Basic Preventive Art Conservation Lecture at UP Cebu

Deterioration in art conservation may be defined as any undesirable change in the properties of an organic, inorganic and composite materials caused by the essential activities brought about by chemical, mechanical, biological and physical influences. These are well-recognized problem in tropical regions, where environmental factors such as fluctuations in temperatures, relative humidity levels, and heavy rainfall favor the growth and sustenance of a wide variety of living organisms on the objects’ surfaces and such other destruction affecting the artworks.

The effortless and most economical way to look after an object or collection is to prevent its deterioration in its earliest stage possible. Be it in a home or in a museum; the same causes of deterioration apply. Information on basic methods on preventive conservation will be discussed and will concentrate on the environmental factors and other agencies that cause deterioration in material. Preventive conservation is also the least invasive means of protecting the artworks. One must not be a qualified conservator to undertake preventive conservation but must have full knowledge on the situations involved. The topics are aimed to provide an individual the understanding and confidence, which are vital to implement preventive conservation practices.

The seminar talk will feature Mr. Peter John S. Natividad, chief conservation officer of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and will be held on November 28 at the Conference Hall of U.P. Cebu College starting at 9 o’clock in the morning. The lecture shall cover basic topics on theory, ethics and practice in preventive conservation towards people who are caring and accountable for heritage collections, and will be helpful and appropriate to those working in museums with community and private collections, general cultural public, art schools and all visual artists as well.

The lecture is part of the activities of the 10th Visayan Visual Artists Exhibit-Conference (VIVA EXCON) in Cebu City from November 27-29, 2008 and is brought to you by Pusod, The Open Organization of Cebu Visual Artists Inc., National Commission for Culture and Arts and UP Cebu College through Dean Enrique Avila. For interested participants there is a seminar fee of PhP 500.00 including lunch. For details please contact Prof. Dennis Montera at 09173295626 or log on to http://www.vivaexcon.tk/.

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(15 November 2008)


Known as the longest-running biennial art event in the Philippines, the Visayan Islands Visual Artists Exhibition-Convention (VIVA-ExCon) brings together artists from all over the Visayas in order to showcase the unique and multicultural potential of the Visayan, as well as to highlight his or her achievements in their respective fields of the visual arts, like painting, mixed media, sculpture, installation, collage, performance art, video art, and the like. The exhibition-conference is also a form of communal development program on the part of the artists, who come together for several days of exhibitions, seminars, workshops, art demonstration classes, and self-help programs that would enable them to develop and progress as practitioners, especially among the younger and amateur artists.

First organized under the Outreach Program of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in 1988, this unique exhibition-convention has since 1994 been partly supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and managed by SEC-registered artist organizations based in the Visayas, which usually undergoes a bidding process held by the conclusion of the previous exhibition-convention, and decided upon by the conference delegates as a body. This year, Pusod, the Open Organization of Cebu Visual Artists, Inc., is the managing organization for the 10th VIVA-ExCon, which is supported in part by the NCCA, SM City Cebu, Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort, the University of the Philippines Cebu College, the University of San Carlos – College of Architecture and Fine Arts, Pow! Designs, and the City Government of Cebu.

This is the 20th year that the VIVA-ExCon will be held, and in this 10th biennial event to be held at the Queen City of the South, Cebu City, Pusod has lined up an impressive and comprehensive list of activities for prospective participants of the exhibition, and delegates to the convention. For a flat fee of PhP 2,500.00, delegates and walk-in visitors can participate in the entire range of events over three days of fun and learning that begins on November 27, 2008, and end on November 29, inclusive of food and accommodations.

On November 27, from 1PM to 4PM, VIVA-ExCon will begin with the registration and Islands Report at Conference Room A of the SM City Cebu, in which representatives of the various Visayan artists will be discussing the state of the visual arts of their respective areas. This will be followed by the Curator’s Forum on the exhibition component, in which the curator of the 10th VIVA-ExCon, Dr. Reuben Ramas Cañete, will present his concepts and rationale for the year’s exhibitions. A round-table discussion among fellow curators will follow, with open forum for artists to ask questions. At 6PM, the opening reception of the main exhibition of the 10th VIVA-ExCon will be opened at Trade Hall A of SM City Cebu. Titled “Uswag Lambigit Bisaya!”, this exhibition is a curated exhibit that showcases the Visayan artists’ ability to collaborate and execute art projects as a unified entity. Based on the Visayan terms, to “move forward” and “collaborate”, the exhibit will feature collaborative works from the different artist groups throughout the Visayas. A separate exhibition for individually-executed works, titled “Sinugatan” (Visayan for “greeting presents”) will be mounted on the entrance of “Uswag Lambigit Bisaya!” as a means of accommodating artworks that artists usually bring along every VIVA-ExCon, and is for sale. Dinner will then be held at the “Sinugatan” exhibition space for the delegates, while participants of “Uswag Lambigit Bisaya!” may choose to mount performance art projects in their respective locations.

On the second day, November 28, the 10th VIVA-ExCon kicks into high gear with two major components: art seminars in the morning, and a Collaborative Islands Installation Art Project-Making and Concert in the afternoon and evening. Two seminars will be held simultaneously from 9AM to 11:30AM: “Basic Preventive Conservation” by Mr. Peter Natividad, chief conservator of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, to be held at the College of Architecture and Fine Arts Building of the University of San Carlos Talamban campus; and “Mounting Art Exhibits and Exploring Art Issues—a Curator’s Perspective” by Dr. Patrick D. Flores, internationally-acclaimed curator and art critic, at the University of the Philippines Cebu College campus in Lahug. Delegates may choose to attend only one session. Lunch will be served at the respective venues.

On the afternoon of November 28, all delegates shall proceed to Cebu Mountain View Park in Busay, overlooking Cebu City. There, the delegates will come together to mount collaborative installation art projects using as a theme: “Sugbu sa Akong Panumduman” (Cebu in My Mind). All installations should be done between 1PM and 6PM. Afterwards, the official opening of “Sugbu sa Akong Panumduman” will be held on the site led by officials of the government of Cebu City. A free concert for the delegates will then be held at the site.

November 29 marks the climactic last day of the exhibition. All activities on this day shall be held at the famed 5-star Maribago Bluewaters Resort in Mactan Island. From 9AM to 12PM, three simultaneous art workshops will be held: “Scrapology” or creative scrap metal sculpture-making by Mr. Ral Arrogante, President of the Society of Philippine Sculptors (SPS); “Advanced Printmaking Techniques” by Ms. Ambie Abaño and Mr. Pandy Aviado, officers of the Printmakers Association of the Philippines (PAP); and “Digital Photography” by Mr. Ross Capili, famed digital photographer and designer. The Art Congress of the VIVA-ExCon shall occur in the afternoon, wherein an assessment will be made on the current exhibition-convention, and when bids for the 11th VIVA-ExCon will be entertained. At 6PM, the third and final exhibition will be opened at the exclusive Bluewaters Gallery. Titled “Garbo sa Bisaya”, the exhibition will honor eight revered artists whose contribution to Philippine Art is undoubted, and whose Visayan ancestry qualifies them for this exhibition. The artists who will be honored in this exhibition are: Nelfa Querubin, Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi, Charlie Co, Nunelucio Alvarado, Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., Romulo Galicano, National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva, Raul Isidro and Raul Lebajo. The legendary VIVA fellowship night will then proceed at the equally exclusive Sandbar of the Maribago Bluewaters Resort.

This exhibition-convention, truly a unique and progressive activity meant to knit a widely-dispersed artistic community together in comradeship and harmony, is a testament to the bold vision of its founders twenty years ago, and is now operated by the next generation of artists who grew from VIVA, and had treasured its activities for helping them progress as artists. It is this interlinkage and development through togetherness and teaching that VIVA-ExCon will continue to be relevant to the Visayan artist, and their admirers.


For details and more information, kindly contact: Dr. Reuben Ramas Cañete at reubencanete@yahoo.com; Mr. Yayo Yambao at yayoo_com@yahoo.com; Prof. Dennis Montera at dennismontera@hotmail.com; and Prof. Jose “Javy” Villacin at javy_villacin@yahoo.com. The 10th VIVA-ExCon is brought to you by: Pusod Inc., the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, SM City Cebu, University of the Philippines, University of San Carlos, Kukuk’s Nest, Pow! Designs, San Miguel Corporation, the City Government of Cebu, and the Maribago Bluewaters Beach Resort.