Cultural Center Of The Philippines | Rajo's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘cultural center of the philippines’

PASINAYA!

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

This weekend was really all about enriching myself with the arts! After our super successful ACCP Art Auction, I went to see and experience the PASINAYA!

The PASINAYA is the open house festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). It is a one day full affair that celebrates and opens the cultural calendar for the year. It is open to the public and you can make a donation to the CCP.

The weather that day was wonderful! The sun was out and the breeze was strong; a really excellent way to spend a Sunday!

Bright colorful ribbons decorated the entrance of the CCP, it lent itself to a fiesta feel to the event.

Bright colorful ribbons decorated the entrance of the CCP; it lent a fiesta feel to the event.

I loved their slogan that day. ”SEE ALL YOU CAN PAY WHAT YOU CAN!

Loving this slogan! I wish the CCP could have the PASINAYA twice a year!

Leica came with me and I had to make her pose with the streamers! She is such an AMAZON I tell you as earlier that day she ran a 42K marathon! Jeesh! I was like you can still come out after that? I would have DIED!

It was a really special experience. I tried to see as much as I can but I highlighted what I wanted to see. Like the Madrigal singers, the BAKAS exhibit, and the Virgin Labfest excerpt from Ang huling lektyur ni Misis Reyes.

Outside the Nicanor Abelardo lobby you could watch several dance troupes perform. I believe this one was the Lahing Kayumanggi Laguna dance troupe.

I could not dare miss the Madrigal Singers perform that day. They performed numbers requested on their website. It was RIOT I tell you! I could not imagine how they could sing Noboby-Nobody But You with such elan and elegance! I detest that song but the Madz made it passable! LOL! They are the best chamber singers we have in the land!

I could not dare miss the Madrigal Singers perform that day. They performed song numbers requested on their website. It was RIOT, I tell you! I could not imagine how they could sing "Noboby-Nobody But You" with such elan and elegance! I detest that song but the Madz made it passable! LOL! They are the best chamber singers we have in the land!

The main lobby also had dancers performing the whole day from 8am to closing time! The whole CCP was alive that day and it felt so wonderful just being there.

The PASINAYA is on its 10th year and I try not to miss it each year, as the energy you experience is really invigorating! I love the fact that there were so many young people present making me feel that the arts is really appreciated by the youth!

A full house indeed!

Costumes were in full display. This one I believe is from the Ramon Obusan collection.

Costumes were on display. This one I believe is from the Ramon Obusan collection.

We then proceeded to the Bulwagang Juan Luna where they had the BAKAS exhibit. An exhibition showing 40 years of work by the Print-makers Association of the Philippines!

I loved this! Mona Lisa with the Panuelo and Kamisa!

This one really moved me! I want to make this into a print for my clothes.

A close up of an Olazo print that moved me.

The BAKAS exhibit is still ongoing till a few more days so please come and catch it.

An early print by JOYA. The date says 1958, which was the year he was a grantee of the ACCP! He was one of the first grantees from the Philippines!

Then we went to see some student art projects from the 2009 PAEA children's exhibit.

I want this one really bad! I am reserving this na! It is made by the students of Xavier. They were all done by 8-year olds!

Close up shots! It is so inspiring!

I took a person beside it for scale!

I really really really really really want this one!

More student art work! Impressive, no?

More work from the students! This is so cool!

Then we went to see the Labfest excerpt at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute. An excerpt from the play "Ang Huling Lektyur ni Misis Reyes."

The character Misis Reyes was so good. I had a teacher like her in High School! I mean she got it down 100%, from the hair-do all the way to the pant suit! The excerpt was really amusing!

Do come and visit the CCP when you have the chance. It will not only open your mind but your heart and sould as well!

HUGS!

RAJO!

Tags: Ang Huling Lektyur ni Misis Reyes, cultural center of the philippines, leica carpo, Madrigal Singers, Pasinaya, Ramon Obusan
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Imeldific!

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

Last night, I went to an event at the CCP. It was a tribute to Mrs. Imelda Marcos! The event was called “7 Arts One Imelda“. We were advised to come early, as the traffic was horrendous and the rain was pouring like you would not believe it. As we went up the ramp of the CCP, a group of demonstrators greeted us. I was worried at first, but thankfully, it was a peaceful demonstration.

The beautiful one emerged from the upstairs lobby! She really has a presence! Love her shoulder pad shape!

She was in such a good mood. Now, she is what you can call an ICON!

I was there to support the Arts. You can say many things about Mrs. Marcos, but if there is one thing that she really cultivated in the Philippines during their regime, it was the promotion of Philippine Art and Culture. I was not allowed to bring my camera, so I felt really bad because I could not blog about it. Good thing Henri Calayag was sneaking his in, so these are his photos.

The show was the most SOSYAL variety show that I have ever seen! LOL! The program included notable Sopranos, Prima Ballerinas, Violinists and the like. I was so thrilled to be there, as these kind of events are very rare. I was actually amused at my calendar, because one night I am staring at barely dressed men and the next I am enjoying an evening of classical music and opera! LOL!

My gang decided to take a photo withe her. Lets play a game? If your a real observer of Philippine fashion who am I with?

My gang decided to take a photo withe her. Lets play a game? If you're a real observer of Philippine fashion, who am I with?

My date for the evening was my dear friend Patrice! She is so busy now, as she in charge of the entourage of Mar & Korina's wedding!

The second act was a bit strange for me, as it was a piece called “Imelda- Muse & Madness!” It was a cast of 300 or more performers. With several choirs & chorals, dancers, singers and even a segment filled with Imelda’s signature ternos, all being orchestrated with the baton of Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. Honestly, I found the whole second act disjointed and indulgent. Madness talaga!

A cast of thousands! LOL!

A true patroness of the arts! You have to give this one to her! She built the CCP, right?!

All in all, it was an amusing evening. I was really too young to remember the glory days of the Marcoses, so this is the closest thing I will ever experience to the IMELDIFIC life. Thank you so much to Pepito Albert for inviting me!
HUGS!

RAJO!

Tags: cultural center of the philippines, Fashion Insider, Imelda Marcos, Philippine art, Philippine culture, rajo laurel
Posted in Fashion Insider | 5 Comments »

Culture Vulture!

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

I love productive days! I also love culture! Most of all, I love SURPRISES! Imagine combining all of this on a super sunny day at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. This equals JOY! I mean, you all really must come over to the CCP! I find myself telling myself that I have to pay CCP a visit, as each time I come here I end up having the most fascinating time.

Take today for example. I was scheduled to have a pictorial here today for the FACE OFF fashion show. I came in a bit early, so I wandered off a bit and stumbled on the “Looking for Juan” exhibit. I loved the exhibition but the paintings were not labeled, so I had no idea who painted them. From the title of the show, I think it’s a quest to find identity and to find some answers to who we are as a people. I enjoyed the show tremendously and I took some photos. The show is going to be running till June 12, so come over and be inspired by how talented our young artists are. You can check out its website: lookingforjuan.com for more information.

Then the pictorial took place and our photographer took us right up on stage at the main theater. I have never been up on that stage before, and it was a really surreal experience that I broke into song and channeled my inner Lea Salonga! LOL! The main theater is really fabulous! I went up close to the gigantic HR Ocampo and I was surprised to find out that it was a tapestry. All these years I thought that it was a painting or a print. I just felt so fortunate to be that close to a really moving piece of art. Then we had a photo taken at this amazing brass wall sculpture by Manansala. I loved the shapes that he created, it was inspiring. Finally we took two shots with the building designed by the genius Leandro Locsin. I have always loved the CCP as it always looked magical to me. Like a slab of rock floating on air.

The weather was just divine! After all the rain, it nice to have loads of sun!

I want this sculpture. I am guessing that it is by Arturo Luz. I may be wrong.

Some photos form our photo shoot! The Face-off show is scheduled around the 3rd week of June.

POSERS ALL! LOL!

With Randy and Rhett in front of the beautiful wall sculpture by Manansala.

Rhett and Randy up close to the HR. Ocampo tapestry

Rhett and Randy up close with the HR. Ocampo tapestry

I love this photo: it was such a special experience being on that stage. It was really exhilarating! (We're like the three little pigs! LOL!)

The CCP's main theater! I was really lucky to have been able to bring my camera, as in most cases, cameras are not allowed in the theater.

The HR. Ocampo which I originally thought was a painting, but when I got closer, it was actually a gigantic tapestry.

The HR. Ocampo: I originally thought was a painting, but when I got closer, it was actually a gigantic tapestry.

I fell in love with this brass sculpture by Manansala.

Above the main lobby was the "Looking for Juan" exhibition. There were several awesome paintings on display. What I love about it was that most of the paintings were of the same size. I just wished that they would have placed the names of the artists beside the paintings. I think you can log on to lookingforjuan.com for more information.

This painting was done of wooden floor boards.

I liked this one. Can anyone tell me who painted this?

I appreciated the naive quality of this painting.

This painting reminded me of Fornasetti. I collect Fornasetti and I would love to have this painting! I was not sure if the paintings were for sale.

Another child-like image that I am responding well to.

I like this one too.

www.lookingforjuan.com

This painting was quite special. It featured some collage work using old wallpaper. I love it!

After that exciting shoot, we went back into the lobby and I was so surprised to see people wearing the most exotic-looking costumes! Imagine my surprise when I found out that they was a folkloric dance festival going on. Now my mind went on overdrive! I adore looking at costumes from around the world and this was a like a gift to me. I kept on taking photos of the dancers. I left the CCP with a huge smile as this is what I call a really FABULOUS day!

After the shoot, I noticed that the main lobby began to be filled with people wearing the most interesting costumes. I was super excited as I love things like this. I forget where these dancers are from, but I know that they are from Eastern Europe.