Art publishing as heritage advocacy
By Desiree Caluza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:55:00 12/22/2008
Filed Under: Arts (general), Media, Lifestyle & Leisure
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—Like her brother, musician Freddie Aguilar, Marlene Aguilar could have carved a niche in the entertainment industry had she decided to pursue a career in acting and modeling.
But her calling was different. Marlene said she wanted to publish more books on art and culture to sustain the Filipinos’ interest in history.
“I believe the soul of the nation is in the arts and culture—not wealth, money or position. I think our country is suffering from identity crisis. I publish books to try to heal the soul of the Philippines,” she said.
Aguilar last month launched “Philippines,” a coffee-table book featuring 250 watercolor paintings of Nik Masangcay, at the Manor Hotel in Camp John Hay here.
The book featured Philippine landscapes, from northern Philippines down south.
Aguilar, who described the book as her “gift to the Filipino people,” discussed the Philippines’ rich and diverse culture in the book, which has been nominated in the 2008 Hong Kong Print Awards.
Aguilar said she would never mind playing second fiddle to her more famous “Kuya Freddie.”
“I am very proud of my brother. I have seen him fight the system. Whenever I hear his song ‘Bayan Ko,’ I still cry,” she said.
Aguilar studied Psychology in Worcester State College in Massachusetts after spending two years at University of the Philippines.
She said she initially considered a career in acting in the 1980s and enrolled in a New York acting school.
Her perseverance paid off, with two foreign film credits to her name. She appeared in the Japanese film “Scandal Rose” and the Dutch epic film “Love.”
Her being kayumanggi (brown-skinned) also attracted the attention of Elite Modeling Agency, which tapped her as a catalogue model.
“I was even offered to pose for Penthouse magazine. If I did it, Kuya Freddie would have stopped me from returning to the Philippines,” she said.
After a short stint in acting and modeling, she traveled to learn and appreciate the culture of other countries.
She was widowed at 23 when her first husband, an American, died in a car accident.
It was in 1997 that she went full time in promoting Philippine culture through publishing. She has since published 12 coffee-table books.
Her first book, “Philippine Coral Reefs in Watercolor,” which featured the art of Rafael Cusi in 1997, won the European Art for Environment Award.
Aguilar said she’s working on the second volume of “Philippines” and on another book on Muslim Mindanao.
Aguilar said she would never tire of promoting and writing about the Philippines because she is proud of her heritage.
“I am an Ilocana. I grew up in Isabela. I will always be proud as a Filipino,” she said.
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