Free contemporary pointework ballet class

AROUND 300 aspiring dancers are welcome to register for a free online workshop on contemporary ballet pointework to be spearheaded by Christine Crame, former Principal Dancer and Associate Director of Ballet Philippines. Crame majored Dance at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and currently shares her experience and expertise as a full-time professor and mentor of the budding dancers and student-artists. Hosted by the Arts and Culture Cluster of the School of Design and Arts, the real-time webinar aims to walk the participants through the fundamentals of the pointework of the contemporary technique, as well as introduce the strategy as a different tactile slant as compared to classical ballet. The session is to be moderated by Dance Program Chairperson Nina Anonas, ACBE, a former soloist at Ballet Philippines and a principal dancer at the Manila Metropolis Ballet and Junge Ballett Compagnie, Frankfurt.  The class is open to intermediate and advanced dancers. The workshop will be conducted via Zoom on Friday, Oct. 30, 2 to 4 p.m. Interested participants may register until Oct. 29 via this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5PH2myEUNuZZBuDs1pqHUsOANVkxvNCkeU3TkMP4JILbIEA/viewform?gxids=7628 . For inquiries, visit the official Facebook page of Benilde Arts and Culture Cluster at https://www.facebook.com/benildearts .

Three shows at Silverlens

SILVERLENS currently has three shows: Ziggurat by Norberto Roldan, Masks and Spirits by Pacita Abad, and Apothecary: Prelude by Yvonne Quisumbing. All three are ongoing until Nov. 21. Widely recognized for installation works that repurpose found objects, Norberto Roldan will be featuring 19 such assemblages for Ziggurat, where he presents two series: “100 Altars for Roberto Chabet” and “Fugitives from the Land of the Rising Sun”. In the gallery’s Front Room, Quisumbing presents a new collection of works from her Apothecary series: 10 portraits on three-dimensional surfaces, featuring local plants that treat women’s ailments during conception, birth and recovery after birth. An internationally prominent series, seven of the late Pacita Abad’s Masks and Spirits works currently hang in the 11th edition of the Berlin Biennale; three are in the collection of the Tate London. After decades of travel, Silverlens is privileged to host these trapunto paintings within its own gallery space. Silverlens will be present Masks and Spirits by Pacita Abad in the upcoming Art Basel Online Viewing Room:20c, which runs from Oct. 28 to 31. In conjunction with this event, the gallery will be conducting a live walkthrough of its presentation on Oct. 30 at 8 p.m., Manila Time. Register for this event at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYodeCuqD8jG9QaZuVP2IHP_ksUMmJbzLvi%20 . The gallery is taking strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). In line with the city’s guidelines for social distancing, we will not be accepting any walk-ins. Gallery visits are limited and by appointment only, from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are required to wear masks. Silverlens is at 2263 Don Chino Roces Avenue Ext., Makati City. To set appointments call 8816-0044, 0917-587-4011, or e-mail info@silverlensgalleries.com.

Museum conference calls for transformation

THE METROPOLITAN Museum of Manila and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in collaboration with the Alliance of Greater Metro Manila Museums and with the support of De La Salle University Publishing House, invite museum professionals to participate in the exchange of ideas on the issues, challenges, and opportunities concerning the museum community. A Call to Transform: Manila Museums Summit 2020 — which will be held from Oct. 27 to 30, 9 a.m. to noon —  envisions to cultivate a critical understanding of the directions museums are moving towards and the strategies implemented by different institutions in adapting to these precarious times. The keynote speakers on Oct. 27, tackling the topic “Museums in Flux,” are Eugene Tan, director of the National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum, and Patrick Flores, the curator of UP’s Vargas Museum.  The keynote speaker, tackling the topic “Facing Inevitable Change” on Oct. 28, is Suhanya Raffel, director of M+ Museum, with panelists Zoe Butt, artistic director of The Factory Contemporary Arts Center, and Gridthiya Gaweewong, artistic director of the Jim Thompson Arts Center. On Oct. 29, with the theme “Adaptive Design and Responsive Solutions,” the keynote speaker will be Mami Kataoka, director and chief curator of the Mori Art Museum and the president of CIMAM. The panelists will be Aaron Seeto, director of the Museum MACAN, Elizabeth Thomas, the assistant archivist of The Museum of Modern Art, and Isabel Olbes Ruiz de Alda, the assistant curator of the Museo del Greco. The topic for the last day is “Mobilizing the Philippine Arts and Culture Sectors,” with keynote speaker Congressperson Loren Legarda. The summit will be hosted via Zoom with livestreaming on Facebook. Click “going” on the Facebook event page (https://web.facebook.com/events/1493740850824053 ) to be notified once it goes live.

Four exhibits at Vinyl on Vinyl

VINYL on Vinyl gallery has four new exhibits this month. The exhibits are Iyan de Jesus’ Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt, the artist’s latest series of paintings featuring fine-featured but steel-stong maidens, this time staging them with unicorns as a means to make sense of grief and loss while creating beauty. Ikea Rizalon’s Limbo Paradise is inspired by the pandemic which has everyone in a state of limbo. The artist portrays how we collectively respond to reality by escaping into our own safe havens. Bembol dela Cruz’s Decision Rapida is a suite of paintings and bocetos focusing on the evidence of a decision gone horribly wrong: the metallic shells of cars, severely dented or crushed. While Decision Rapida paints a picture of destruction (with works on paper portraying the damage on a granular scale, achieving an almost abstract quality) it is also a call for mindfulness which is slowly losing traction in a world that prizes multi-tasking and lightning speed decision making. Gerome Soriano’s Things that are Not Supposed to Work But Do is a collection of works the artist started in 2018. He explores meaning connected to superstitious beliefs, codified messages, alternate histories, and automatism with the recent addition of healing symbols that suit the current pandemic. For private viewing, set an appointment through 0917-802-2984.  A virtual walkthrough of the exhibits is available in order to enjoy the shows from the comfort of one’s own home. The virtual walkthrough is https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=fx4qu2r7FD5&utm_source=VOV+Updates&utm_campaign=64ecef8959-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_10_29_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_08a9914dab-64ecef8959-140152573.

BGC Arts Center tackles The Social Dilemma

BGC (Bonifacio Global City) Arts Center will host a virtual screening of The Social Dilemma which will be followed by a conversation with experts on the topic. The Social Dilemma is a documentary that looks at the dark side of social media as told by the people who created it. The screening is part of The Mind Museum and the BGC Art Center’s BetterWORLD Cafe project. It will be held on Oct. 22, with the screening of the documentary at 6 p.m. via Zoom, followed by the conversation with the experts at 7:30 p.m. on Facebook Live. There are limited slots for the Zoom screening (https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5eCZ1FECRneKVJK35SyDhA). Join psychologists Dr. Regina Hechanova-Alampay and Dr. Richie Parr for a conversation on the connections between social media and mental health issues. Join the Facebook Live events page (https://web.facebook.com/events/1036150466836943/) for updates.

British Council offers art grants

THE BRITISH Council is calling on all artists, arts professionals, collectives, hubs and researchers to apply for Connection to Culture grants. It is now accepting grant applications to support online exchanges and collaborations between Southeast Asia and the UK. Visit the British Council page (https://www.britishcouncil.ph/programmes/arts/opportunities/connections-through-culture?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Arts%20Newsletter%20Sept&utm_content=Arts%20Newsletter%20Sept+Preview+CID_9f41f38d443addd524def79959fdb91c&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=Sign%20up%20now&utm_medium=email&utmcampaign=Arts%20Newsletter%20Oct&utm_content=Arts%20Newsletter%20Oct+CID_9dbcea76dacafbe45fd6524bc7d797db&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=page) to learn more or participate in the briefing session on Oct. 28.

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