Tam-Awan artist Art Lozano poses before his ‘Journey’ creatio
Baguio City’s Tam-awan Village Artists (TVA) gather over 30 masterpieces for their first all-rubber art group show dubbed “Rubber Cuts,” on view at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) Gallery until August 31.
Rubber Cuts exhibit is a colletion of several artists’ interpretation of culture, struggle and surroundings. Jordan Mang-osan, solar painter and Chanum Foundation president, leads the TVA Artists along with 15 other artists comprised of Art Lozano, Edwin Macadaeg, Patric Palasi, Ged Alangui, Tara Lalaine Natividad, Randy Nimer, Clinton Aniversario, Marlyn Delazo Bulayo, Lily Castillo, Alfonso and Alfred Dato, Jen Lorenzo, Herwin Buccat, Gretta Apolinar and Rodrigo John Sanches.
With the popularization of the art of print making in the 60s, Mang-osan noted the importance of rubber cut. “Ang rubber cut ay isang klase ng print making. ‘Yong rubber cut ‘yong pinakauna, isa ring pinaka-old school na kind of print making” Mang-osan said.
Although rubber cut works are initially made for print-making, most of the materials exhibited are already mounted for display.
The artworks are mostly made out flat rubber sheets carved in relief and sometimes, according to Mang-osan, of mud guards or tapalodo, used to prevent mud splashes in cars.
One of Mang-osan’s works is a tribute to the local Kalinga hero, Macli-ing Dulag, a pangat or village leader who relentlessly struggled against the World Bank-funded Chico Dam project during the Marcos regime. Other symbols of Igorot culture like the lingling-o, the bul’ol, the Ifugao hut and the various sceneries and mountainous terrains of the Cordilleras are evident in the art works.
In the hope to inspire the next generation, the TVA team under Chanum Foundationteaches arts to children through various workshops conducted all over the country. According to Mimi Santos, head of the NCCA Gallery curatorial team, aside from the exhibit, there will be a solar-painting workshop to be held at the NCCA on August 27.
NCCA Gallery is located at the ground floor of the NCCA Bldg. at 633 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros Manila. For inquiries, call 527-2192 local 308, or e-mail nccagallery09@gmail.com.
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