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SPOT SCOOP: Statement from BenCab on the National Artist Brouhaha

Published: 31st of July, 2009

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
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.

@bonifacio "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?" - Sinasabi mo bang dapat bigyan siya ng parangal dahil "Rags to Riches" ang kwento ng buhay niya? Hindi ito "Pity Award," "Rags-to Riches Award," o kung ano pa man, ito ay parangal sa Sining! Kahit isa pa siyang tambay sa Tondo dati OK lang, pero dapat naman may ipinakikitang tunay na galing sa mga gawa niya. Pero wala. Irrelevant ang sinabi mo. E kung ganoon, dapat marami nang National Artists sa Pilipinas! "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." - E si Carlos V. Francisco? Hindi ba galing sa hirap at nag-pursiging mag-aral at kumuha ng scholarship? Tapos nung kelangan niyang kumita, umalis sa unibersidad at nagtrabaho bilang commercial artist at production designer? Si Dolphy, paano siya nagsimula? Si Nora Aunor? Milyonaryo ba si Lino Brocka nung nagsimula siya? Hindi ba sila "tandang kumakahid sa lupa, kumakayod?" Pero hindi naman ikakailang ang ganda ng mga obra nila! Tanggapin na natin ang katotohanan: malapit lang siya kay GMA, at siya ang may pakana nito. Binay-pass pa talaga yung kumite para makasama lang.

nakow, pareng Bonifacio! semplang ka yata dyan. ang alam kong punto ng National Artist awards ay para maparangalan kung sino man ang may kontribusyon sa sining at kulturang Pinoy na nagpaunlad ng estado ng mga ito. hindi naman namimili kung elitistang burgis man o dating sekyu na ilustrador. ang mga "katha" ba ni CJC sa komiks at pelikula, kung marapatin mo, may ganoong kaledad? sa pagkaalam ko, mga pampalipas oras lang naman ng taong bayan yang mga gawa nya, at walang nagagawa para iangat ang karanasan ng Pilipino. parang panunuod lang ng wowowee o kaya'y pagtotong-its. anong dangal meron dun? tsaka pre, yang mentalidad na yan tigilan na. kaya di tayo umuunlad eh, palagi tayong api.

They should have nominated Mars Ravelo; his creations are pop culture icons. Or Nonoy Marcelo, since his strips always had a socio-realist touch. I actually don't mind Cecile Guidote since she did form two theater groups, but the fact that she is one of the advisers makes it look bad. National Artist Awards has become a farce.

@an2netluv Kung gayon, iwasang mang-insulto o kumuwestiyon ng kakayahan ng kung sinumang isinali sa listahan ng mga dapat na gawing "national artist". Mas bigyan ng diin ang maling ginawa ng pangulo at hindi ang pagkukuwestiyon sa kakayahan ni Caparas sa pamamagitan ng paglalagay ng mga pangungusap na "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." Kuwestiyunin ang pagdedesisyon ni Gloria at di ang kakayahan ng isang tao, lalo na ng isang alagad ng sining, gaano man ito kababa para sa ibang tao o di lapat sa pamantayan ng mga sinasabing "kulturado" at "mas nakakaalam".

wala na... binaboy na ng pulitika ang national artist award. nakakasuka!

@Rizalino Hindi ba kasama na sa kulturang Pilipino ang popular at pang-masang paglilibang na pagbasa ng komiks? Hinasa nito ang kakayahang magbasa ng mga mahihirap na mga komiks lang ang kayang bilhin at hindi ang mga mamamahaling libro na may malalalim at kumplikadong istorya. Isa rin ito sa mga paraan ng mga araw-araw na kumakayod na masa ng pagpapalipas ng oras at pagpulot ng mga piraso ng impormasyon (bukod sa paglilibang) na puwede nilang gamitin sa pang-araw-araw nilang pamumuhay. Malinaw na hindi mo inabutan ang mga panahong simple lang ang mga pangangailangan ng mga Pilipino at di pa masyadong kinakain ng mga makabagong teknolohiya. at anong mentalidad ang binabanggit mo? meron ba akong ininsultong tao? meron ba akong hinila pababa? basahin mong mabuti ang post ko. salamat na rin sa iyong pagpansin.

Who’s complaining anyway? The intelligentsia? They who wish to preserve the so-called integrity of this process so that their ranks may not be shamefully tainted with the names of the unworthy? Funny, but those that scream “dictatorship” and “undue interference” acknowledge that theirs is simply the power to recommend. So who’s usurping whose powers anyway when the body constituted simply to recommend now lust to dictate upon the authority that constituted it? National Artist - Artists for the Nation; Not simply for one’s peers. Go around. Ask the ordinary pedestrian if he is even familiar with the names that the joint NCCA-CCP Committee (exclusively) came up with over the years. Arrogance is when two offices believe that they have a patent, nay, a monopoly over who should be named “the country’s finest.” Hypocrisy is believing they have a grasp of the sentiments of the Filipino, when they obviously reek of contempt for the tastes and sensibilities of the masses. ---------------- Oh the process! Not to defend Gloria, but the Office of the President. Anyone elected by the people (like I said, not Gloria but the Office hahaha), serves with the mandate of the people, the nation. Let the artists "judge" or "choose" from their peers. Ultimately, the choice rests upon her / him who represents the nation. The committee recommends, the President chooses (from within or outside of the list). And unless it is anyone's claim that either or both the NCCA and the CCP is infallible, the process was clearly adhered to ... people's sore sphincters notwithstanding.

... the silence ... Throwing criticisms isn't as easy as you thought it would be huh? Why go ahead, call your writers. And while you're at it, you might want to come up with a stronger thesis on why you think this "sacred process" was subverted. In fact, if the question is procedural, why not bring it up before a court of law? If the issue is substantive, why not present your case why each of the four named "outside of the process" aren't deserving. If the case is "delicadeza," why not present proof that undue influence was actually exerted to affect the President's choice/s? Don't just throw around motherhood statements and expect to win public opinion. If argumentation were art, you just stumbled upon the lowest form there is. Eureka!

yes anybody can be a national artist. why put label on people and raise them from their pedestal. do you need an award to show the world you are greater than great.look how it divides people. shouldnt a hair dresser be an artist too with the likes of vidal sassoon ... a fashion designer with the likes of pitoy moreno ... anyway, the whole system sucks including the people themselves ...

...and nobody cares! I'm sure, real artists don't care what other people think of their work. Real artists express what they feel no matter how simple, or how vulgar, or how complex the result of their moods are. there are only a few who are really so full of themselves who want to separate themselves, their "kind" from the rest of the normal people. They thought just because they have special skills, special talents, people should treat them differently. Van Gogh did not care if people called him nuts when he painted those weird painting which now cost millions. Picasso kept on porkin' women and painting even though a lot of people call him an ass. real artists just keep on producing works of art based on what they feel...they do it good, they do it hard, and they don't pussyfoot. and don't say bad words in public... wtf am i talking about..?

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