Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival '12

Concert Grounds.

I think I started this blog a few months after the first Malasimbo, with a photo of me slacking off at volunteer work. Well this year, I got the same job as I did last time which was to bring the artists leaving on a Friday to Puerto Galera. The big difference back then was that there were less artist and I could fit them all in one bus. Now, we had three with some minor setbacks but what the hell we got there in time for the festival and the first Malasimboat.

This year’s Malasimbo was bigger and I can’t really say better but there were a couple of pros and cons. Last year, it was more of an intimate group while this year was hipster central on a mountain. There are more toilets this time around and the food was better. The Kesong Puti is still a best seller and I wouldn’t wonder why not. It is a festival for your taste buds. There’s a campsite which makes the venue more accessible especially if you just went for the festival. The hike back to the entrance is tiring and is definitely a workout. Nonetheless the acts were awesome! Papa U-gee, Joe Bataan, Brigada, DJ Kentaro, Junior Kilat and Good Leaf were mind blowing… to me atleast they’re on the top of my list. It’s unfortunate that I passed out before I could catch Desta’s set.

Papa U-gee!

I would tell you more about it, but you just have to be there to experience it. Nature, good music, some greens and good company it’s a must to go next year. I bet the acts will be bigger and will certainly delight your musical cravings.

It rained but the sky remained lovely.

oh and just because I'm vain.

**Photos by JR check out his flickr.

BB.

"You see, you feel, you watch and when you think you've gotten her she leaves."

BB was one of the two pieces I had for this show entitled Ffffff( F lock ) last September 24 - October 14 at the Blanc Compound.

The Past Seven Months of Writing Hiatus.

As far as I remembered I started this blog so I can update people about my trips. However, I think I have failed you, my dear follower. It keeps on slipping my mind to update this blog. Nonetheless, here I go again, attempting to place in writing what happened to me in the past 7 months.

Let's start of with my internship. If you heard about Mideo Cruz, then you probably know my boss, Karen Flores, resigned from the Cultural Center of the Philippines together with me and my fellow interns. But before that, we had DAKDAKAN: "KULO" (The open forum regarding the exhibit), SOLIDARITY FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION! (Official Closing of the exhibit with peace walk) and the "Palayain ang Sining" website.

CCP: DAKDAKAN : "KULO"

SOLIDARITY FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

After all that shenanigan, it left us as freelance interns/the curatorial team of K.O.F. We mostly worked on the "Nothing to Declare" exhibit in Blanc Compound, Mandaluyong and an assortment of participation for FILVADRO. Basically, work compromised of goofing around the art space, entertaining the visitors and sleeping by our make shift office.

What we do at work

My internship did end well. I've met alot of great and amazing people and artist alike. I got to go to a bunch of art shows and had one myself. Which brings us to my first ever group show outside the academe.

What else? I'm back in school for my last term and will be graduating by May. (FINALLY) I'm pretty much excited for Malasimbo in the coming days.

Maybe i'll update more often now, maybe not. Maybe I'm lazy or maybe I'm too busy. Eitherway, cheers to life! :)

An overdue. Maybe some updates.

It's been months since I've had the urge to open my web browser, set it to my blogspot and type on. (Which is what I'm doing right now.) Well I have been preoccupied with life, as I know it. Or rather, I've been preoccupied by reality checks and a bunch of unfinished work/business since I got back from my South East Asia trip. More about that trip in the following blog posts, in the following days.

by the bay, there is trash.

I've started my internship at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, under the Visual Arts and Museo Division. I help out with the art installations, do random designs here and there. It has been an awesome run so far, we've accomplished a number of things including stuff for FILVADRO, Cesar Hernando's exhibit entitled "MULA SA MGA ANINONG GUMAGALAW 1971-2001 " located at the Small Galley, the FPJ memorial exhibit by the Dream Theater and the Cinemalaya collateral and the likes.

Foamboard MADNESS

V&V. Vitzka and Vilma Santos

I'm rather thankful for this, because there are a number of perks working in this office and one of them would be my crazy ass co-interns and my ever so cool boss/thesis adviser.

Chinx.Zoren.Arvi.Vitzka

If you didn't know, I turned 22 last June 27 and had one of the best parties ever. It was epically glitersome and wet.

Alak! Swak!

InjectoShots!

I've also spent endless hours of mind picking on what to do for this coming exhibit I'm part of. I'll keep you posted on that one.

Silangan Hall

I haven't gone out of town/country since I got back last June and now a month and week has passed and I'm itching for an out of town trip. I want to continue/practice surfing and maybe this time catch more waves. Maybe I'll hit up La Union or just a day trip in Zambales. Let's see who's up to some sun. Hopefully, the weather clears by next weekend.

How I long for the day my feet's on the sand again. <3

Island Paradise and a Rough Way Back Home.

As a yearly tradition my friends and I go to Boracay, to party, to get wasted, to dance, to meet people, to do whatever, to see sunsets and sunrises, to pass out and well to Cancun, as we call it.

This island never fails to surprise me every time. Things change so fast in a short span of time. The new ordinance that discourages people to smoke by the beach, I am not against it because the island does need some major cleaning up to do. However, the delight of a cigarette by the shore, while watching the waves and or watching that beautiful sun setting, is quite an experience all together. See those paraw boats sail into the sunset. Lovely indeed.

Ofcourse Boracay would not be complete, without the drunk sunset parties in White house and the not so epic nights in Epic. Cheers to new friends, old buddies, random strangers and to now, closer acquaintances.

I’ve stayed in the island for six days, spent the days drunken high and by the fourth/fifth day, my body was itching for my bed back here in Manila. You see, the beach life party is amazing, and it’s a bonus if you actually pass out by the beach decently. As for me, I’ve had my share of shutdowns.

So lo and behold, my Boracay adventure was not so much of an adventure till my trip back to Manila when Kam and I decided to take the RORO home. Let us just say, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND that to anyone. If you are on a tight budget and weighing it out if it’s better to take the boat? I tell you, that extra two thousand you save would totally be worth spending for a plane ride instead.

You see, it doesn’t look so bad, I might have over reacted when I said it looked like a floating refugee camp, but we were one of the lucky ones who found a cabin, downstairs to this is chaos and a couple of sad stories I would rather not expound on. That RORO experience was genuinely one of a kind, the kind I would not ever do again.

However, with every bad decision, you find happiness in the little things, like watching the sunrise at the deck, feeling the sea breeze, seeing new sights and hearing new sounds. No dolphins though, though luck. After that trip, I think I am more set for my South East Asia trip, which will start tomorrow, or in a few hours rather.

Boracay would always be Island Paradise and planes are always there for us travelers to take advantage of. :D

Anawangin.

My friends and I took a random trip to Anawangin just because we needed the break.

To dream of sunrise in your own special place

NAGSASA – a little farther but definitely worth it. Spending the weekend in Zambales, walking to the edge of Capones and capping the night of with a bottle of Tanduay by the shores of Nagsasa. It was a weekend made of happy things, the lovely night sky and the company of random people.

Failing to get the first bus to Iba, we had to take a detour to Olongapo then take another bus to San Antonio, bummer, but it was well, fine. I was also the type to go along with a plan B. It did seem a far journey to get to a piece of your own special place and I have been itching to get out of the metro for quite a couple of days prior to the trip. The thing is, I think, once you’ve reached pass Bulacan, you know it in your heart that the walls of the city have been passed. And that, is one of the loveliest feeling I know.

When you’re pass Sta. Rosa, or when you are out of the airport runway, you know it, it’s a sense of vacation freedom, a journey to your own special place, at least for me. It’s not a matter of where it is exactly but how you find it everywhere. I dream of sunrises in my special place, my own zen. By the shore, maybe with a beer in hand or a joint, will be as lovely as seeing the sun rise to warm you when the cold sea breeze blows.

To each his own, and as for me, this will always be ecstasy. The beach will always keep me at peace and the moon will keep me safe.

There’s not much to say about Nagsasa, only that it was bliss and all the happy feelings roll into one.

If you are up to look for that special place amidst the busy schedule, then a trip to Zambales will surely suffice.