PPVAAI's GRAND LAUNCHING- "UNANG HAGOD" by Pearl Lleno

[Giovanni Acero]

Bonafide members of Pinoy na Pinoy Visual Artists Association Incorporated (PPVAAI) had recently showcased their masterpieces in a grand launching entitled “Unang Hagod” at the Galeria de las Islas, Intramuros,Manila last November 17, 2012 where an oath-taking also took place. PPVAAI is composed of visual artists- full time, part time, amateur or professional- with a mission to unite Filipino artists here and abroad and bring about social transformation in their own communities through the arts.

 

Social media has played a very significant part in the formation of PPVAAI. On August 29, 2011, Renante Dublois, a Butuanon artist, opened a Facebook account for Filipino artists and named the site Pinoy na Pinoy Visual Artists (PNPVA); in just a matter of days, quite a number of Filipino artists-local and overseas- enlisted themselves on the said site and barely six months after its creation, the group held their first art exhibition on February 18, 2012 at the ECCA Gallery, Pasig City. Since then, PNPVA has been staging one exhibit after the other, along with other projects that helped the neophyte artists to further enhance their craft and eventually become exposed and be known in the arts circle. As of the last count, PPVAAI has 94 active members- two of them are in Dubai, one in Tokyo and one in Vienna. They are hopeful that more Filipino artists around the world would be able to become a part of this dynamic association.

Yolanda Cabuco, a former manufacturer who left a very lucrative career to pursue her passion for the arts, became the chairwoman of PNPVA after Dubois’ resignation. In her leadership, the association was able to tie up with the BUY PINOY group and on May 30, 2012, PNPVA became an official SEC-registered entity. It was also at this time that PNPVA became known as Pinoy na Pinoy Visual Artists Association Incorporated or PPVAAI.  Cabuco shares one of the group’s objectives: “We hope to become instruments in our individual communities as we use our God-given talents to assuage social problems like juvenile delinquency, and perhaps provide livelihood to our underprivileged fellowmen through the arts by assisting them in developing their natural artistic abilities and use these to create not only works of art but also products to sell.” At the same time, members of PPVAAI would also obtain benefits from the association through scholarships, financial aid in case of emergency, assistance in acquiring grants for artist residencies in other countries, seminars and workshops to enhance their interpersonal and professional skills, and opportunities to participate in various arts competitions here and abroad.

As of the writing, several PPVAAI’s members are already gearing up for their group exhibits and one-man shows for December and for 2013. Recently, they participated in the Noel Bazaar at the World Trade Center with a booth showcasing on-the-spot sketching, caricature and face painting. On December 27 and 28, PPVAAI will be joining the PhilExport to display their art works which will also be put up for sale.

 

When asked what they hope to achieve in the long run, Cabuco and the rest of the PPVAAI share their vision: “To see a Filipino society secure and conscious of its heritage and fully aware of its role in a global community where artists are given due recognition for the vital role that they play in projecting and depicting the unique quality and beauty of the Filipino soul and character in their own Pinoy na Pinoy art forms.”