere. This is creating a rise in the Earth's temperature which is leading to significant climatic change.
It can be years before a newly-planted tree will absorb significant amounts of CO2 - but the burning of fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere immediately, contributing to global warming.

There is also a risk that while 'carbon offsetting' has benefits, it could provide people with an excuse for maintaining a fossil-fuel intensive lifestyle.

So the best thing is to become carbon conscious. Do all you can to reduce your carbon emissions - and plant trees to reduce the impact of emissions that can't be avoided.

While widespread deforestation is releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere, planting trees instead absorbs CO2 - and it also encourages biodiversity and provides habitats for wildlife.

Trees also play an important role in sustainable living. They provide fuel that is virtually carbon-neutral, fruit and nuts for food, timber, shelter for smallholdings and farms and they help prevent soil erosion. There is no doubt that every single tree planted is of real benefit to the planet.

Plant a tree today

Palawan Experience & NCVA Out of Town Meeting 2011

2011-10-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

Meetings in our hotel venue-Hotel Centro

the admirable Hotel Centro and its lights show and the amazing pool...

Casa San Miguel, Puerto Princesa, venue for the Palawan Artists Interaction & Dialogue

the memorable performance of Sir Yuan & the forced Andrew who didnt know what to do or to perform...I called it then as 'stagenap'...

Gypsy's Lair owned by co-member Ms Dinggot Prieto at Casa San Miguel, Puerto Princesa

with Nina & Sir Ferdie

with Chester & Sir Ferdie

Sir Nemie as we embarked in our motorized banca with all our lifejackets..

Dingot Prieto...

Entrance bay going to the Underground River..so pristine and so beautiful....

the Underground River experience: awe, wonder, amazement, fear, thrill, excitement-but most of all the laughter and the entertainment brought by the 'Bankero' and all of his antics and memorized but memorable tag lines...the best tour guide ever.....

approaching the daungan, as we had just finished our tour...

Pinta Okir Workshop 2011: Play with Cubism

2011-10-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Pinta Okir workshop 'Play with Cubism' with the use of Mindanao themes as subjects..headed by Ingrid Juele, as the group president...the members are collection of good art students coming around schools in Gensan like City HS, Trade School, Irineo...with proper guidance and lots of exposures these kids have a long way to go in the visual arts...unless they pursue it...

Works of Braque and picasso are used for studies including my work of the sarimanok in cubism and the work of Israel Oca, an emerging artist from Gensan..

work in study 'Sarimanok in Cubism' 1997, 1.5ftX2ft, Al

Mindanao Summit 2011

2011-10-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

TESDA Mindanao Summit held in KCC Convention Center Region 12 hosted the event and HTC the main host school with Sir Rey Albano, the chair...I directed the 3-day affair with Harry my technical director and the rest of the IT people as staff...

T'nalak Festival 2011 Streetdancing Competition JUDGE

2011-10-25T05:18:00.000-07:00

I'm back as Judge of the South Cotabato T'nalak Festival 2011 together with Douglas Nieras of Powerdance...

3 categories where I judged the Kadsagayan a Lalan-the Moro dances and Madal Be'lan-Lumad dances

streetdancing started in the early morning with judging again in a small showdown atop a truck...

the day was so hottt! julius lagare of teatro ambajanon also was there to judge the lowland category and modern dance at night...

my thanks for the committee for the invites and the gracious accommodation...we had a wonderful time in koronadal...

culturally, the festivals in koronadal are very much ahead compared with gensan, but after holding kalilangan 2011, I found the reason...koronadal invest much of their budget into cultural events and sacrificed much of other activities thats why they can afford to give large prizes with open category for streetdancing...in gensan, there are hundred plus events and activities where streetdancing and other cultural events have minimal budgets and not given much weight...its a one week affair that stretched much of manpower and budget, while in koronadal and same with the others, they poured much of their resources in the last day...

NCVA 1st Meeting 2011

2011-10-25T04:51:00.000-07:00

National Commiittee Visual Arts First Group Meeting NCCA Bldng, Intramuros

NCCA Bldng Entrance Lobby

discussion began...

arts congresses per regions are discussed....

meeting adjourned at 4pm...most attended the opening exhibits of Sir Nemi at Pasig and Art Beauties of Maribel Lopez....me and Dingot went back to hotel coz' she is having a fever...spend the whole afternoon around Robinsons Place Ermita where I bought my Apple Ipad 2 at Digi Hub...

Camp Zabros, Kapatagan-Team Building

2011-10-25T03:36:00.000-07:00

facilitators team building of Y-Telecom with Alma & Tia Cecile

with tia ces....

preparation a night before.....

the team building programme where I am giving a prayer...

team building activities....

NCCA National General Assembly 2011

2011-10-25T03:18:00.000-07:00

The General Assembly of the Sub Committees on the Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts 2011

our table-Committee on Visual Arts with Ryan-CDO & Dennis-Cebu

before the opening ceremony....

CVA Mindanao Bloc

Renan-NCR & Sir Nemi-Angono Rizal

with actress Maria Isabel Lopez

together with maria isabel lopez, actress & visual artist..m her assistant sec...

Manny Montelibano-Bacolod, me & Maribel

rez cortes & robert arevalo on the foreground com on cinema

our mass oath taking...

sir nemi sketching.....

committee on cinema with rez cortes, robert arevalo...

other committees...

chester, andrew-Bulacan, renan & sir val-samar

other committees in the discussion per com...

other committees...

me, renan & sir val....

me & renan-NCR representative

friend bing carino from gensan committee on cultural ed

with joey ayala committee on music with popong landero

joey ayala...

from left standing: val-samar, chester-zamboanga, maribel-NCR, dennis-cebu, dinggot-palawan,ali-gensan, renan-NCR, Seated: Sir Nemi-rizal, Sir Yuan-Isabela, andrew-bulacan & Sir joey-UP ncr

KE Reunion 10',Judge Red Cross Art, HTC

2011-10-25T02:14:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Kabpapagariya Ensemble Reunion then travel the next day to Lake Sebu, sadly umulan ng malakas & zipline was off...

KE Alumni eating dinner at Sarangani Highlands

DISCUSSION WITH HTC GUESTS FROM THE US EMBASSY with Mam Rowena Manansala & Mam Priscilla Marayag

JUDGE IHL & RED CROSS ART COMPETITION

the 5th Annual SUMMER KIDS ART WORKSHOP, Holy Trinity College

NCVA Planning Orientation Cebu 2011

2011-10-25T01:55:00.000-07:00

the NCCA National Committee on Visual Arts Planning and Orientation with Mam Marichu Tellano of NCCA, Sir Ferdie, Nina and Alvin from NCCA

The CVA Exe Coms Members 2011-2013, here with Mam Marichu, Nina, Alvin officers NCCA

Sir Nemi Miranda, CVA President

me standing from left, chester-West Minda, Ryan-North Minda, Maribel Lopez-NCR, Sir Yuan-Luzon, Val-Samar, Renan-NCR, sitting: Manny-Bacolod, Sir Nemi-Angono Rizal, Dennis-Cebu, and Sir Joey-NCR

me, sir nemi, chester and ryan casino from CDO

with Sir Nemi and Chester from Zamboanga

relishing the view of Crown Regency Hotel overlooking Cebu City

5th Kalinawa Exhibit 2011

2011-10-25T01:19:00.000-07:00

the 5th Kalinawa Indigenous Peoples Art Exhibit in Gensan with Kalimudan people, Alma, Zita, Rochel & Bayani with Kalinawa: Madam Raquel and Ms Dhorie

certificate for my curatorial help and concept paper

edgar baunillo from glan

jayson dona-al, glan sarangani province, silak galang artist

KE perfroms Munatoh Fest 2011

2011-10-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

with Kabpapagariya Ensemble performers in the Opening Ceremony of Munato Festival 2011 at the Sarangani Provincial Grounds with Manny Pacquiao as the main speaker-guest...

here it became a pandemonium and quiete a frenzy of people trying to see the boxing legend,,and of course the bootlickers and the ass kissers tagging along the Kamao ng Bayan...how pathetic..advice: if there is a program and Manny Paquiao is around, just dont attend for there would be a distraction to the event...here he left even though the Governor was still giving a speech, of course the majority of the people followed...the program did not end properly because of this...great!

I was invited to be one of the judges for the streetdancing competition in the afternoon together with Kuya Roms...and it rained so hard...blessings!

Summer Institute for Cultural Workers 2011

2011-10-25T00:45:00.000-07:00

Summer Institute for Cultural Workers 2011 the Gensan leg of the tour with Alma Aguja-resource speaker about International Travel Preparations at the compound of the Salazar Estate

my leacture bout art n appropriations, at carinos residence for the Summit Institute Program of Committee on Cultural Education, NCCA..kami nila alma aguja of msu-ke and kuya romy ang last speakers.so kudos sa mga participants n hoping u all live the principles of cultural work in mindanao!

the set of Romeo Narvaez' 'Su Palapa ni Ina' One Act Play performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

Kuya Romy-Romeo Narvaez presenting the introduction of the play..

the award winning performance of friend Pepito, a Maranao actor

Act for Peace Finale,SM Davao Exhibition

2011-10-25T00:14:00.000-07:00

together with Alma and KE performers, we attended the Act for Peace Programme Finale: Exhibitions at SM Davao in the morning where KE opened with performances and the Kanduli Night at Apo View Hotel where our pix in the Arts Bakwit Experience were used in the night's video presentation as one of the Programme's successes! Great Indeed!

a very young Maguindanaon weaver

Benguet & Customary Law Workshop 2010

2011-10-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

Kalilangan 2011: an Experience

2011-10-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

My contribution to the Kalilangan 2011 is the Logo designed by me and Ryan Olaybal-graphic designer, HTC..

I became a member of an exclusive circle known as the Kalilangan 2011 Secretariat

Headed by MSU Chancellor,Atty Abdul Canacan and Madam Mimi Abiera-the Festival Director, Alma Aguja-Assistant Director & Events Over All In Charge, Mam Nora, Fwen Zita, Besfren Vasma, Sir Toto, Pretty Carla..

I was designated as Cultural Manager and spokesperson with all those interviews..

the usual ambush interviews together with the Festival Director, Madam Mimi Abiera

the most controversial poster design that clashed egos, pride, willpower...created disputes, arguments and tears...a test of utmost humility and understanding and flexibility and friendships...and a bitter lesson of the difference between working professionally versus working with friends...and often I go to the later...it also a clash between working personally versus a collective work-problem? whose given the proper credit...indeed a memorable poster and art experience...

the kalilangan experience for me was the most toughest, challenging, tiring, exhausting, energy sapping both mentally and physically in all my events combined, but it was also the largest source of learning for me and a test one's limitation in terms of thinking and beating the deadlines...it was scary and heart pounding...but surely it defined my self principle: the greatest measurement of one's life is not from position,fame,wealth,money,love,family-but one's ability to overcome every challenge that comes along...but my strength in this experience came from the members of the secretariat-Mam Mimi, Mam Nora, Carla,Zita, Vasma...and most especially to my best friend for life: Alma 'mamang'-our powerful tandem that made things possible...at first, working with MSU people is quiet intimidating and you will feel inferior, but when the time I began working with them they were supportive even with an extra doses of parental guidance and advises...so love them! but there are also with towering egos that working with them simply means a usual breakdown and meltdown...but they are still admirable to an extent! It not so easy to handle festival and this grandiose event with hundred events with in it to handle...but in totally, it is just a matter of flexibility, understanding and lots and lots of patience...the greatest virtue I understand...be tough sometimes, be compromising, be true, think fast, beat the deadlines, dont work with a big ego and always be humble all the time...all of these I had learned from the last Kalilangan Fest where I became part and parcel...I am so thankful for the Chancellor and Madam Mimi for the trusts like accepting and using the concept design I made, for writing articles for newspapers, for the interviews on their behalf, thank you po sa inyo! Mam Nora,for the advises, Carla for the food and sharing wanton moments...Charina fren for the close friendship, Zita for the true friendship..love you Zit..to my iyaan, Vasming..for the best moments and a real kamaganak..love you ya...and to my best friend. my wind beneath my arms and the one responsible why I am part of the festival...siya po ang may kasalanan,hahaha...maraming salamat kaibigan kung mahal...basta ikaw nandyan ako kahit anung mangyari!love you Alma mamang dear!!...Congratulations everyone, kudos for winning as the Best Tourism Event Cultural Category 2011..our efforts are rewarded and all the doubts around redeemed!

Active Vista Film Festival 2010: Bunso

2011-10-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

friend Alma with Ditsi Carolino, the director of the film docu "Bunso"

outing at Sarangani Highlands

faculty from Holy Trinity College & their students

ARTS BAKWIT 2010: Maguindanao, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Kabuntalan

2011-10-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

the side trips: maria cristina falls, iligan, maasim beace cove & zipline lake sebu...

GUINDOLONGAN, MAGUINDANAO

DATU PIANG, MAGUINDANAO

KOLAMBOGAN, LANAO DEL NORTE

STA CRUZ MAIGO, LANAO DEL NORTE

BALIKI, MIDSAYAP, NORTH COTABATO

DUMANTO, NORTH KABUNTALAN

ARTS BAKWIT 2010: Gasi & Pananag SARANGANI PROVINCE

2011-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

GASI, MAASIM, SARANGANI PROVINCE

PANANAG, KIAMBA, SARANGANI

GASI, TBOLI COMMUNITY

PEACE ARTS for BAKWITS 2010: A MINDANAO TOUR

2010-09-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

VISUAL ARTS COMPONENT: PEACE TILES IN MOUNTED COLLAGE

THEATER COMPONENT: 'OLI IMPAN'-MSU KABPAPAGARIYA ENSEMBLE

KALIMUDAN CULTURE & ARTS CENTRE

ACT FOR PEACE

ALMA AGUJA-PROJECT COORDINATOR

AL-NEZZAR ALI-VISUAL ARTS FACILITATOR

W/ PINTA OKIR & KEVIN MERCADO

SARANGANI-LANAO-MAGUINDANAO-NORTH COTABATO

OCTOBER 9-26, 2010

The workshop will accommodate both the creative (artistic) and cross-cultural components. They are designed for children or teens but can also accommodate adults that belong to the Internally Displaced Persons or IDP. This workshop is designed for children, the youth and adults that will benefit greatly by improving their own knowledge of themselves, cultural competence and perceptions of community building and other issues that would lead to peace making and will attempt to alleviate their present situations through creative art workshops. Learning will become part of the fun!

Our main objective is to engage both children and adults in refugee communities in visual arts as a creative form drawn from their own creativity. These activities provide local peace advocate institutions with tools to help refugee communities recover from the trauma, terror and dislocation of war.

Art making among the refugees helps rebuild individual and community identity.

The use of art is the product of the belief in its empowering value, especially in an atmosphere where there is a clear lack of a healthy and nurturing environment for the children of the camps. The strongest realization is the power of art and expression through it. The children who used various means, be it theater, literature or art, to create a dimension for themselves, a sort of ‘safe space’ where they may comfortably express the realities they live in.

This workshop will also facilitate the process of sharing of experiences by encouraging collaborative reflection by way of inter-community artistic exchanges and documentation of experiences.

PEACE COLUMNS WORKSHOP SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, MIDSAYAP,SEPT 24-26, 2010

2010-09-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

OKIL in ABSTRACTION WORKSHOP: PINTA OKIR GROUP, MSU GENSAN, SEPT 10-11, 2010

2010-09-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

Pinta Okir members Mindanao State University, Gensan

Exhibition of the works Sept 13-18, 2010 Mindanao State University Foundation Anniversary 2010 together with the works of Edrick Aguirre and Julius Seniego-Gensan professional artists

PROJECT TITLE: OKIL & CONTEMPORARY ART:

A DIALOGUE IN ABSTRACTION

A WORKSHOP BY AL-NEZZAR ALI, OKIL VISUAL ARTIST & SCHOLAR

In 1974 the Design Center of the Philippines and the National Museum launched the program “Okir: The Research and Development Committee on the Philippine Ethnographic Arts and Crafts” to answer the need for a total, integrated approach to the study and application of traditional designs that stressed on its importance in terms of their historical and cultural value, as well as their economic potential in their applied forms.

While in 1974, the Design Center of the Philippines and the National Museum launched the program “Okir: The Research and Development Committee on Philippine Ethnographic Arts and Crafts” to answer the need for a total, integrated approach to the study and application of traditional art designs and crafts, this program, which had covered research into 120 Philippine ethnic groups, stressed the importance of these native arts “for their historical and cultural value, as well as their economic potential in their applied forms. Many artists had sought to apply this new form and the trend in ethnic art flourished and many of them advanced the aim of presenting to the urban public through art the cause of the ethnic minorities. But at the end what it showed rather was the disparity in values between the urban and ethnic folk.

This failed attempt was to inspire Abdulmari Imao to fuse the rich legacy of his culture and used okir as theme in his work, thereby producing a modern application of the okir design. His works have subsequently inspired countless others in the pursuit of this technique. As to borrow from his words, that today, okir designs have reached all parts of the world and lives in the modern visual art forms adapted by contemporary Filipino artists. He stressed that to use the design one must ensure the simplicity of adaptation and revitalized studies of the orthodox antique style in modern idiom.

Modern Buildings

Most buildings in Mindanao especially in cities with predominantly Muslim or historically Islamized, have incorporated okir motif in the architectural design of these edifices but mostly as a decorative façade. Some attempted to really incorporate the design to the structure but the resulting design lacks the emotive power of the motif. And most of these designs are just product of impression rather than a thorough study of the design. There is no attempt of the designer to either present the original nuances of the motif or to make it more modern in interpretation. However, there are a few buildings that acquired both the presentation of the antique element of the okir art and its modern manifestation.

Visual Arts

In the visual arts, Imao is the first Moro artist to have used the motif in his exploration of his art. His cubistic styled sarimanok are his first works that brought him into prominence in the Philippine contemporary visual arts. There are non-Moro artists who have experimented in their styles the used of the motif in either in impressionistic or abstract genres. At present, contemporary artists like Saudi Ahmad, Rameer Tawasil and our very own from Gensan, Al-Nezzar Ali, has used extensively their knowledge of okir art into the development of their visual arts by incorporating the design in most of their works.

Ali ‘s used of extensive okil inspired technique is culled from the usual Moro decorative arts or bunya-bunyan, that his paintings are having the same effect of these decorative materials used in festive occasions. As okir designs are ever present on these decorative materials, so as his works, but with contemporary in approach by incorporating figurative images that breaks away with the traditional non-representation of life forms in Muslim art. This style has given another twist to the use of okir art in the modern context putting it once again its value of prominence as a design in art. The okir design on these paintings is decorative in its purpose complementing with the figurative images that evoke a deep meaning and cultural significance.

Therefore, one is then led to the question of why there seems to be much vitality and exuberance in the OKIR artform. An attempt to answer this question will lead us to examine further some aspects of the artistic personality of the Moro people and learn from their contributions. In the process, this recognition might bridge the gap.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Okir or Okkil (the difference being that Okir is a Maranao pronunciation while Okkil is Maguindanaon), is one of these traditional designs that comes from an old Malayan word that has the same derivative meaning as the Tagalog word "ukit" which means to carve. It refers to carving and consequently as to any type of design prominent among the Moro ethno-linguistic communities.

Imao affirms that okir, or okkir, okkil literally means to carve with the same derivative meaning to the Tagalog word ukit, meaning also is-to carve. Probably in Malayu, the same meaning occurs.

However, in due course, the word is no longer confined to carving and woodwork but became a term suggesting the whole repertoire of local designs and motifs prevalent as artistic production among the Moro people.

From the Indian influences of the prominent naga motif and the stylized bird-like motif up to the Islamic art form where it introduced the elaborate used of flowing flowers and crawling vine designs and the complex geometric patterns, these influences among the local artisans and the impact of the new patterns gave way to the evolution and development of the now known OKIR MOTIF.

‘Okil and Contemporary Art: A Dialogue in Abstraction’ aims to bring to the fore the very nuances of this traditional design and come up with a better understanding of its roots, major influences in the course of its development, its relationship with the community who uses it and its output both traditional and contemporary.

A step-by-step study of the forms and elements of the Okil Art and a survey on its traditional application on objects and material culture will also be explored.

The workshop will establish the okil art legacy as a significant, unique and truly original Mindanao art design that is of great source of inspiration to many artists in the development of their contemporary art styles and techniques in the visual arts.

In the process, it is expected that most of the outputs are into abstraction where a traditional art design can be fused and become the central focal points of art making in a contemporary technique and style.

This style is a dialogue between ancient pattern and the modernist concept of minimalism and abstraction. Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world Abstract art, nonfigurative art, nonobjective art, and nonrepresentational art are loosely related terms. They are similar, although perhaps not of identical meaning abstraction indicates a departure from reality in depiction of imagery in art. This departure from accurate representation can be only slight, or it can be partial, or it can be complete.

Abstraction exists along a continuum. Even art that aims for verisimilitude of the highest degree can be said to be abstract, at least theoretically, since perfect representation is likely to be exceedingly elusive. Artwork which takes liberties, altering for instance color and form in ways that are conspicuous, can be said to be partially abstract. Total abstraction bears no trace of any reference to anything recognizable. In geometric abstraction, for instance, one is unlikely to find references to naturalistic entities. Figurative art and total abstraction are almost mutually exclusive. But figurative and representational (or realistic) art often contains partial abstraction.

Both Geometric abstraction and Lyrical Abstraction are often totally abstract. Among the very numerous art movements that embody partial abstraction would be for instance fauvism in which color is conspicuously and deliberately altered vis-a-vis reality, and cubism, which blatantly alters the forms of the real life entities depicted.

SUBAY ART EXHIBIT OPENING, SM CEBU, SEPT 3, 2010

2010-09-14T08:41:00.001-07:00

The Subay Art Exhibit opening in SM Cebu

Cebu Visual Artists

French artist with Miling Abuga-a