Lopez Museum holds a lecture, Waves of Expression: Mapping the Currents of Visayan Arts, by scholar and curator Prof. Martin Genodepa, as part of the Cultural Intersections series of the Lopez Museum and Library (LML). The lecture is on Aug. 15, 10 am to 12 pm, at The Rockwell Club, Makati.
In this lecture, Prof. Genodepa surveys the visual arts in the Visayas, what shapes its arts landscape, how artists develop and sustain their practice, and the initiatives and networks that make the region’s cultural ecosystem robust, including the programs and projects in arts, culture, and creativity.
Genodepa is an associate professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas and director of the UP Visayas Office of Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA). He is a visual artist, curator, and scholar whose his work spans sculpture, installation art, museum development, and cultural heritage.
He led the establishment of the UP Visayas Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage (UPV MACH) and served as founding museum director of the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA). His research and publications focus on Philippine visual arts, cultural history, and indigenous knowledge systems, particularly in Western Visayas.
The Lopez Museum and Library, with its mission to initiate and support scholarly and artistic production, started in 2023 the Cultural Intersections series as part of its in-person programming towards the enhancement and appreciation of Philippine history, culture, and heritage.
Lopez Museum and Library’s Cultural Intersections series
Cultural Intersections recognizes the need for a deep dive into Philippine history, culture, and art through varied interdisciplinary public programs, collaborating with scholars, professionals, and practitioners across related industries and disciplines.
The series draws from perspectives and contexts reflecting the diverse expressions of artistry and creativity in relation to the LML collection.
In 2023, conversations centered on the American colonial period and how it shaped the Philippine political, educational, and cultural landscape, featuring Ma. Victoria Herrera on Forging Partnerships: 20th Century Philippine Architects and Francesco Riccardo Monti; Katherine G. Lacson on Ode to Pulchritude: Queens and Beauty Pageants During the American Period; Karl Ian U. Cheng Chua on Illustrating the Filipino: Cartoons and Komiks of the American Period; Michael Manalo on Structure and Skin: Perspectives in the Conservation of Early 20th Century Architecture in the Philippines; Kristine Michelle L. Santos on Food Trips: Food Tourism During the American Period; and Dr. Katherine G. Lacson on Cinema in the Context of the Commonwealth in 2024.
In succeeding months, the focus shifted to Mindanao: Dr. Felicidad Prudente on The Gongs of Mindanao: Local and Global Resonances; Dr. Matthew Santamaria on The Sulu Zone as Cultural Complex: An Appreciation of Linked Diversity in Music and Dance Traditions; Patricia Irene Dacudao on Indigenous Davao: Its Peoples and Cultures; Patrick F. Campos on Badjao Revisited: Place, Difference and Identity in National Cinema; Abel Ubaldo on Phantom Muse: Folklore and Fantasy in Mutya ng Pasig; and Felice Noelle Rodriguez on Song, Dance and Clothing.
UP Diliman College of Fine Arts Prof. Mitzi Reyes in an earlier lecture on the Iloilo ‘patadyong’ and its traditional designs (Photo courtesy of Lopez Museum and Library)
In 2026, the series focused on the Visayas, starting in June, with an introductory lecture by local historian and retired professor at the UP Manila School of Health Sciences in Palo, Leyte, Dr. Rolando Borrinaga. He drew from his extensive research and expertise on the history and heritage of Eastern Visayas. This was followed by former dean of the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts Prof. Mitzi Reyes’ research work on the Iloilo patadyong and its traditional designs.
Prof. Martin Genodepa’s upcoming talk on the visual arts ecosystem in the region is next.
One of the aims of the Cultural Intersections series is to introduce immersive yet insightful learning experiences for diverse publics, such as Island Cravings: Traditions, Tastes, and Tales of Visayan Cuisine, an upcoming tasting menu experience on Sept. 19 with a lecture at Grace Park by heritage advocate and Philippine colonial era culinary historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, and Ravages of War: Filipinos in Peacetime, Conflict, and its Aftermath in Oro, Plata, Mata, a screening of the critically acclaimed film on Oct. 17, followed by a dialogue with renowned filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes, the chairman and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
The Cultural Intersections series also serves as platform for critical ideas, methods, and frameworks in line with its commitment to the stewardship, preservation, enrichment, and promotion of the LML collections, that it may be accessible to current and future generations.
The Cultural Intersections series of the Lopez Museum and Library aims to be a vital platform for critical engagement and cultural reflection.
For inquiries or questions, contact the Curatorial and Engagement Department at curatorial@elfi.org.ph.
