THREE students of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) have merged both the power of digital images and conventional art to create masterpieces that convey serious themes with a touch of humor.

The exhibit dubbed as A World of Pun, artists Jerold Manalili, John Ryo Manaluz and Cris Dumlao showed their promising works at the Alab Art Space of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to also kickoff the celebration of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day on April 26.

Lawyer Adrian Cristobal, director general of IPO, told attendees of the event, “We [at IPO] formulate and implement policies that will recognize the artists’ rights. It is always our goal to use art as an IP tool for national development.”

THE “A World of Pun” art exhibit at the Alab Art Space of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) on Buendia Extension, Makati City, with (from left) Intellectual Property Office Director General lawyer Adrian Cristobal, artist Cris Dumlao, National Artist for Visual Arts Dr. Abdulmari Asia Imao, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva, and artists John Ryo Manaluz and Jerold Manalili. --Photos by Arvin D. Gutierrez

The exhibit opening on April 4 was graced by no less than three of the country’s National Artists: Napoleon Abueva for sculpture, Virgilio Almario for literature and Dr. Adbulmari Asia Imao for visual arts.

The exhibit boasts of the young artists’ 21 artworks, with filmmaker and independent short-film producer Elvert de la Cruz Bañares as curator.

Manalili’s colorful Kalye Krayola, a 4x8 ft mixed media on wood using latex, oil and acrylic paints, and poster color, underscores the inherent flaw in stereotyping.

“Kalye pertains to squatters’ areas. In this creation, I want viewers to eradicate the long-held notion that such places are noisy, chaotic and ugly,” Manalili said. “I have many friends in the [squatters’] area near our residence, and the lively colors used on Kalye mean happiness, real people and lasting friendships.”

Manalili has a total of six artworks on show, including Converse, Blowfish, Falling Star, Time Flies and Sun Flower. Freelance illustrator and graphic designer Manaluz, on the other hand, exhibits wit and mystery in his artworks, like The Mysterious Karnebal. “Life is a carnival. However, I named the recreation place ‘Karnebal’ because it was made of meat. It’s a ride that provides a short time for happiness and only leads to frustration after,” he said.

The award-winning artist said he was motivated by the recent accidents in many amusement parks in the country. Manaluz’s works also pondered on faith, as in his Missing Peace, a 24"x18" digital print of a 3D-separated skeleton using computer imaging and rendering programs. “I conceptualized it before the Holy Week. The gap between each bone shows the people fighting and in war,” he said. “The skeleton positioned as a crucifix is Christ, the missing peace in people’s hearts.” His other works on show include Doodle Dance, The Day I Got Cornered, The Eggplantation, Manaloser and Under the C.

Dumlao, a University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts graduate and Dean’s Lister at the UA&P, showed a fine eye for details in her works. Her EggHead, a print of a man carrying a huge egg on his head, is eye-catching. “It poses a question to man whether he is an egg [half-wit], or possesses high intelligence.”

Dumlao extends her knack for details in Separated, a 30"x 40" oil-on-canvas about romance and emotions. “This is an art piece I finished only after three years. It shows a man’s broken relationship illustrated by torn-out papers after he couldn’t find the woman he once loved,” explained the senior AB Multimedia student.

Asked what medium she preferred using, digital or conventional, she said, “The advantage of the digital medium is that pixels can be adjusted. In canvas, sometimes you have to reach for higher or longer strokes. The conceptualization part, though, is just the same in conventional [and digital media].” Dumlao has the most number of artworks on exhibit: Paper Cut, Killing Time, Seeing Stars, Pipe Dream, Red-letter Day, Call Us and Grand EB.

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‘World of Pun’ in digital and conventional artworks

THREE students of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) have merged both the power of digital images and conventional art to create masterpieces that convey serious themes with a touch of humor.