Aliwan Fiesta cultural showcase in the opening of Prague Quadrennial

June 17, 2011 | Friday | 4:06 pm

The Philippines kicked off its bid to gain recognition for its expertise in theatre architecture and performance space as the Prague Quadrennial opened to crowds yesterday at the Veletzrini Palace, in the presence of high-ranking members of the diplomatic corps who led the 76 countries represented in this mammoth global event.

National curator Rolando de Leon and student delegation head Susan Isorena Arcega of Manila Broadcasting Company personally toured Her Excellency Ambassador Evelyn Austria-Garcia and the staff of the Philippine Embassy in Prague, whose full support enabled the Philippine team to install the national and student pavilions in record time.

De Leon’s bamboo house, which showcased among others, MBC’s annual cultural showcase – the Aliwan Fiesta – along with various theatrical productions in the past year, elicited praises from the other national curators for his decision to use bamboo despite the difficulties and freight costs involved. De Leon also had an array of 300 barbie dolls garbed in Muslim attaire, along with two mock-ups of roosters, and rattan Von Gyer mannequins from CITEM’s merchandise design residency program, which were garbed in colorful attire from the Sosogon and Uswag Surallah Lembuhong festivals.

The student pavilion put together by members of De La Salle University’s Harlequin Theater Guild and OJT’s from the College of St Benilde and Far Eastern University, was a big hit among PQ 11 visitors, who admired their decision to simulate an enchanted forest centered on the balete tree — all from scrap material — as their take on mother nature’s living canvass answering the country’s dearth of performance space. Colorful images from nature festivals and headdresses from Iloilo Dinagyang’s Tribu Pan-ay and Candaba’s Ibon-Ebon festival were also on display, while photos from DLSU’-HTG led by “Rizal is My President” emphasized the quality of the students’ own work back home. As the students met visitors in various costumes from the Padang-Padang, Calacatchara, and Kadayawan festivals, the Philippine Ambassador proudly showed off the jeepney mural to guests.

Visitors and design critics praised both installations from the Philippines for their use of organic material, innovative use of scraps, and unmitigated use of color in manifesting the Filipino audience preference for stunning visual artistry.

The Philippine team is gunning for the Golden Triga, and carries with them the hopes and prayers of the Filipino community in Prague, who feted them on June 12 following mass at the Shrine of the Sto Nino de Praha.