Tag: Vol. LXXXIV

COMIC books have been one of the important mirrors of Philippine culture.

First appearing as early as the turn of the 19th century, Filipino-made illustrations in the form of editorial cartoons were seen as a form of political expression. The public grew interest toward editorial cartoons that depicted socio-political issues and soon they gained prominence.

Historians attribute the creation of the first comic strip made by a Filipino to Jose Rizal.

In the years after the First World War, an industry was born when Tony Velasquez’s most famous work, Ang Kabalbalan ni Kenkoy, became the first comic book in the country published by Liwayway magazine in 1923. Since then, comic books have been part of Filipino culture.

WITHIN the vivid pages of many applauded comics is a Thomasian pen.

Philip Tan, whose inkblots have touched the likes of Spawn, Uncanny X-Men and Final Crisis: Revelations, said that his natural attraction for comics started with Japanese and Asian comic books and graphic novels.

“[I] grew up with Dragonball, Kamen Raida and giant robot stuff when I was younger,” he said. “[But] getting into American comics was the influence of a childhood buddy name Charlie Dolette. “[And] then you get your X-Men and Batman as I got into superhero comic books.”

Philip’s pencil strokes immobilized the pages of many international comics companies such as Marvel, Image, Wildstorm and Detective Comics.

FOR THIS man, dreams do come true.

DreamWorks Animation television director Manuel Luis “Louie” del Carmen debuts on his 18th year in the animation industry and plans to continue his craft for as long as he can.

“As far as I can remember, imagining and drawing things from my mind was something that I was pre-occupied with. I was drawn to movies, television, cartoons and illustrations and started to mimic all these things that fascinated me,” said the 46-year-old animator, who earned an associate degree in Commercial Arts from UST in 1985.

Right after graduating from the College of Architecture and Fine Arts then, Louie worked for small advertising agencies in Manila and later on found a new arena far different from drawing.

DOMINGO Rivera is lucky to be alive. He survived the Big C and later, a car crash. And he has since continued doing what he loved most: animation. He is his story.

A graduate from the then College of Fine Arts and Architecture in 1975, Rivera has worked for famous studios like the Yoram Gross Film Studio in Australia, and Warner Brothers Studio and Walt Disney Studio in the United States. He was also part of award-winning films such as The Iron Giant, The Simpson’s Movie, Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Enchanted.

But building a stellar career was never easy for him. In 1995, he was diagnosed with cancer and had to go through a major surgery.

SCHOLARS, writers and religious men from 23 countries discussed “Healing, Belief Systems, Cultures and Religions of South and Southeast Asia” in a conference at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex (TARC) Auditorium last May 16-19.

The international conference was organized by the South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Culture and Religion (SSEASR), an affiliate of the International Association of the History of Religions (IAHR).

Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, gave the keynote address, which emphasized the “cultural and religious dynamism” of the region.

SOCIAL networks can be effective means of proclaiming the Gospel, but believers must overcome the prevailing culture against truth and values through the responsible use of these digital tools.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in a message for the 47th World Communications Day last May 12, said social networks could become instruments of evangelization and “portals of truth and faith.”

“In social networks, believers show their authenticity by sharing the profound source of their hope and joy: faith in the merciful and loving God revealed in Christ Jesus,” said Pope Emeritus Benedict, who joined the micro-blogging site Twitter with the handle @Pontifex last year.

FILIPINO theologians marked the Year of Faith and the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council at the annual Theology Week last April 2 to 7, assessing the impact of the modernizing council on the Church in the Philippines.

With the theme “After 50 years…Vatican II’s Impact on the Philippine Local Church,” the conference revisited the decrees of Vatican II and different issues concerning the local Church, including clergy formation, inter-religious dialogues, apostolate with the indigenous people, pastoral care for migrants and itinerant people, social action, justice and peace, bioethics, the biblical apostolate, ecumenical affairs, social communication, and Catholic education.

THE MUSÉE du Quai Branly in Paris opened its biggest exhibition dedicated solely to Philippine artifacts titled Philippines: Archipel des échanges (Archipelago of Exchanges) last April 9. It will run until July 24.

According to UST Archivist Regalado Trota Jose, who helped organize the event, the historical artifacts were culled from local and foreign museums, as well as from private collections. Some were lent by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, while others were among the archeological discoveries of French explorer and naturalist Alfred Marche in the 1880’s.

The exhibit focuses on the history of early Filipinos, especially the network of exchanges between cultures and vernaculars from different places in the country.

Eight Thomasian artists showcased their “individualized world views” in a group exhibit of mostly acrylic-on-canvas artworks in Autopilot vs. The Iron Sky at Arts in the City in Taguig from April 12 to May 27.

Jood Clarino, Jie Adamat, Nicol Mesina, Bernard Peña, Reinald Laurel, Ezra Reverente, Nonie Cruzado and former Varsitarian artist Djinn Tallada displayed works that ran the gamut of genres, from portrait to street art.

Clarino’s works all had one subject in common: a faceless hooded figure. “An outsider, an observer who survives in resilience,” as how he depicted it, nearly effaced by spray paint. Clarino is the lone artist in the exhibit to use another medium other than acrylic.

THE DAME of Philippine stage took her final bow from the theater of life as National Artist Daisy Hontiveros-Avellana passed away last May 12 due to a lingering illness. She was 96.

Born on January 26, 1917 in the town of Roxas, Capiz, Avellana grew up in a family of theater enthusiasts. She took up a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines and eventually a master’s degree in Literature at UST, where she became the first graduate of the program.

Known to be the “First Lady of Philippine theater,” Hontiveros-Avellana was a prominent stage and film director, author, actor and screenwriter. She was a master of the performing arts, whether on stage or on screen.