MANILA, Philippines - An artwork that impresses natural movement; another that presents a seemingly unnatural pairing; a home design that gives off nature?s natural warmth; and a sculpture that presents nature?s simplistic beauty.
These are the grand-prize winners in this year?s Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (Made) Awards, which held the awarding ceremony at Le Pavillion in Pasay: Raffy Napay for ?Mahiwagang Pagbubukas, Galaw na Walang Wakas? (Water Media on Paper category); Ronald Jeresano for ?I?m Still Hoping? (Oil-Based Medium on Canvas); Elrine Vicaldo for ?Lesson of the Bird? (Sculpture); and April Rose Frigillana for ?Nature?s Links? (Interior Design). They received P200,000 each.
Other winners: Dennis Atienza (second prize) and John Paul Antido (third) in Oil on Canvas; Janeil Arlegui (special prize) in Water Media on Paper; Byron Salarza (special prize) for Sculpture; and Adrian del Monte (special prize) for Interior Design.
Special prize winners received P150,000 while the second- and third-prize winners in the Oil-Based Medium received P175,000 and P150,000, respectively.
All winners received a trophy by glass artist and former Made winner Noell El Farol.
The Metrobank Foundation Prize for Achievement in Sculpture (MPAS) was also given to Salvador Joel Alonday for consistently creating a body of work that exemplifies excellence and dedicated craftsmanship. His creations are described as being driven by the life force that is the conflicting acute sense of the absurd and sexuality.
?As we move toward strengthening our advocacy in the arts through the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence, we envision to constantly open doors for our young artists and visionaries to freely express their observation, imagination, creativity and inspiration,? said Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña.
Prior to the awards ceremony was the signing of the memorandum of agreement between Metrobank and Gawad Kalinga (GK) for GK-Metrobank Designer Village Challenge.
The national competition aims to raise the standards of excellence in building communities by encouraging students of architecture, interior design and landscape architecture from all over the Philippines to come up with the best designs for the poor in GK communities.
?Because art is for all, we aim to erase the borders that define art and design as something only a select few can enjoy,? Sobrepeña said.
?We believe that by providing the most liveable environment for the least among our brethren will not only uplift their spirits but will also help the poor function better as members of society. Ultimately, this can help create better lives.?
