editorial team
A new breed of young and talented Filipino artists has emerged as Pilipinas Shell awarded the 12 student-artist winners of the 51st National Student Art Competition (NSAC) last November 12 at the Ayala Museum.
Above Photo: Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) Country Chair Cesar Romero (back row, fourth from left) graced the awarding ceremony of Pilipinas Shell’s National Students Art Competition (NSAC) held last November 12 at the Ayala Museum. Photo shows Romero with award-winning art critic and NSAC alumna Cid Reyes (back row, sixth from left), PSPC officials, and this year’s winners.
For more than half a century, the NSAC has produced renowned artists including national artists Jose Joya, Federico Alcuaz, Ang Kiukok, and Ben Cabrera. As a testament to the continued thriving of art in the Philippines, close to 1,000 entries from all over the country were submitted to the competition. Of these, three winners were chosen for each of four categories.
This year’s theme for the competition was “Perspective,” which challenged the student artists to showcase their vision of their future and the future of the country in oil and acrylic, watercolor, sculpture, and digital fine arts.
Third place winners, second place winners, and first place winners received Php30,000, Php40,000, and Php60,000 respectively. In addition to this, the 1st place winners were given a Php20,000 grant in support of faculty development and a plaque of citation in excellence in curriculum program in studies in fine arts.
The winners’ works were displayed together with the top 100 submissions at the Ayala Museum from November 13 to 18. The competition winners are currently on display at the Shell House Lobby in Valero, Makati City, and will be there until November 23.
Celebrating the last 50 years of this social investment project, the Shell NSAC continues to visualize a future filled with art and life as part of its thrust towards a bright future for energy, innovation, and artistic living.
“Shell is not only about road safety, efficient fuel sources, and environmental awareness. One of our long-standing goals is to continually foster Filipino art by discovering young artists,” said Shell Companies in the Philippines country chairman Cesar Romero. “NSAC has always been the venue for recognizing potential and giving these artists a chance to make their own mark in the industry,” he added.
During the awards rites, Pilipinas Shell also launched the coffee table book titled “The Golden Voyage,” which celebrates the artworks of students over the last 50 years of the NSAC. The book is written by renowned art critic and artist Cid Reyes.
Renowned judges joined forces to select 12 winners
Much like in previous years, Pilipinas Shell gathered the country’s top artists from different specializations to serve as judges for this season’s competition.
Painters and master artists Lito Carating and Raul Lebajo, art critic and scholar Cid Reyes, multimedia artist Jose Tence Ruiz, and former Dean of UP Fine Arts Nestor Olarte Vinluan handpicked the top three winners for the oil and acrylic category.
Master painters Antipas Delotavo, Pablo Baen Santos, and Edgar Doctor were in charge of the watercolor category. Master sculptors Michael Cacnio, Ral Arrogante, and Reggie Yuson served as the judges for the sculpture category.
Renowned visual artists Pablo Biglang-awa Jr., Ross Capili, Dopy Doplon, Lex Kabigting, and Norberto “Peewee” Roldan picked the winners for the Digital Fine Arts category.
The following are the winners with their respective works and universities:
Oil and acrylic category:
“Up Side Down” by Almario D. Tangalin, first place winner in the oil and acrylic category
First place: Almario D. Tangalin (Navotas Polytechnic College) for his work “Up Side Down”
Second place: Gyles Maverick O. Abac (University of the Philippines Diliman) for his work “The Grid of Progress”
Third place: John Michael E. Pujante (University of the Philippines Cebu) for his work “Tomorrow’s Fool”
Watercolor category:
“Retrospective”by Michael D. Ramos, first place winner in the watercolor category
First place: Michael Jay D. Ramos (Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology) for his work “Retrospective”
Second place: Joshua D. Villena (iACADEMY) for his work “Magkakaiba Pero Magkakapareha”
Third place: Bernice Michaella M. Cruz (University of Santo Tomas) for her work “Hopscotch Life”
Sculpture category:
“LODI” by Loreber M. Comision, first place winner in the sculpture category
First place: Lorebert M. Comision (Adventist University of the Philippines) for his work “LODI”
Second place: Harlem C. Sunga (Tarlac State University) for his work “Building One Nation”
Third place: Joegan G. Espina (Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology) for his work “Infinity”
Digital fine arts category:
“I.C.U” by Patricia M. Mangahas, first place winner in the digital fine arts category
First place: Patricia M. Mangahas (Far Eastern University) for her work “I.C.U.”
Second place: Charles Bryan R. Alba (Technological University of the Philippines) for his work “Coming”
Third place: Azriel T. Domingo (University of Rizal System—Angono) for his work “The Barkada Never Goes Away”
Continuing the legacy of discovering Filipino artists
As one of the longest-running art competitions in the country, the NSAC continues to seek out and recognize Filipino artists and their crafts. For the past half century, Pilipinas Shell has aimed to provide a venue where these artists can shine and follow in the footsteps of the many artists who have found their footing in the NSAC.
Whether it is in finding the budding talents of the country or enriching awareness of the arts, Pilipinas Shell continues to lead the way in putting Filipino art on the map. Its commitment to excellence goes beyond its industry as the leader of energy, as Pilipinas Shell envisions a world that is artistic and inspiring as it is innovative and driven towards excellence.
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