Young blood rules the Ateneo Art Awards

MANILA, Philippines - A quote? I can’t think of any right now,” Charles Buenconsejo says as he runs a hand through the mop of curls on his head, a weighty Ateneo Art Awards trophy in his other hand and a stunned look on his face. It had been less than a minute since he was onstage, in the middle of the Shangri-La Plaza, receiving the award from jury members Dr. Joven Cuanang, director of the Pinto Art Museum, and Mercedes Lopez-Vargas, director of the Lopez Memorial Museum, with his friends in the audience clapping and hooting in approval. “Sorry, I really can’t think of anything to say, my mind is just –– I still can’t believe what just happened.” 

Buenconsejo’s reaction is understandable. This year’s short-list of artists nominated for the 10th Ateneo Art Awards was a formidable one, the deliberation process tougher than ever. Serving as the barometer of modern and contemporary Filipino art for the past ten years, the Ateneo Art Awards has become an anticipated event in the art world as it lauds not only established names but also introduces to a greater audience new names and faces who have something to show and tell. This year’s theme, “Marking Time,” speaks of the Art Awards’ milestone and the continuation of its mission to recognize “the verve and vigor of youth... remaining steadfast, marching in place as it moves forward, marking time as the future unfolds.” In conjunction with the awarding ceremony, an exhibit that chronicles the past nine Ateneo Art Awards was set up at the East Wing Atrium of Shangri-La Plaza.

Aside from Buenconsejo, whose winning exhibit was the photographic series “Reality Is a Hologram,” two other artists were recognized last Aug. 8 at the Ateneo Art Awards ceremony: Raffy Napay for “Thread Experience,” his homage to his parents and to the art of weaving, and Buen Calubayan for “Fressie Capulong.” 

Calubayan also received the Ateneo-La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre residency grant in Australia, while Napay is a recipient of both the Artesan Gallery residency grant in Singapore and the Liverpool Hope Creative Campus residency grant in the United Kingdom.

Just like Buenconsejo, Calubayan was happily surprised by the recognition he received. When asked about his upcoming artist’s residency in Australia, he says, “I’m not going to think too much about what will happen or what has happened –– just like tonight, when I came here without any expectations. I’m focused on the present, and that’s what I plan to do when the residency begins: enjoy what’s in front of me.”

Napay has the same sentiment, though he expresses a slight anxiety about how far Liverpool is. “At first, I asked, ‘Where’s that?’” he shares with a laugh. “Singapore is pretty near, it’s easier to fly between there and Manila. But Liverpool is much farther; I can’t imagine how much I’d miss my family. It’s a mix of both excitement and anxiety, but I’m really grateful for the recognition and the opportunities, given all the great artists who were nominated.”

“All of them deserved to win,” jury member Lopez-Vargas says. “Each of the nominated exhibits reflect relevant issues and thoughts that preoccupy these artists’ generation.” While deliberations lasted a whole day, she says it was an enjoyable experience overall. “We, the jurors, enjoyed hearing, talking about, and understanding each artist’s process. They all had strong concepts and they all went through great extremes to achieve them.”

“Personally, my criteria was how the work affected me emotionally and intellectually,” Dr. Cuanang shares. “Given that, it became easier to defend my choices. The discussions on the strengths and weaknesses of each artist helped me gain a lot of insight, and my way of thinking about art grew. The jury has to be able to defend their choice of artists to win, so deliberation was interesting. But it was civil,” he adds with a laugh. “We have to commend the Ateneo Art Awards organizers for lifting modern and contemporary Filipino art. What they do each year pushes Filipino art forward beyond the usual. This year, the show has been spectacular: Napay’s excellent work with textiles, Calubayan’s excellence in the way he came up with these portraits, and Buenconsejo’s use of technology to come up with a profound image of the universe. That’s what this award is all about.”

With 10 years under its belt, the Ateneo Art Awards is looking forward to what the next years will bring. “It’s the kind of job that keeps all of us excited,” admits Yael Buencamino, managing curator of the Ateneo Art Gallery; she was on leave from work that evening, enjoying a break from working behind the scenes during the show proper. “Some things have gotten easier after nine years. Selecting the winners is still hard, maybe even harder then ever, but it has become easier to get the public interested in the whole process and in the artists. We’re grateful that the Art Awards has become an event that people now look forward to every year.”

Next year, when nominations begin, the art world and keen art scene followers will be waiting with bated breath yet again for the announcement of the short-listed names and exhibits. For the rest of the evening, though, the awards handed out and the wine flowing, everyone is just in the mood to celebrate.

From the Ateneo Art Awards to the auction houses

A number of Ateneo Art Awards winners and nominees have been raking in accolades and big bucks with their work on the Southeast Asian arts auction route, dispelling the notion of the great but starving artist.

Geraldine Javier, Winner, Ateneo Art Awards 2004

In 2010, her painting “Ella Amó Apasionadamente y Fue Correspondida” (“For She Loved Fiercely, And She is Well Loved”) fetched HK$1,460,000 at the 2010 Christie’s auction of Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art –– 10 times the high estimate for the piece. It’s a magnification of her first auction at Sotheby’s in 2008, where she sold a painting for US$32,000, triple the expected amount.

Rodel Tapaya, Short-listed, Ateneo Art Awards 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011

In 2008 alone, three of his works fetched up to six digits’ worth of bids at three different auctions: “The Wedding” was sold for HKD220,000 at the Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings auction, “The Banquet” went for HK$137,500 at a Christie’s auction, and “The Giant Watermelon” raised SG$33,600 at a Borobudur Auction.

Nona Garcia, Short-listed, Ateneo Art Awards 2007, 2010

Her “Sitting Still” painting raised US$27,728 in 2007 at a Christie’s auction of Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art. The following year, her “Dialogue” piece fetched HK$437,500 and “In the Garden” HK$976,500 at a Sotheby’s auction.

Ronald Ventura, Winner, Ateneo Art Awards 2005

His provocative and hyperrealistic painting “Grayground” stirred a competitive bidding at a 2011 Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong, finally selling for HK$8,420,000 (P46.9 million). This scenario was repeated earlier this year, this time with his contemporary work “Natural –– Lies,” which got over 30 bids from at least five bidders in attendance. The final price: HK$2.5 million, or US$326,000.

Annie Cabigting, Short-listed, Ateneo Art Awards 2005

Her “Painter Painting, Painted” sold for HK$427,500 at a 2007 Christie’s auction for Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art. In 2008, her “Painting Photograph, Photograph Painted” went for HK$463,500, this time at a Sotheby’s aucion.

Winner Jumalon, Short-listed, Ateneo Art Awards 2007

The artist made a financial killing in 2007 with his oil painting “Face of Man” at a Sotheby’s auction, reaching a final bid of US$23,400. Two years later, a small untitled work of his went for SG$24,000 at a Masterpiece Auction in Singapore.

Yasmin Sison-Ching, Short-listed, Ateneo Art Awards 2007

Last year, her oil painting “Into the Woods” reached a bid and sold for HK$300,000 at a Christie’s auction.