The 77th UST inter-school on-the spot painting competition upheld artists’ freedom to express their identities, with the theme “My Choice.”
Contestants included students from the Adventist University of the Philippines, College of the Holy Spirit Manila, Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (Earist), Kalayaan College, Far Eastern University (FEU), Mapua Institute of Technology, University of the East, Technological University of the Philippines and University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman.
Jon Francis Ochoa of Earist bagged the first prize for his black monochrome painting of four opened and closed eyes amid swarming subjects like people, a cat and ribs.
“My painting is about my life and how to accept the horrible truths about it,” Ochoa said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
Thomasian Alyssa Castro got the second prize with “Beyond What I See,” a self-portrait that showed half of her body inside a frame.
“As an artist, I want to show I look beyond what is seen through the eyes. I want to know the deeper meaning of every art that I see,” she said.
“Hindi Mapipigilan ang Pag-asa” by Mark Anthony Laza, also from Earist, took home third prize. The painting showed students inside a classroom full of bullet holes.
The first honorable mention award went to University of the East’s Kenneth Santiago for his work titled “If You Are Not Evolving, You Are Dying.”
Santiago said his work was about artists’ ability to “evolve” their styles to cope with the ever-changing art industry.
UP Diliman student Georgina Tolentino’s “Pantay-Pantay, Magkaisa” and “Paro at Pinang” by FEU’s Josephine Ramos won second and third honorable mention, respectively.
The awarding ceremony was held last Feb. 22 at the lobby of the Main Building.
The event, spearheaded by the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences, drew established names like Romeo Monroy Reyes and John Delan Robillos of National Committee on Art Galleries.
The contest was founded by former UST rector Fr. Silvestre Sancho, O.P. in 1941.
The tilt produced the likes of Vicente Manansala, Ricarte Puruganan, Galo Ocampo and Arsenio Capili.
