DEC13_SUPERDUPERFINAL

Flashbacks of VIVA ExCon
by Charlie Co
About 30 years back and as far as I can remember, I was twentythree
years old, young, and hot-blooded when I found myself in
the right place, at the right time. I was part of Pamilya Pintura, Art
Association of Bacolod and later on, the Black Artists in Asia. Most
art propaganda movements were products of the political landscape
of our country but amidst the hundreds of artists politically painting
the town red in the 1980s, I wasn’t painting as a propaganda artist
really. This is because even before the political landscape worsened, I
was already throwing socio-realism with a lot of political undertones
in them. I was painting the walls because at that time, that was what
I felt. I never did it because I was pressured to do it. I was creating
works that needed to be expressed, needed to be heard at a time
when everyone was afraid to speak out.
I was there from the start, listening as a young lad without any deep
understanding with regards to the crucial impact the Visayan Islands
Visual Arts Exhibition and Conference (VIVA ExCon) would
have on the history of Visayan artists. I remember well that day in
Mambukal Mountain Resort when VIVA was first conceptualized.
I was with Roberto Feleo, Nato Ong, Bobi Valenzuela, Manny
Chavez, Norberto “Peewee” Roldan, Dennis Ascalon and many
more – these were the people who helped put together what we are
enjoying right now. These were the key people who have paved the
way for Visayan artists to thrive.
VIVA ExCon may not be the most vibrant, not that organized, and
definitely not that big. It might not be that loud then but it was a
large exclamation point in society. It was different – spontaneous,
crazy, culturally connected… Unleashed, it was a cornucopia of
colors, songs, words, ideals. And the best thing is that every time
there is a VIVA, we get to meet new artists in the Visayas. After all,
it’s not every day you get to converse, learn and discuss with fellow
artists from different islands in one setting.
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In 1990, along with the full support of the Baguio Artists, Negros
celebrated the very first VIVA ExCon in Bacolod. Peewee Roldan
was able to organize it, even with meager funding. That event
embodied the word ‘bayanihan’ so well because there wasn’t a lot of
financial support and not many of us to organize it but we were able
to make it happen. Everybody helped each other unconditionally,
often times there weren’t any concrete plans to guide us, yet there
was unity in everything that we did and we succeeded in launching
the biennale.
As VIVA ExCon grew through the years, it turned heads, gained
more support and made a name for itself. One of the reasons for
its swift rising status was also because of Peewee Roldan, one of the
founders. Peewee had very good networking and marketing skills.
It was one of the many factors why the biennale was supported and
sustained in its earlier years. And for the second time it was held in
Bacolod, we got a generous contribution from the CCP President
Maria Teresa Roxas, who was visiting La Consolacion College at
that time and saw us mounting one of the exhibition spaces. It was
raining back then; we were struggling and I think she took pity on
us. That support fueled our tenacity to reach the goals of VIVA
even more.
There were so many great memories in the history of VIVA ExCon.
Too many to mention! 1992 in Bacolod was one of the most
unforgettable. It was when VIVA opened its doors to international
artists from Japan. Baguio came in full force, Cebu with Raymund
Fernandez and his UP group, Ben Cabrera and Junyee were there
too… Japanese artists Inagaki Tatsuo, Akatsuki Harada, Hitomo
Utami, Tei Kobayashi, Tsunetaka Komatsu and Dodo Drumer
Rieko Shimbo were doing installations and performance works.
VIVA ExCon was way ahead of its time for a biennale outside
Manila.