AND now, the new National Artists of the Philippines…
Fresh from her much anticipated State of the Nation Address (SONA), Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo named seven individuals who will receive the Order of the National Artists honors, the highest award bestowed by the state to those who have contributed greatly to the development of different fields of Philippine Art. Magnifi cent would be a perfect description for these seven—if not for the fl ak they have been receiving from all sides.
In a statement delivered by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the President honored National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Executive Director Cecille Guidote Alvarez for theater; Manuel Urbano, also known as Manuel Conde, for fi lm and broadcast arts (posthumous); Lazaro Francisco, literature (posthumous); Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, visual arts, painting, sculpture and mixed media; Magno Jose Carlo Caparas, visual arts and fi lm; Francisco "Bobby" Mañoza, architecture; and Jose "Pitoy" Moreno, fashion design.
Surprise, surprise
The list surprised many. Last month, a list from the NCCA, the body involved in the naming of National Artists, originally included composer Ramon Santos. Another icon on the short list was theater veteran Zeneida Amador.
The final list elicited uproar from different sectors. The one who was hit the most was Caparas, whose body of work and contributions in the two fi elds where he was honored, was put into question. The seasoned comic book writer and artist Gerry Alanguilan, who has been an inker of comics for DC, Marvel and Image, led the barrage of protests against Caparas.
"How can someone who does not draw his stories, especially his most successful ones, ever be named National Artist for Visual Art?" asked Alanguilan, in a well-responded post at his blogsite, gerry.alanguilan.com. "I’m not sure if President GMA was aware when she gave this title, but Carlo J. Caparas is not an illustrator. For every single story he has written, another artist worked with him to draw his story."
Alanguilan argued with a litany of proofs, recalling the works attributed to Caparas: "Panday? It was illustrated by Steve Gan. Pieta? Also illustrated by Steve Gan. Anak ng Lupa? Illustrated by Nestor Malgapo. Bakekang? Illustrated by Mar Santana. Totoy Bato? The modern incarnation was drawn by Tor Infante. Kroko? It was illustrated by Hal Santiago. For every single published story that he wrote, another artist collaborated with him."
The name Carlo J. Caparas is synonymus to "pito-pito" films
In fairness to Cecile Alvarez, I think she did contribute a lot in theater through PETA and Balintataw.
