Benilde creatives show no-boundary curious mindset in exhibit

As humans, we are hardwired to be curious. It is an instinct that goes past design and invention, past creativity and information. Curiosity is part of our evolutionary DNA, part of how we as a species have survived; it is the stimulus for our desire to learn and discover. Even in a world beleaguered by wars and climate catastrophe we want to know what happens next. The curious are the ones who ask the questions, and who take the next steps to find out how things can be done.

To celebrate its 35th year, the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde launched Benilde Open Design and Art 2024. Creatives were invited to submit proposals for new, untested projects—artists, architects, technologists, engineers, industrial designers, craftsmen, illustrators, textile designers, animators, playwrights, composers, poets, filmmakers, cinematographers, lighting designers, fashion designers, chefs.

Three hundred twenty-four proposals were received from creative industry practitioners and Benilde students.

Exhibitions of the selected proposals opened to the public May 23 and will run until June 30, 2024 in several spaces at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde–Design + Arts Campus, Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) Manila and Hub for Innovation.

This pioneering initiative is in synergy with De La Salle University and the Embassy of Switzerland.

Ten proposals for the Benilde Open category were selected. Each receives a grant of PhP300,000 for it to be realized. In addition is one special mention that has received full funding of PhP300,000 from a private donor.

Tropikalye by Nice Buenaventura and Costantino Zicarelli is an online index of photographs and text highlighting the accidental intersections of contemporary Philippine aesthetics and the everyday from the vantage point of the street. It is a portmanteau of the words “tropical” and the Tagalized Spanish “kalye,” for “street.” A popular trend in the index, color-cooling, is the use of mint green on architectural and related surfaces—“malamig sa mata.”

Nightingales by RJ Fernandez acknowledges the presence of Filipinos in the UK’s National Health Service. Filipinos are the third largest nationality employed by the UK’s health service, with over 40,000 and more in the private health sector. Eighty-five percent of nurses trained in the Philippines work overseas. The filmmaker engages and collaborates with three Filipino nurses from East Sussex in a documentary that aims to show their daily life, including their horticultural activities as they learn to grow food in a community garden. The nurses will be given technical training in video documentation and given 10-12 days to document their daily life. Like many in the Asian diaspora, food is the strongest and most accessible facet of our culture that connects us to other cultures.  Having creative activities that revolve around food, like growing vegetables, cooking, and sharing a meal with the community, ushers in this demographic, not traditionally engaged in the arts, into this creative exercise. The documentary will be titled Nightingale, after Florence, a modern version of the Hippocratic oath taken by nurses and doctors.

Stakeholding: Chapter 1, A Developing Tabletop Game by Lyra Garcellano explores the various features of the contemporary art and culture world. It involves the players making fun, easy and occasionally complex decisions in hypothetical scenarios. The game proposes discussions and conversations that take off from philosophical queries, such as: How do we design a new art world? How can we chart our journey? How can we be mobile in that path? What do we do when we collide with other worlds/communities—do we occupy and conquer or do we cooperate and collaborate?

RE-MOVE: Unraveling truths behind the spectacle of indigenous exposition through the contemporary performance lens by Aaron Kaiser Garcia retraces the history of the Filipino body all the way back to the first Human Zoo. The Filipino body holds centuries’ worth of stories about resistance and triumph against colonial oppression and exploitation. As time passes, memories fail—yet oftentimes, the body remembers. The project aims to highlight how colonial infrastructures remove cultural artifacts from our indigenous communities;,and in response to this removal, we aim to recreate, reimagine, and re-move our bodies to shine a light on this spectacle of indigenous exposition and exploitation.

Exploring the Use of Philippine Silk in Tausug Pisyabit Weaving by Rambie Lim proposes to bridge the gap between suppliers, dyers, and weavers to possibly bring about the renaissance of traditional Tausug textiles by working with weavers from Padirna Sanaani of Parang, Sulu and Ruhina Muhaimer of Maimbung, Sulu. Tausug weavers used silk threads from Chinese traders as early as the 15th century, creating textiles for traditional clothing like the pis (men’s headscarf), kambut (stole belt), and the turung (shawl or shoulder covering). Through the passage of time, the island’s long conflict, and the changes of trade, imported silk threads are no longer available and weavers use acrylic and polyester threads from Jolo’s Textile Market. Through the Rurungan Sa Tubod Foundation, the designer has been researching and experimenting on how to adapt traditional weaving and dying techniques to find solutions.

Unraveling Baguio’s Inner Tapestry: A Psychogeographical Exploration Through Sensory Encounters by Gabe Mercado employs creative interventions and collaborative practices to deconstruct dominant tourist narratives and engage participants in a critical and embodied understanding of the city’s multifaceted identity. Through unscripted walks, a team of artists and explorers with experience in psychogeography, sound art, photography, performance, knitting, design, architecture, and poetry will guide the exploration.

Maria, Maria by Lala Monserrat in collaboration with Russ Ligtas, Geric Cruz and Jazel Kristin is a conversation between resident artists of Casa San Miguel Center for the Arts in the coastal town of San Antonio, Zambales and a spirited group of young locals of the LGBTQ community residing in Barangay San Miguel. The project aims to foster collaborative work and collective care for artists and the public by creating a safe space within the intersections of art, community engagement, and cultural mapping through performance, photography, film, and sculpture.

Cosmic Garden by Issay Rodriguez establishes an empathic connection between human perception and the creative interpretation of data. By merging art and technology, the artist seeks to inspire curiosity and explore innovative solutions that foster positive impacts. The project asks: How can the synergy of art and agriculture 4.0 technologies drive innovation towards positive outcomes rather than instilling fear? Inspired by the phrase, “as above, so below,” the artist aims to evoke the intricate relationship between the universe and earthly gardens, exploring it through the unique perspective of bees.

Developing Puppetry in the Philippines by Mikayla Teodoro aims to introduce new puppetry arts to turn the country into a puppetry hub in Southeast Asia. Advanced mechanisms in puppetry are explored and local puppet makers trained to create complex puppet joints. By studying the anatomy of a hyena—which appears similar to dogs, but is more closely related to cats—prototypes for the head, tail, and leg joints will be made. These will be tested by puppeteers so they can be refined until they are up to standard, before a fully realized puppet is made.

CURIOUS: Spotlight on Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Literature by Michael Vea focuses on integrating FSL Literature in the landscape of Philippine literary arts through a pioneering creative signing workshop and an exhibition featuring works from five Deaf literary fellows. It seeks to intricately blend craftsmanship with technology, through the creation of innovative literary works in FSL, designed to enrich the experience of the Filipino Deaf community.

Special mention is an unrealized project that has received full funding from a private donor.

Baluy Manghagdaway: A Functional Installation Art Created in Collaboration with the Umayamnon Community of Barangay Mandahican, Lambagan and Mandaing Municipality of Cabanglasan by Errol P. Balcos is about a visual artist’s advocacy for the rights of corn gleaners as Indigenous Peoples. Must public art such as installations be situated in parks in urban areas? If indeed installations can be exhibited in remote areas, such as corn farms, can it be made functional and livable for the Umayamnon? Can it be replicated among other communities of gleaners in Bukidnon?

Meanwhile, 17 student proposals have been selected for the Best of Benilde category. The students receive full curatorial support.

Designing Space for Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Ryan Jacobson’s Can You Survive Dracula? by Louisa Ray Cagaligen explores an immersive, stylized exhibition space for a reimagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Ryan Jacobson’s Can You Survive Dracula? The designer aims to allow the audience to explore their dark side and satisfy their curiosity by acting as the main character, Jonathan Harker. The staging of the exhibit is significant since Dracula still remains popular in contemporary times.

The Local Identity by Xandrix Antaso Corpuz Jr is an open service directory that brings together emerging creative practitioners. It serves as comprehensive catalog for quality service at fair rates through an accessible app platform.

Ang Paglipad ng Saranggola sa Aplaya by Danielle Cusi is an unrealized film thesis project about Diane’s beloved Mangyan friend, Rosie, whose dream is to complete her education. Set in Oriental Mindoro where Diane spends annual summer breaks with her grandmother, she learns that Rosie had sacrificed by living far away to work as a domestic help to support her family.

Hugo: A Smart Pillow for Self-Regulation by Asia Entico is a non-invasive, non-pharmacological device that stimulates the vagus nerve through vibrations. The vagus nerve operates under the autonomic nervous system and prompts the “rest and digest” system. Stimulating the vagus nerve helps regulate most of our bodily functions and brings our nervous system back to a zone of safety. The objective of this project is to effectively bring down the fight-flight response of people who have trouble self-regulating through a non-invasive therapeutic device. Hugo is intuitive, comfortable, and provides immediate relief from symptoms of fight-or-flight.

Hustlers by Gela Mae C. Gamil is a platform for freelance physical laborers—such as an electricians, locksmiths, carpenters, or welders—to connect with clients through a phone app for home and related services. The recruitment process would be done through TESDA.

Everglow Art Retreats by Veronica Landig is a fully inclusive yoga and art center that focuses on bridging the gap between the desire to move, create, and just dive deep into it. Movement through dance and theater combined with simple yoga sequences is introduced as play. Through emotional prompts, paint materials and canvases are tools that encourage creativity. All barriers are removed through guided journaling or meditation.

Biyahe: Design of a Board Game for Visual Impaired Filipinos by Pia Maghirang aims to develop a game to use during therapy sessions of children who are visually impaired. For proper evaluation of material requirements for children with disabilities, the research includes conducted interviews with occupational therapists, a pediatric ophthalmologist, and individuals who are, or knowledgeable about, the visually challenged.

PXXXXXXPORN.JPEG by Earl John Marquez is an AR exhibition about the system of consuming poverty porn contents made by content creators. This is to raise awareness and knowledge among young adult netizens.

Sinulid 2023: Renascence by Earl John Marquez, Rexcel Cariaga and Dars Juson is a video production and hybrid exhibition that features fashion design collections by eleven students. They seek to tell stories about social and environmental issues, heritage, and culture. It includes behind-the-scenes footage.

The team behind Camille Jay Pinton’s Project Noir

Project Noir by Camille Jay Pinton commits to address environmental and social challenges in the Philippine fashion industry as champions of sustainability through a curated collection of clothing that embodies this at every stage of its production process and narrative.

Gender Reveal by Brian Ilustrisimo Razon is an exhibition which aims to explore the intricacies of the human gender, celebrate the art of drag, and promote gender equality. This multimedia exhibition features new work on performance, photography and sculpture.

STUDEN.SITE (Student Residences Website) by Jonas Roque is a portmanteau of the words student and den, with “den” being a synonym for “home.” StuDEN is a website platform for up-to-date, verified, affordable housing options in the vicinity of Taft. It simplifies the search process by providing necessary details about amenities, nearby facilities, and pricing. It also addresses the concern of parents unfamiliar with the Taft vicinity and looking for suitable accommodation for their children about to study at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde or nearby institutions.

Surreal Portraits by Akira Watanabe is a photography exhibition on experimental, creative, and surreal portraiture.

Project Charlie

PROJECT C.H.A.R.L.I.E (Computerized Hotel Assessment Responder and Learning Intelligence Engine) by Liezel Ann Nierves, Glaeor Magne Dominguez, Mariana Julian Bernal with faculty mentor Alejandro Hector Reyes is the primary virtual entity of innovation designed for hotel guests. It learns guests’ profiles, observes behavior, and remembers preferences for products and services that a hotel’s facilities are capable of providing. A rooms and facilities virtual assistant directs any guest request to the hotel systems, and records details for purposes of customized services in the guests’ future bookings and occupancies. In this way, guests no longer need to call the front desk for their concerns. The assistant hopes to be a companion, giving each guest a unique experience both out and even after their stay.

Ballpark (Benilde All-Purpose Parking) by Jonas Fabian Roque, Shane Mariel Figuerra, Charles Cedric Quianzon, John Patrick Pascua, Maria Abigail Uson is a design project of a creative parking facility that promotes green mobility. Through the use of a vertical space in a small lot and implementation of an automated hydraulic multi-level parking system, the remaining space is dedicated to reverse vending machines, electric bike chargers, and a rainwater catch basin. Users conveniently access the facility with a paperless ticket through the online ticketing system.

Team Layag

Layag by Jasmine Fiona Tan, Sofia Anjelik Barrion, and Ynes Sofia Manguerra is a design of a pavilion to promote the economic and cultural industries of the Zamboanga Peninsula. Layag means “to sail,” and the pavilion is inspired by abundant water and colorful vintas. Through thoughtful visual displays, merchandising, and storytelling in interior design, Layag is able to uniquely promote Zamboanga arts, crafts, tradition, and cultural heritage.

Jasmila Clarisse San, Mary Julianne Capistrano, Mary Joy Velarde, Alfred Alavar and Nicus Villaluna

The Kid in Me by Jasmila Clarisse San, Mary Julianne Capistrano, Mary Joy Velarde, Alfred Alavar, and Nicus Villaluna is an interactive book that delves into the phenomenon of the inner child. Meant for young passionate creatives, this takes them on a step-by-step journey of self-development through augmented reality feature illustrations, a website where the digital copy is embedded, and related multimedia collaterals.

Special exhibit: ‘HEIDI BUCHER: and pull yesterday into today’

The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) Manila opens Heidi Bucher: and pull yesterday into today, the oeuvre of renowned Swiss artist Heidi Bucher (1926-1993), as part of the launching of Benilde Open Design + Art.

The exhibition comes to the Philippines after its two successful outings at key exhibition spaces Art Sonje Center in Seoul, Korea and the Red Brick Museum in Beijing, China. The last leg of Bucher’s Asian sojourn comes to Southeast Asia through the lens of Manila, the Philippines.

Bucher is one of the most important and groundbreaking artists of the international neo-avant-garde. Trained as a dressmaker who studied fashion and textiles at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts under Johannes Itten, a key member of the Bauhaus, Bucher developed her practice to encompass architecture, spatial installations, drawings, sculptures, and collaborative performances.

The breadth of Bucher’s practice resists the categorization of artistic disciplines; she encourages the capacity of art to speak across fields and challenge our preconceived ideas of what we think of when we think of art. She tested materials: textiles for architecture, architecture in the air, collages on silk, and sculptures as performances, seeking to bring nature into her art.

Bucher’s initial fascination with the interplay between art and fashion was highlighted in her genderless body sculptures Bodyshells and Bodywrappings, which emerged in California in the early 1970s. The Production Design students from DLS-CSB and MCAD will reproduce these wearable sculptures in collaboration with the Estate of Heidi Bucher. A series of performances by the Bachelor in Performing Arts, Major in Dance program students wearing the sculpture will occur throughout the show.

Public programs from May 23 to June 30, 2024 

Public programs will be announced through the social media platforms of Benilde Open Design + Art.

There is a conversation on Swiss artist Heidi Bucher featuring her sons, Indigo and Mayo, and a series of performances by the Bachelor in Performing Arts, Major in Dance program students wearing the Bodyshells and Bodywrappings.

Weekly guided tours are offered for free to the public to the Benilde Open, Best of Benilde, and Heidi Bucher: and pull yesterday into today.

The Benilde Open grantees and Best of Benilde students have a lineup of talks and activities on puppetry, psychogeography, performance, fashion, and board games.

Fireside chats are scheduled on creative courage, grant proposal writing, women in design and architecture, and creative industry unicorns.

Benilde faculty and have a lineup of workshops on printmaking, prosthetics, intellectual property and lesson plan design with exhibitions. These are open to students, faculty and non-Benildeans.

Benilde Open Design + Art is presented in synergy with De La Salle University and the Embassy of Switzerland.

Other exhibition partners are Friend of Benilde Open Design + Art, Philippine Airlines, Malayan Insurance, Uratex, Lopez Memorial Museum, POWER MAC Center.

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