Bago ang pagbubukas ay nagkaroon ng artist talk sina Richard Gappi, Wire Tuazon at Doc Rani Blanco.

Binigyan din ng Angkla Art Gallery ang grupo ng sertipiko ng pagkilala at pasasalamat na tinanggap ni Doc Rani na unang pangulo ng AJAA. 

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Art: MUHON: The Past As Contemporary

By Richard R. Gappi

(MUHON: Paglingon at Pagsulong reunion exhibit of Angono Junior Ateliers Association opened this Saturday afternoon, 5:00PM, November 4, 2017 at ANGKLA Art Gallery)

Almost three decades ago, on November 2, 1988, a group of high school students of Angono Private High School gathered themselves and formed a group called OYA or Organization of Young Artists.

The group members held their first Art Expo exhibit in their school with works whose themes and styles were non-traditional in the context and history of Angono milieu heavily influenced by Carlos ‘Botong’ Francisco.

The group started with 17 members. But they realized that as beginners, their skills and passion will be best honed and exposed with the help of elder artists.

So they decided to establish a link and connection with the first and oldest artist group in town called Angono Ateliers Association then led by Nemesio Miranda Jr. From 17, the membership rose to 58 and OYA members renamed themselves as the Angono Junior Ateliers Association or AJAA.

Most of AJAA members at that time were about to enrol in college and take Fine Arts or art-related courses in Manila such as UP and UST, where Fine Art schools are among the best, engaging and experimental.

This schooling will have evident manifestation on the succeeding artworks of AJAA members. While they were aware of Angono’s existing Botong tradition, AJAA members were starting a new visual and thematic narrative of Angono artistry.

Thirty years later, today, November 4, 2017, they gather for the first time on their reunion exhibit titled MUHON: Paglingon at Pagsulong at ANGKLA Art Gallery.

‘Muhon’ means boundary or landmark, and by appropriating the title, AJAA members – who now have their own respective art groups – are optimistic and hopeful that every Angono artist inculcates his own mark and stamp as well as an indissoluble bond with Angono artistic tradition, and by exploring and experimenting as well to challenge and extend the creative process, the meaning and essence of art remains unceasing and evolving.

The participating AJAA members include Rani Blanco, Alvin de las Alas, Wire Rommel Tuazon, Carlos Totong Francisco II, Bernardo Balagtas, Isidro Manong Jon Santos, Keiye Miranda Tuazon, Aaron Bautista, Allan Alcantara, Dolpee Alcantara, Rey Balajadia, Charlie Val,

Manny Bacani, Marvin Ogie Villegas, Mylene Buenaventura, Viktor Villamil, Omar Blanco, Nogie Blanco, Raymond Gappi, John Jingle Flora, Jon del Rio, Ogie Salmorin, Melvin Quitasol, Elmer Lacanaria, and Grets Balajadia. Guest artist is Richard Gappi whose poems and photographs are also displayed.

The artworks in MUHON deal on religious piety, landscape, environmental imbalance, bountiful harvest, Mother and Child, reclaiming memory, and ode to departed loved ones. The evident, still, are the experiments on medium and style as most AJAA members have been doing for the past 30 years. Two artists even used soap and metal plate as canvas.

Indeed, we have in MUHON a continuing past of Angono tradition and experiment. We have in MUHON the past as contemporary of Angono creativity.

Angkla Art Gallery is located at 3rd flr.CPV Bldg., Angono-Binangonan boundary, Manila East Road cor. Col. Guido Street, Brgy. Pag Asa, Binangonan, Rizal. Gallery hours: 12:00 PM to 7:00PM Mon thru Sunday. For inquiries, please call or text 09176435000.

The exhibit is also presented by Office of the Mayor Gerry Calderon and the Municipality of Angono, Angono Tourism Office and Serbisyong MAE Puso.