~manila, you're not that ugly

My friend Cris told me about Tagore and his take on beauty, with music as its purest expression. That the non-dependence on material forms makes the musician a seer, who links the heart of the world to the individuals. And that within the musician, the artwork is done, the ‘heart reveals itself immediately and suffers not from any barrier of alien material.’

Wow.

Friends know that I listen to music for melody, as a backgrounder, and seldom for lyrics, but admittedly I’ve always felt I was missing out on something by not paying enough attention to what’s being put out there…

I’ve known U2′s music since I was a kid, but only started really minding their lyrics after watching the U2 3D concert on Imax last week.

Bono as my introduction to Music therapy– what joy! Super THANK YOU for the spirit, the joy, the balls to be you and to infect the world with who you are and what you stand for.

Now, will be off to seek beautiful music and build my musical knowhow.. Care to join and share what’s on your everyday playlist?

Last month, was with my mom and dad in a wooden furniture shop along the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay road when I came across these beautiful lions. Immediate thought was “I must have them!”

Was so smitten, being such a Narnia fan, that I kept them close to my heart (literally) til we were back in Manila. My family laughed at me, but expectedly indulged my cuckoo moment. That same night I announced to friends that “Now I have fierce Aslans reminding me to roarrrrr and guard against complacency or being too relaxed… see those fangs?? OH ROAR INDEED!”

Imagine my horror when three weeks after, sitting at home on a lazy Saturday afternoon, my dad suddenly read out loud a feng shui tip from the Bulletin about lions in the house as bad luck. They were supposedly tomb guardians in ancient tradition and keeping them inside the house was like inviting death and illness into your home.

Of course I was skeptical about the lions being the cause of my recent chest/breathing complaints, which well, started right about that time I displayed them in their fang-y glory in my room…

But couldn’t let it go, so I looked up “lions, feng shui, Christ, symbol” online:

The Feng Shui Store says these temple lions, also called Fu Dogs, “are an extremely powerful protection for your home or business; you will find most homes or business in Asia complemented by a pair either inside or outside. Out of all the cures and enhancers in Feng Shui, Fu Dogs in our opinion are the most essential.”

Medieval bestiary details lion beliefs, myths throughout history. Interesting: lion cubs were thought to be “dead” when born, moved only after 2 months and “resurrected” by the roar of their daddy.

ChristStory Bestiary cites lion references in pre-Christian cultures, and in the Bible, both to Jesus (“lion of Judah”; watchful–lions sleep with eyes open; fierce–the lion’s roar is like the word of God, it’s not supposed to make us complacent; ) and to Satan (predatory, savage, proud). More on lions in the Bible here.

CONCLUSION: We believe what we believe. My lions now guard our front door.

When I was in Madrid, I met a most amiable diplomat, Consul Jose Ma. Cariño, in church, of all places. His family was seated in front of me, and during the Peace offering, we exchanged smiles of acknowledgment, the type that’s given to every kababayan one meets in a foreign land. After the mass we shared a few stories and he gave me his card.

Later that week I made a cold visit to the Philippine embassy, just to check out what’s to see there (a friend also advised me to register my name, to let them have a record of me as a student in Madrid). I asked if I could see the Consul, half expecting to be turned down, but after stopping by the cultural affairs department, I was escorted to his office.

I came home from that visit with sincere joy in being Filipino. Here was a man who was a diplomat for the right reasons: he loved his country, and he loved promoting it to others, and I met him (or more precisely, he met with me) with no agenda–not because he was the friend of a friend who called in a favor, or because he was campaigning for office.

Belinda Olivares-Cunanan describes him as a writer, historian, and diplomat:

The son of retired Ambassador Rosario V. Cariño, Jomari began his love affair with Spain by taking primary education in Barcelona. Over the years, he has wandered around museums, flea markets, churches and private collections in search of various art works by Filipino and foreign artists on the Philippines as well as artifacts-a labor of love for him…And what a story he had about life in colonial Philippines and the colorful lives our “ilustrados” lived in Spain.

Love afair with Spain–certainly something that resonates in me…

Cunanan goes on to say that Cariño:

…catalogue[d] works by Philippine artists in Spain, with the assistance of Ricky Jose. Their research found its way into four books written by such writers as Santiago Pilar, Felice Sta. Maria and Brenda Fajardo that have won various book awards here.

These books are:

• “Jose Honorato Lozano, Filipinas 1847.” Contains the paintings of Lozano, the foremost Filipino painter of the 19th century and a disciple of Damian Domingo. The son of the keeper of the Manila Bay lighthouse, Lozano charmingly chronicled the day-to-day life in Intramuros and Binondo.
• “Discovering Philippine Art in Spain.” Sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs as part of our centennial celebration.
• “Album, Islas Filipinas 1663-1888.” A compilation of Filipino and foreign artists’ works on the Philippines, featuring the fabulous collection of Teyet Pascual on Damian Domingo and Justiniano Asuncion. It also shows the collection of drawings from the famed “Malaspina Expedition” of Museo Naval and Museo de America in Madrid. Admiral Malaspina, an Italian in the Spanish Crown’s employ, traveled to South America, Australia and Asia to gather information on animal life and flora in the 1780s. A number of drawings on RP life at that time are included in the book.
• “Piña, El Tejido del Paraiso.” Inspired by Lourdes Reyes-Montinola’s pioneering work on this wonderful fabric.

I remembered this little encounter with the Consul when I came across the lecture below, which focuses Lozano:

Stories About Preserving Cultural Heritage
October 14, Saturday
2-4pm
Lopez Library

Fee is Php50.00 for Museum Foundation members and Php100.00 for non-members.

This is the ninth in the series brought to us by The Lopez Memorial Museum, in cooperation with Museum Foundation of the Philippines. The focus is on Jose Honorato Lozano (1821-1885), the foremost visual chronicler of 19th century Philippines and his albums. Albums are sheets of paper with drawings in graphite or pen-and-ink sketches or watercolors bound together and serving as souvenirs or catalogs or illustrations to reports. Among the albums are the Ayala Album, the Nyssens-Flebus album and the Broken album. There is also the Gervasio Gironella Album in the Biblioteca Nacional de Madrid. Some distinctive features of the albums include architectural and landscape details and images of the natural riches of the Philippines.

The association of Lozano with letras y figuras as well as the distinctions and nuances which earlier studies have failed to see have resulted in the misattribution of the albums. To discuss this and other issues that cropped up the course of the albums’ discovery attribution or authentication, repatriation, dividing the albums, etc. is Ms. Sonia Ner, former academician, art manager, director of Ayala Museum and executive director of Asia Society Philippines who has conceptualized and edited Jose Honorato Lozano, Filipinas 1847 and co-authored Album de las Islas Filipinas which featured two of Lozano’s albums.

The Lopez Memorial Museum is at the ground floor, Benpres Building, Exchange Road corner Meralco Avenue, Pasig City. Museum days and hours are Mondays-Saturdays, 8am-5pm, except holidays.

The Lopez Memorial Museum and Library is a subsidiary of the Lopez Foundation, Inc. Please visit our website at www.lopezmuseum.org.ph

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Other posts on Madrid-Manila:

Mad-Mla9: Relearning Spanish
Mad-Mla7: Finding Travel Buddies
Mad-Mla 5: The English Language
Mad-Mla 4: Metro and Unlimited Rides
Mad-Mla 3: Painting Club!
Mad-Mla 2: Pedestrian Life
Mad-Mla 1: Introduction

Filipinas Heritage Library is holding another Travel Writing Workshop, a series of weekly sessions that exactly one year ago started me off in this blogging world. Posting details below to pay homage to the muse:

The Walk Through
Travel Writing Workshop Course 2

May 31, June 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2006
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Enrolment fee: P 3,500

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” — Bill Bryson

Take the next step in travel writing. Step out of the classroom and experience the busy streets of Manila and let the story find you.

With a walking tour built in to the sessions, workshoppers will also delve into some of its currently popular subgenres, including urban, tourist and experiential, with a practical bent for those who intend to sell their writing to magazines and other publications. Those who wish to explore more theoretical aspects will also be encouraged to discuss such issues as multiculturalism, subjectivism, and colonialism.

The facilitator, Kristine Fonacier, was the Editor-In-Chief of MTV Ink and music editor of PULP Magazine. Her travel writing pieces have been published in several local publications. To view Kristine’s works, please visit http://hello.to/mr.zebra. Click on links to view complete stories.

For more information, call 892-1801 or email events@filipinaslibrary.org.ph. The Filipinas Heritage Library is located along Makati Avenue, across Manila Peninsula.

Story Philippines is a quarterly magazine of original short stories by Filipinos. Its mission:

…to provide the most entertaining reading experience for fiction in the country. Featuring new short fiction from Filipino writers, the magazine is presented in an intriguing format that boasts cutting edge design, illustration and photography. The magazine offers its community of dedicated readers the most preferred venue for Philippine writers to share their work.

“Intriguing” actually means tabloid format (11″X14″), which personally took a while to grow on me. In any case, it’s a Goliath of a publication not just literally, what with the big names that have invested their time and talent in it–its first roster of authors include award-winning Gilda Cordero-Fernando and Sarge Lacuesta.

Distributed by Mega Magazines & Publications Inc., its first issue was released third quarter of 2005, but of special attachment to me is the second, now in the newsstands. Please support and tell your friends about it!

The Photo Competition, in partnership with the Philippine Center for Photojournalism and Nokia, has been expanded and extended to April 30, 2006!

Entries for the photography competition must depict images of how equity issues related to income and income opportunities, even to social services, assets, livelihood and natural resources, and voice or participation, can be addressed in the Philippines.

A. Who may join: The competition is open to all Filipino citizens.

B. Entries should be taken with any camera using at least 135mm colored film or digital camera with at least three (3) mega pixel sizes set at maximum resolution.

C. A maximum of five (5) entries in 5″ x 7″ prints with border (whether taken with 135mm film or digital camera) can be submitted by a participant. For entries selected for exhibition and/or publication, the entrant will be required to submit negatives and/or original digital files.

D. Contestants must attach a form to each entry, in the following format:
1. Photo Title
2. Brief Caption (maximum of 20 words)
3. Date and Place Taken
4. Name of Entrant
5. Contact Details
a. Mailing Address
b. Telephone
c. E-Mail Address
6. Entrant Profile
a. Birthdate
b. Sex
c. Occupation

I certify that I personally took this photograph on the date and place stated, and that I personally hold the copyright for this photo.

Signature above printed name

E. Each entry, with the filled-up entry form, must be sealed in an envelope. Only the photo title, and the phrase “Entry for Panibagong Paraan 2006 Photo Competition” must appear outside the envelope.

F. The Board of Judges will be composed of representatives from the Panibagong Paraan partner organizations, representatives from other sponsoring organizations, and invited photojournalists/artists.

G. Criteria for Judging: Relevance to the theme (50%), Visual Perception and Creativity (25%), Technical Excellence (25%).

H. The grand prize winner will receive PhP 50,000.

I. Finalist entries will be featured in the World Bank Office Manila 2007 calendar, and in a Panibagong Paraan 2006 publication to be produced after the Panibagong Paraan culminating event in May 2006. Finalist and cited entries (i.e. selected for exhibition) also have the chance to be featured in Panibagong Paraan and World Bank Office Manila publications, the Panibagong Paraan website, websites of Panibagong Paraan partners, exhibits, roadshows and the like. The featured photos will be duly credited to the respective photographers.

J. All entries to the contest are to be jointly owned by the photographer and the World Bank (in behalf of Panibagong Paraan). However, it is understood that the World Bank and Panibagong Paraan partners shall have the right to use the photographs for non-commercial purposes in activities and media as listed above, with no additional remuneration to the photographer or his/ her institution, within one year from the awarding ceremony (for print materials).

K. Finalists will be notified by May 2006. Twenty entries will be exhibited during the Panibagong Paraan 2006 Exhibit/Social Policy Forum on May 26-27, 2006 at the SM Megatrade Halls, SM Megamall. Finalists and winners will be announced on May 27, 2006.

L. The grand prize winner will receive PhP 50,000. Finalists will receive brand-new Nokia cellular phones.

EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: APRIL 30, 2006

Please submit all entries to:
Panibagong Paraan 2006 Secretariat
23/F Taipan Place, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City

For further information, please call the Secretariat at telephone nos. +63 2 9173047 or email: dimp@worldbank.org

MVP presents the fourth lecture of this year’s Country Medley Series:

THE OTHER SIDE OF SPAIN
February 24, Friday
Filipinas Heritage Library, Makati Avenue
Sign-in at 9:00am, Talk begins at 9:30am.

P100 Members, P200 Non-Members.

Plan to come early as seating is limited.

Perhaps it was the camera Aurora Sagaz received at age eight that caused her to develop into not only a talented photographer but a painter of still life objects and landscapes filled with trees and floating clouds. With a talent for languages and music she spent 3 years of grade school in Washington, DC, studied French in Paris, and received a scholarship to study Russian in Moscow. Postings in Brazil (Portuguese was easy) and Vietnam (Vietnamese quite difficult) added those languages to her repertoire, while for relaxation she plays the drums and enjoys tennis and golf.

Today we could ask for no better guide than Aurora Sagaz, First Lady of the Spanish Embassy, to take us on a historical journey through her adopted country. We will have the opportunity to witness the romance and magic of the Alhambra in Granada, Sevilla, home to the Spanish-Philippine colonial archives, Cordoba, and Cadiz, the port from which the majority of the ships of Spain sailed to the Philippines, through her eyes. Aurora will introduce us to Andalucia, its people, sights, colors, history, music and dance – including a live Flamenco demonstration! The south of Spain is the most colorful and vibrant part of the Iberian Peninsula, and it is a trip you will not want to miss.

Alone in Madrid, I made it a habit to look at ads in the paper and online, to look for interesting activities to try–and once I actually felt like I won the lottery when I saw a call for artists who wanted to paint or do anything creative together. Felt like I was being led to another new “home” to explore!

Don’t have the original ad anymore, but here’s the first round up email from Heather, the lady who set the whole thing up:

Sorry for the ridiculously long wait…hopefully you´re still in Spain!! Well, i´ve finally got the info of the first meeting for you:

WHEN: This sunday, june 20th (12 noon – 3pm)

WHERE: Parque Retiro (metro retiro) at the pond in front of the Palacio de Cristál (crystal palace)…not the pond with the boats! There is a little waterfall/tunnel on the right side of the pond. We´ll meet there.

WHAT TO BRING: Your drawing/painting materials, a picnic lunch… and don´t forget the sunblock! Anyone is welcome, so tell a creative friend to come along if you like

I’ve always had a fascination with first encounters–new eyes to look into, new laughs to hear and secret smiles to notice, just new worlds to get to know! That day, I was introduced to six different worlds, and what a joy it was. Even just the environment of being with like-minded people, or those like-minded enough to agree to meet with strangers in the park (mind the schedule–mid-afternoon, just ripe for siesta) to paint and swap stories was beautiful.

Surprisingly, I got the same vibe tonight when I opened my inbox and saw the email below:

2nd On-the-Spot Painting Contest: Paint a Nook of Intramuros
October 15, 2005
Saturday 7 a.m. onwards

212 participants joined the event last year. This overwhelming response only deserves a repeat affair. Artists and wannabe- artists, come and join a day of art in Intramuros if only to get a free serving in the evening of the sumptious paella coming out of the biggest paellera in Asia! (priority for participants)
Main prize: 35,000Php.

(Rules in the Official programme of Fiesta or call 526 14 82 to 85)

WOW!! I’m happy to learn about (and hopefully join) an intercambio of sorts in Manila. Contest ends with an exhibition/sale from 4-7 p.m., simultaneous with a Verbena or Spanish Street Party at 5 p.m. onwards, complete with music from Pinikpikan and Arriba band, and the biggest paella in Asia, courtesy of Alba´s Restaurant.

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More details from manila.cervantes.es:

With the objective of promoting culture throughout the city of Manila, Instituto Cervantes organizes this competition open to all professional painters and aficionados, inviting all of them to participate in the activity that let them see Intramuros with new eyes.

RULES:
1. Open to all residents in the Philippines, 17 years old and above. Each participant is entitled to only one entry.

2. The entry must feature a spot in Intramuros.

3. Any painting mediums can be used.

4. Every participant must register before painting. Registration schedule and place: October 15, 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Puerta Real Gardens.

5. The canvas, paper, etc. to be used must be presented in blank for inspection and validation by a member of Instituto Cervantes upon registration.

6. Size of the work: minimum: 35 cm x 38 cm. Maximum: 60 cm x 60 cm.

7. Submission of paintings: From 2 to 3 p.m. at the Puerta Real Gardens.

8. Aftewhich, the paintings will be exhibited for sale from 4 to 7 p.m. (All sale transactions must be directly dealt with the artists.)

9. The competition offers a 1st prize of Php 35,000 as well as a certificate of participation.

10. There will also be a People”s Choice Award (prize to be decided).

11. The winning entries will be considered property of Instituto Cervantes.

12. Instituto Cervantes reserves the right to disqualify works which do not comply with the rules and regulations of the competition.

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Other posts on Madrid-Manila:
Mad-Mla9: Relearning Spanish
Mad-Mla7: Finding Travel Buddies
Mad-Mla 6: Of Diplomats and Art
Mad-Mla 5: The English Language
Mad-Mla 4: Metro and Unlimited Rides
Mad-Mla 2: Pedestrian Life
Mad-Mla 1: Introduction