The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), in collaboration with Arthaland, presents an exhibition of visual artworks and artifacts from the CCP 21st Century Art Museum (21AM) Collection, displayed until October 12, 2023, at the Arthaland Cebu Exchange in Cebu City.

The exhibition, titled “Udtong Tutok: Art at High Noon,” brings together various cultures while highlighting the significance of tensions and contradictions, affinities and continuities that shape a collective impulse to imagine and create. It is a collection of thoughts, virtues, and values that have to be acknowledged and examined carefully in order to draw a new path for Filipino cultural workers and creatives to prosper.

“Udtong Tutok celebrates the Philippine diverse cultures through the CCP 21st Century Art Museum Collection, or the CCP 21AM Collection, consisting of both visual artworks and ethnographic objects that the Cultural Center of the Philippines has collected, preserved, and owned,” said CCP artistic director Dennis Marasigan during the exhibit opening in Arthaland Cebu Exchange last September 15, 2023.

For years, the collection has been displayed at the Museo ng Kalinangang Pilipino and can be seen around the CCP Main Building. But most of them are stored in our storage area.

“It is quite regrettable that we could not display all our collections because we really don’t have a museum or a gallery that can fit all of them, especially now that the CCP Main Building is undergoing rehabilitation. But this new development, the rehabilitation of our Main Building, has opened new doors for us in a unique way. When we were planning our visual arts programming, we looked at how we can maximize our collection and make them more accessible to our kababayans,” said Marasigan.

The CCP has partnered with different museums, galleries, and other institutions to take the artworks and cultural objects out of storage and into the exhibition halls and galleries. Udtong Tutok is one of the many touring exhibits that CCP has planned this year.

“Arthaland has been like a divine partner that heaven has sent to us. CCP and Arthaland share the same vision of enriching the lives of Filipino people through arts and culture, creating art appreciation and cultural awareness especially among the young generation. This is the second time we are partnering with Arthaland, and I hope this won’t be the last,” aid Marasigan.

The exhibition showcases works and items; some of which are probably displayed for the first time, and others we haven’t seen in a long while.

Among the artworks featured at the exhibit are by National Artist Napoleon Abueva, National Artist Federico Alcuaz, National Artist Benedicto Cabrera, National Artist Ang Kiukok, National Artist Jose Joya, Paz Abad Santos, Felix Abesamis, Angelito Antonio, Roderico Jose Daroy, Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Josefina Escudero, Lao Lianben, David Medalla, Edsel Moscoso, Romulo Olazo, Rod Paras-Perez, Lisa Perez, Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., Solomon Saprid, Manuel Soriano. Meanwhile, artifacts from different ethnolinguistic groups such as Bagobo, Blaan, Bontoc, Gaddang, Ifugao, Ilongot, Itneg, Kalinga, Mandaya, Manobo, Maranao, T’boli are also displayed.

The exhibit aims to promote dialogue on Philippine modern and contemporary art amidst Cebuano artists’ strong leanings towards academic classicism. The bringing of artworks to the regions, particularly Cebu, plays an important role for Cebuano artists. In keeping with its history as a meeting place, Cebu continues to be a place for creatives where they can create works that are true representations of their interests, passions, and beliefs.

“We are also very happy to be here in Cebu. It has been our thrust as the country’s leading art institution to bring our brand of artistic programming all over the country. We hope that through this exhibit we can bring the conversations from the national level to the regional, and vice versa. By cultural exchanges like this, we can unravel new paradigms and chart new collaborations. Cross cultural encounters would shed light on and address important socio-cultural issues, and encourage new ways of art making, which would lead to cultural and national development,” enthused Marasigan.

There will be a woodblock printmaking workshop on September 29, 2023, introducing the practice of woodcut technique and sample prints found in the exhibition to beginners and enthusiasts. It will immerse participants in the processes of the woodblock relief print method using a range of materials including wood, carving tools, and a hand-held baren to press the ink into the absorbent paper.

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