SPOT.ph spoke to a sad and alarmed 2006 National Artist for Visual Arts Ben Cabrera (or BenCab) over the phone this morning. Here’s what he said:
2006 National Artist for Visual Arts BenCab. Photo by Erwin Obcemea
“I feel bad. It’s a mockery of the system. They might as well just appoint [their own choices] and not go through the whole process. I will boycott the awards. I will not march. I will not mention any names but we heard that there was one very influential person who helped manipulate the results.
Sabi nga ng mga artists, it won’t be a “parangal” kundi “pagdadalamhati.” It’s sad. The awards have been debased. One can just lobby for anyone. Hindi na ‘yung peers ang nag-de-decide. Our opinion doesn’t mean anything.
There used to be prestige. Well since the presidency of Ramos there has been an understanding that the President can add one choice… there was Carlos Quirino (historical literature) , Alejandro ” Anding ‘ Roces (literature) , Abdulmari Asia Imao (visual arts) But this time GMA added four!
About these four, they didn’t go through the deliberation, there was no presentation. There are 22 of us National Artists. We were bypassed. It was a sudden announcement just before the President left for the US. The results were supposed to be announced before June 12. We were asking. ‘Why the delay?’
My message to my fellow artists: We should make a statement, particularly the writers who are more articulate. Why should it be like this?
Now everybody can be a National Artist. They keep adding categories: Landscape Art, Fashion Design, what’s next, hairdressers? They should stick to the seven arts: Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts.
Carlo J. Caparas won the award for visual arts because he draws comics daw. They wanted to put him in Literature because he writes scripts daw.
(According to a comment on SPOT by ‘Gerry Alanguilan’, comic book writer, licensed architect and illsutrator for a variety of comics including Wolverine, X-men and own creations Timawa and Humanis Rex!: “The puzzling thing is, CJC is NOT an illustrator. He has never drawn any of this comic book stories, least of all his most popular creations. Panday and Pieta were drawn by Steve Gan. Bakekang was drawn by Mar Santana. How can someone who is NOT a visual artist get the National Artist title for Visual Arts?
It is illogical, it is ridiculous, and it is insulting to every visual artist out there, including those who deserve it so much more, like Francisco V. Coching and Larry Alcala, who should have been awarded this title long ago.”—Ed.)
***BenCab , Arturo Luz and Napoleon Abueva have decided to boycott the awards ceremony on (according to NCCA Public Affairs, no date has been announced yet.) They will continue their dialogue tonight at the farewell dinner for CCP president Nes Jardin.
Keep logged on to SPOT.ph for continuing developments on this story.
To read about the National Artist “Dagdag Bawas” Brouhaha click here.
SPOT.ph wants to know: What do you think?
kalokohan talaga ng isama si Carlo J. Caparas sa listahan ng mga National Artist…visual arts pa.
kahit nga yung mga gawa nya sa films puro basura eh…(massacre films, anyone?!)
tapos yung mga kartunista/ilustrador na mas mabigat naman kontribusyon ng mga likha ini-snob…paano naman sila Nonoy Marcelo at Larry Alcala…Francisco V. Conching.
andami din nating mahuhusay na mga pintor! …utang loob! (ehem…Mauro Malang, nakalimutan nyo na ba sya?)
Kalokohan! pati ba naman to me bahid pulitaka! shame on them, sa mga loosers naman tanggapin na, me susunod pa naman siguro pag patay na kayo. Hindi nyo lang matanggap na di kayo nasama.
I (we) too have sentiments sa mga napili this year,but BUT! BenCab kapal mo! baket me problema ka sa mga Hairdressers! shame on you! kung gusto mong mag compare wag yung me natatapakan. Hag!
CJC?!? I won’t even question his cultural relevance, but c’mon. Who’s next Rey PJ Abellana? Amay Bisaya?
what about us? wala ba kaming karapatan na masama sa linya ng national artist para sau bencab! It’s time that we should be added to the list!
I am not an artist… so my judgment might be impaired, but for some reasons, I am appalled by CJC’s inclusion in the roster of National Artists. Why? What did he do to deserve such?
CJC as a National Artist? WTF?!
Hindi kailanman maiintindihan ng mga elitistang burgis na kinabibilangan nina BenCab at iba pang mga “national artists” ang katulad ni Carlo J. Caparas at mismong ang industriyang pinagyamanan niya na ang pangmasang komiks.
Totoong nagdodrowing si Caparas. Matapos na maging isang sikyu sa isang publishing house, nag-aral para maging kartunista at ilustrador si Caparas. Kaya lang nang makita niya ang ganda ng paglalahad ng istorya kaysa pagguhit ng mga nobela’t maiikling kuwento sa komiks, nagpasya siyang maging manunulat na lang sa komiks.
Naiintindihan ni Caparas kung ano ang gusto ng mga mambabasang masa ng komiks, kung ano ang mga kiliti nila. Kaya nga gumawa siya ng mga istoryang simple lang, di kumplikadong kailangang mag-isip pa ng todo ang mambabasa at tinatapos niya ang bawat nobela na laging nagwawagi ang mga mahihina, inaapi at mababait na kinasimpatiyahan ng mga mambabasa.
Sa larangan naman ng pelikula, totoong hindi niya ito gamay at mas mabuting nagkokomiks na lang siya. Pero ilan ba sa mga dating security guard na naging kartunista, na naging nobelista, ang naging direktor at producer ng pelikula?
Sa mga masyadong matataas na hindi naranasang maglunoy sa putik at makihalo sa mga latak ng lipunang nagtatrabaho, kumakayod, nagkukumahog at animo tandang na kumakahig sa lupa para lang mabuhay, hindi ninyo kailanman, matatanggap ang isang katulad ni Caparas na galing sa hirap.
Nasa inyo ang lahat ng “luxury”, karangyaan at paraan para makihalo sa mga taong puwedeng tawagin kayong mga “magagaling” at “intelektuwal”. Mga taong katulad nyo ring kailangang kamutin ang likod nyo para may mapakinabangan sa inyo.
Kaya kung ayaw nyong tanggapin si Caparas, sa tingin ko, oks lang sa kanya yun. Mahirap pakisamahan ang mga taong katulad nyong lipos ng kaplastikan, pagkukunwari at pagmamayabang.
At angsenador, Francisco V. Coching po, hindi Conching. Marami pang iba bukod sa kanya at kay Larry Alcala na mga dibuhista na dapat parangalan tulad nina Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala at Alex Nino.
na-bypass na naman ang hari ng komedya. kelan ba natin sya bibigyan ng parangal? pag patay na ang tao?
dapat sa mga jurado na yan, balatan ng buhay at buhusan ng asin!
@bonifacio
Ang isyu dito ay hindi kung magaling o malaki ang kontribusyon ng isang tao sa popular na kultura ng bansa kundi ang paraan ng pagkakasama niya sa kalipunan ng mga alagad ng sining.
Maliwanag na binaypass ni GMA ang proseso at ang komite na siyang inatasang magnomina ng mga hihiranging Pambansang Alagad ng Sining.
Lahat ng bagay ay may kaukulang proseso at tamang paraan ng paggawa. Ang isyu dito ay ang hindi paggalang ni GMA sa prosesong ito.