Scan to watch the highlights of the 2021 MADE Final Judging 2
On behalf of the Metrobank Group, I extend my warm congratulations to this year’s Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) winners! In 1984, we sought to shine a spotlight on the Filipino artist and to bring art to the greater public—signaling the beginning of MADE. Little did we know that this humble competition would bear witness and contribute to the growth of hundreds of homegrown talents whose works reveal the abundant potential present among our people. Thirty seven (37) years later, the program’s vision endures. The Metrobank Group remains keen on recognizing the country’s art exemplars and helping them launch their work into more creative fronts. We have always deemed it paramount to nurture Filipino artistry in our quest to support the holistic growth our country seeks. Indeed, the works of local artists remind us that while we have made strides in creating avenues for their genius to be recognized, much still needs to be done and more ground is yet to be covered. This is the challenge that we willingly take on. Our gratitude therefore goes out to the distinguished members of the Final Board of Judges for joining hands with us in paying tribute to this year’s batch of talents who are poised to make waves in the industry. To this year’s victors, you are joining the roster of more than 400 artists who chose to express themselves through their chosen medium. May you consider this platform as an opportunity to further channel your energies into creating works that empower, invite reflection, and strengthen our national identity.
Arthur V. Ty Chairman
Congratulations to the 2021 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) winners! MADE is an embodiment of the Metrobank Foundation’s commitment to exalt homegrown artistic talents, foster creative discourse, and cultivate a seedbed for imagination. Throughout the program’s evolution, its core remained to empower expression of ideas and, in turn, provide inspiration. This year, the theme “Spectrum” is a nod to the artists’ capacity to create wide-ranging works that examine the human experience and capture the society’s sentiments. With bold strokes and explorations emerge masterpieces that mirror the Filipino sensibilities and spirit. The awardees’ triumph, then, comes at a time when our society is riddled with woes, and searches for conveyors of meaning and light. Hence, the narratives they illustrate kindle our hope and aspirations. We thank all the artists who joined this year’s competition. Your artworks reveal that artistic brilliance cannot be extinguished despite the circumstances we are in. We also extend our gratitude to our institutional partners and members of the Final Board of Judges who rallied with us in once again bringing art and design excellence to the fore. As we all sally forth into the future, may we nurture creative endeavors. Mabuhay!
Aniceto M. Sobrepeña President
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spe spectrum
the art of possibilities
RECOGNITIO PROGRAM
pain ing
Ariosto Dale C. Bagtas
Grand Awardee Oil/ Acrylic on Canvas Category
The Grand Awardee in the Oil/Acrylic on Canvas category, Ariosto Dale Bagtas visually renders the pandemic in his work, Between Heaven and Earth. Composed of organic shapes in dazzling colors, the work may be seen as a stylized version of the virus on a cellular level, a representation of people who have come together to defeat the virus, or a collection of healing vortices of “people who seek comfort and help in sickness and pain, restore their health, and live a second chance that God has given them: a chance to be blessed, experience happiness, and live to the fullest.” The abstraction of the work essays complexity on a microcosmic and macrocosmic level. It is full of mutations, growth, and transformations, underscoring how the impetus of life is movement. This is heightened by how the artist has built up the composition without any seeming premeditated design and order, guided only by intuition and the desire to create something that resists the quotation of recognizable forms. As such, the work’s sensibility is drawn inwards, similar to the pursuit of abstract artists who seek to express the ineffable through shapes and colors. Bagtas’ manner of expression is ultimately contemporary, with its all-over approach and use of a highly saturated color palette, which recalls vibrant tapestries. In creating his own visual language, the artist allows a space for the viewer to establish a web of associations, perhaps in unison with the thematic preoccupations of the artist: “happiness despite of sadness, love despite of hatred, and prosperity despite of hardship.”
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“Between Heaven and Earth” Acrylic on Canvas 48” x 36” 2020 9
Lymuel A. Bautista
Grand Awardee Water Media on Paper Category
Lymuel Aguilar Bautista, the Grand Awardee in the Water Media on Paper category, depicts through visual fable how the bane of the pandemic intersects with societal ills in his work, Haunting Wail of Chaos. The painting, states the artist, is “a commentary on the confusion that has brought horror and grief to the country” and “an awakening that needs to be felt not only by those who are vigorously fighting, but especially by those who are blind to what’s happening around them.” With the paper medium shaped like corrugated iron, the work presents a view of an inferno teeming with dogs. Some have already succumbed to their injuries as others continue to terrorize the pack. The work may be read as dog-eat-dog world, in which there is no cooperation, only competition and winner-takes-all mentality. In the midst of the dogs savaging those less powerful than them, ticks, which represent the coronavirus, infect them. This is a striking critique on how state efforts appear to have been devoted more on politicking, red-tagging, and pushing for the Anti-Terror Law than curbing the pandemic. The painting’s overall composition is hectic, disconcerting, magnificent in its chaos. The rabidity of the scene is almost Biblical in its depiction of cataclysm, offering an unstinting view of human nature evoked more powerfully through the vehicle of an allegory. Despite the seeming helplessness of the scene, the artist believes that “the time when our freedoms are curtailed is not the time for fear and silence; it is the time for standing up.”
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“Haunting Wail of Chaos” Acrylic on Stonehenge Paper 30” x 40” 2020
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Clark S. Manalo
Special Citation Oil/ Acrylic on Canvas Category
Clark Manalo, a recipient of Special Citation in the Oil/Acrylic on Canvas category, questions our ability to fasten our beliefs on intangible things, in his work, Uncensored Fallacy of Faith. “It’s hard to determine what is true and what is not,” the artist states. “Like faith, we cannot easily acknowledge if it is genuine or we’re only going with the flow of society and maintaining the work of the flesh.” For him, the nature and function of faith is tested especially in contemporary society stricken with the pandemic. In his painting is a group of kids thronging in front of an altar situated in the middle of a road, framed by a bustling metropolis. On the altar rest the icons of the child Jesus which seem to have been reduced as seductive commodities. With their faces rendered as screen glitches, the kids are portrayed beyond their years, with how they casually hold beer bottles. It is a disconcerting sight, as if they are unwary of the world around them, too reliant on what faith could bring. What the children evince is the “fallacy of faith” underscored by the title, of how it has become a mere demonstration of piety and not of meaningful action. The overreliance on faith perpetuates poverty. (After all, everything is now consigned to the ministrations of Divine Providence.) Through his painting, the artist brings to life a morality tale to a contemporary audience, critiquing the place of blind belief in the difficult world we live in.
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“Uncensored Fallacy of Faith” Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 48” 2020 13 9
Mark Anthony P. Laza
Special Citation Oil/ Acrylic on Canvas Category
In Binyag sa Landas-apoy, Mark Anthony Laza, who receives a Special Citation in the Oil/Acrylic on Canvas category, provides a striking view of innocence and awakening in the life of a child. Calling his work a “symbolic adaptation of a period in our lives,” the artist captures the moment in which a young boy—a peddler of cold delights contained in his icebox—is about to encounter a transformative moment, the trial by fire alluded to in the title. The child as a protagonist seems to be aware of this impending event, as he looks squarely at the viewer. His purity, as suggested by the halo, is about to be consumed by flames. Soon, he will join the countless and nameless proletariat, in lockstep with each other, either carrying the burden of their labor or about to proceed with their own emancipation. Whatever their collective action hopes to achieve, it is not to be an easy task as snakes slither in the flame-like grass, which indicate the danger. A bladed weapon lies on the ground, suggesting that the struggle may be steeped in violence and blood. The work, which evokes visual rhythm through the almost symmetrical depiction of the figures, hews closely to the ethos of Social Realism. The use of sepia renders the scene a sobering look. Through elements that place the centrality of human agency, the painting conveys the inheritance of hardship and poverty as well as a view of how this vicious cycle, through collective action, may be broken.
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“Binyag sa Landas-apoy” Oil on Canvas 36” x 48” 2020 15 9
Crispo D. Mantiquilla
Special Citation Water Media on Paper Category
For Crispo Mantiquilla, who has received a Special Citation in the Water Media on Paper category, a depiction of the end of times is expressed by the Biblical verse, Lucas 21:11, which provides the title of his work. The verse reads: “And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” The painting is occasioned by what the world has been facing recently, from natural and man-made disasters to the ravages of the pandemic that continue to inflict illness and death to millions. Events such as these can’t help but prompt an eschatological view of humanity. For the artist, the total destruction of the world sees a massive gathering of people as they jostle for space and fight over the most meager of resources. The reference to the current global pandemic is stark, as some of the figures are seen to be wearing masks, painting a scenario of pestilence. A fire burns on the lower right side of the painting, which suggests sacrifice, death, or the purifying flames of the Holy Spirit. This might be the “great signs…from heaven” alluded to in the Biblical verse. Regardless of the association, the people seem to be moving towards it: their ultimate destination. The monochromatic treatment, save for the conflagration and the deflated balloon the color of sky, intensifies the scale of the scene into something that is urgent and oracular, given the worsening climate change, pockets of wars, and the ongoing pandemic.
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“Lucas 21:11” Gouache on Paper 39” x 28” 2020 17 9
ational finalists
Mayuko S. Kobayashi MELANCHOLY Watercolor on Paper 29.14” x 21.5” 2020
Alfredo G. Baluyot SOMETHING IS WRONG Watercolor on Cold Pressed Paper 48” x 36” 2020
D Mark Angelo M. Lagrana TAHANAN Dye, Watercolor, and Bleach on Cold-pressed Paper 31.5” x 21.5” 2020 Eugene V. Dominguez PAPAG Oil on Canvas 48” x 36” 2020
Michael B. Pamonag THE LAST SUFFER Oil and Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 48” 2020 19
Paul John De La Cruz Ybas BURN OF BOTH WORLDS Oil on Canvas 48” x 36” 2021
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RECOGNITIO PROGRAM
culpure
Kathleen Sareena D.C. Dagum Grand Awardee
The Grand Awardee for the Sculpture Recognition Program, Kathleen Sareena Dagum presents her work, Bungkag, “as a depiction of human suppression visualized by the gesture in conflict and chaotic poses” as well as her “perception of the monopolized (lies) system imposed on people.” With the title being the Cebuano word which means “to break apart into constituent parts,” the sculpture captures her vision through a dynamic collection of children on a swing moving inharmoniously with each other, never achieving collective action and unity. Through an ingenious concealment of the supporting structure, the swings seem to be floating and whose ropes forming triangles seem to be attached to a theoretical bar, giving the impression that the whole piece defies gravity. The work is a magnificent tension between unity and variety, between movement and stillness. Amid the disparate motions of the swings is a solitary figure standing at the center—the hub around the spokes of the wheel—representative of order and rationality in the given chaos. Poetic and rendered with subtle beauty, the sculpture depicts how confusion, evoked by the physical and metaphorical orientations of the figures, the different directions to which they look, benefits and is perpetuated by people in power. “Caging people might crumple them, but it will not take too long for the system to collapse,” the artist states. “It is my desire to be a kind of artist that shares significant art in our society: art that has an impact and at the same time that people will love.”
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“Bungkag” Mahogany Wood 22” x 21” x 22” 2021 25
Carlo P. De Laza Special Citation
The recipient of Special Citation for the Sculpture Recognition Program, Carlo De Laza portrays the tension between reaching one’s dreams and simply getting by from day to day in his work, Isang Pangarap ang Managinip. “I tried to express in my work how the value of our hopes (pangarap) and dreams (panaginip) weighs differently among us,” he states. “There is always a side of us trying to reach for the fathomless sky and the side of us just trying to touch the reachable.” This work, though it is composed of two figures, actually portray just a single man as he struggles to achieve his vision. The supine figure, the supposed dreamer, holds the seated figure that seems to be contemplating on how to manifest his desired future. Stricken with inertia and balancing himself by an arm, the figure appears to be held down by an outside force despite being simultaneously being encouraged and propelled by his inner self. Such an internal strife is familiar, as trying to achieve one’s dreams is rife with risks and uncertainties. The roughness of the sculptural surface further suggests that the figure is still undergoing an important process of transformation and is yet to achieve self-actualization. In addition to the treatment of the surface to convey unrealized potential, the beauty of the work lies in the juxtaposition of diagonal, horizontal, vertical lines conveyed by the human form. It is a deeply resonant work, one that brings to fore the crisis between lofty ideals and quotidian practicalities.
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“Isang Pangarap ang Managinip” Resin 19” x 24” x 14” 2021 27
Tyrone Dave E. Espinosa Special Citation
In Nakakabinging Katahimikan, Tyrone Dave Espinosa, recipient of a Special Citation for the Sculpture Recognition Program, condenses in a sculptural form the other pandemic, which is the rise of mental health issues. Because of the stigma and the general ignorance that surrounds it, many people choose to suffer in silence, enduring the illness and not seeking medical help for fear of being judged, ostracized, or simply labeled as mad. “Even before the pandemic happened,” states the artist, “depression was already worsening so much so that people would rather end their lives (than seek help).” Immediately visceral, the work features a deformed human figure, whose tongue, mouth, and lips—which constitute the apparatus of speech—are violently chained. The silence is the result of society’s imposition on people not to speak up about their thoughts and feelings, lest they be seen as an abomination. The internal upheaval intensifies, conveyed by the contorted body of the figure. Long repressed, the anxieties and terrors that attend a mental health crisis soon rise up, manifested as animal parts, such as fish scales and hooves. The sculpture visually represents what mental illness does in the absence of an intervention: it metaphorically alters the person. Soon, the world loses its flavor and color, the once effortless interaction with people becomes burdensome, the comfort of sleep and appetite become elusive. Horrific as it may look, the sculpture rings a sense of urgency, in light because the suffering of one becomes the suffering of many. Silence, in issues about our emotional and mental wellbeing, is no longer an option.
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“Nakakabinging Katahimikan” Wood 25” x 19” x 12” 2021 29
BOARD OF JUDGES Art is its own unique ecosystem. Even when it is disturbed or stifled due to the challenges of a pandemic lockdown, it survives and thrives. It finds a way to emerge from the shadows of an oppressive system into the light. Art has made this worldwide crisis more bearable because generous creatives have made their work accessible for people to experience through various platforms like virtual exhibitions, streaming of concerts and theater productions, as well as online art workshops and tutorials. We survive, thrive, and keep our sanity intact because despite the absence of normalcy, art finds its way in our television and computer screens, gives us much needed distractions and lights up hope that soon, the world will be well again. This art competition is proof that despite adversities, we continue the outpouring of narratives that define a civilized society, and feed our hunger for stories. Our participants created awesome, honest, and powerful works that win or lose, have become an important part of history: of how this generation of artists imaged the spirit and the essence of these challenging times. Of how their narratives and stories can help all of us find the light again. It has been an honor to serve as Chair of the Board of Judges with my esteemed and dedicated colleagues, going over your works gave us a much-needed boost of hope and inspiration. Mabuhay! And be the storytellers that this country badly needs in these dark times.
Abdulmari “Toym” D. imao, Jr. Chairperson 30
Abdulmari “Toym” D. Imao, Jr. Chairperson
Leo Antonio C. Abaya (†) Member
Geraldine “Dindin” B. Araneta Member
Toym Imao is a well-known sculptor, installation artist, art educator, and human rights advocate whose works can be found in major cities in the Philippines, Vietnam, USA, and Europe. Some of his most notable works include the Tandang Sora National Shrine in Quezon City, the Andres Bonifacio National Shrine in Maragondon, Cavite, and the Dr. Jose P. Rizal statue in Carson City, California. Famous for his massive public art installations, Imao is also known for mounting "UP Pailaw," the University of the Philippines' annual Christmas lighting ceremony. An award-winning visual artist, filmmaker, and scenic designer, Imao was also a Special Citation recipient of the 2017 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) Sculpture Recognition Program.
Leo Abaya was a visual artist, art curator, film maker, and production and set designer. His artworks—which explored different medium from painting to sculpture, art installations, and moving images—were showcased in well-known galleries and museums in the Philippines and abroad. Among his last works include “Unsang Dapita (what place),” a series of dioramas inspired by various locations in Abaya’s hometown in Bohol. An agent of arts education, Abaya was a full-time professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Fine Arts, specializing on studio art and production design. Abaya served as a part of the board of jurors in the 2021 MADE recognition program until his passing last May 26, 2021 at the age of 60.
Dindin Araneta plays a significant role in the success of Philippine contemporary art. She is one of the co-founders of Art Fair Philippines, a yearly showcase of the Philippine contemporary art which attracts thousands of local and foreign audiences. With more than 25 years of advocating for art education, development, and appreciation, Dindin has helped aspiring local artists to get support from the private and government sectors. A former Chairperson, she is currently the Academic Adviser of the Arts Management Department in the School of Design & Arts, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila. She also heads the National Committee on Visual Arts at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Daniel Anthony A. de la Cruz Member
Rica A. Estrada Member
Mark Salvatus Member
Josephine L. Turalba Member
Daniel de la Cruz is a product designer and metal sculptor whose works have landed in the USA, Canada, and Europe. By using mix metals, he is able to create sculpture works that celebrate women’s beauty, strength, and grace. One of his most famous public commissioned works in the country is the seven-meter-high Crucifix at the Saint Michael the Archangel Church in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. As a successful product designer, de la Cruz was the first Filipino to develop ceramic collections for the prestigious German company Villeroy and Boch. In 2008, de la Cruz won the Gold Medal in the Festival of Nativities in Rome, Italy, besting 131 entries from 71 countries.
Rica Estrada is currently the officer-in-charge of the Visual Arts and Museum Division at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. During her early days in the arts and culture profession, Estrada has worked as a museum education officer, project manager, art collection consultant, and juror for various organizations, museums, and art festivals and competitions. She shared her various experience in the practice as a speaker to various assemblies and conferences. In 2019, she had the honor to be the only Filipino to receive the travel grant for the CIMAM 2019 Annual Conference at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Australia. Estrada is currently taking her Master’s Degree in Art Studies Major in Art History at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Mark Salvatus is an intermedia artist who creates art through objects, photography, videos, installations, and participatory projects. Much like his life and work in between the Philippines and Japan, Salvatus' art challenges the notion of permanency and deals with travel and movement. A street artist himself, he co-founded Pilipinas Street Plan, a community of street artists based in Manila. Salvatus also co-runs Load na Dito Projects, an artistic and research initiative based in Quezon City. He was also one of the prime movers of the artist collective 98B in Escolta, Manila. Salvatus was conferred with the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Thirteen Artists Awards in 2012 and the Ateneo Art Gallery's Ateneo Art Awards in 2010.
Josephine Turalba is an interdisciplinary artist whose works incorporate intersecting layers of different media: performance, sculpture, video, sound, and photography. Her works explore issues of divide and convergence within a volatile geo-political world order. Based in between the Philippines and the USA, her works are in the collections of Yuchengco Museum Manila, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Omer M. Koc Collection in Istanbul and London, and Francis J. Greenburger Collection in New York. Turalba’s works have been exhibited locally and internationally, the most recent ones include Solo MMXX at Galleria Duemila in Manila and the 36th International Festival Sarajevo Winter, Collegium Artisticum in Bosnia-Herzegovina, both held in 2020. She currently serves as the dean of Fine Arts of the Philippine Women’s University.
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Scan to view the virtual exhibit
RESURGENCE OF HOPE: ART AGAINST TURMOIL In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted an unwelcome normal for all industries globally. When the crisis erupted in the Philippines, strict lockdowns and quarantine restrictions mandated people to go into isolation. An overlooked dimension spawned by the pandemic is the cultural emergency. With physical events prohibited, galleries and spaces closed, opportunities to celebrate and share arts experiences became limited.
Care Made Manifest
At a time when people are forced to be in solitary and turn to oneself, there was, and still is, a heightened need for human connection, sensemaking, self-expression, and respite brought by arts. Such was the call heeded by the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE).
The suspension of activities related to arts and culture led to a decline in critical sources of revenue for most artists. Their craft, similar to other life-enhancing pursuits, require capital to be sustained. Cognizant of this plight, the Metrobank Foundation launched a cash assistance program called MADE-Community Aid and Relief for Emergency Situations (MADE-CARES). A total of 202 eligible Filipino artists each received PhP 5,000 for their practice. Recipients were comprised of former MADE awardees who belong to the MADE-Network of Winners and freelance painters and sculptors whose projects have been canceled or postponed.
A Bid to Pause
Tapping into a New Medium
The 36th edition of the competition kicked off in February 2020. Art MADE Public, the first event, involved a series of exhibits and information campaigns in select schools, commercial establishments, and art and culture spaces. However, heeding the health and safety protocols to combat the pandemic led to the deferment of the Foundation’s annual award-recognition program for Painting and Sculpture and the Art Education Symposium.
Confinement need not stifle the capacity to create and share. Metrobank Foundation believes that a new hub to promote art experience can be built when physical spaces are not available. #MADEAtHome signified a migration to the digital space and bringing art where the people are present—on social media—in keeping with the mission to advance Filipino artistry and art education. This campaign encouraged technology-enriched visual arts education and conversations lectures, artwork and artist features, and social media engagements for the Filipino public.
Metrobank Foundation, quick to pivot, turned to its ethos in adapting to the needs in this domain. The mission was clear: sustain advocacies for design excellence and art education, and remain a partner of the creative community amid the circumstances.
Photo from the Art MADE Public exhibit at Orange Gallery in Bacolod City last February 2020
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IN NUMBERS 197
417
701
visual artists & designers recognized since 1984
998,000
MADE winning artworks in the permanent collection of Metrobank Foundation
painting & sculpture entries received for the 2021 MADE (entries submitted in 2020 were carried over)
22
Metrobank Branches nationwide assisted in receiving entries in the semi-final round
62,000
social media followers reached since the online launch of the 2021 MADE
P1M cash assistance for arts & culture practitioners who suffered loss of income in 2020
8
social media followers engaged since the online launch of the 2021 MADE
online lectures conducted since 2020
202 visual artists and art & culture practitioners assisted under the MADE-CARES amelioration program in 2020 35
Metrobank launched the Metrobank National Painting Competition to engage the youth in a positive endeavor amidst the economic and political chaos that the Philippines was in.
Sealed partnership with Federal Land, Inc. to support the Interior Design Competition by providing the project site & the construction funding of the two finalists of the Competition.
Instituted the categories Oil on Canvas & Watercolor on Paper.
Launched the Metrobank Art Club for art patrons and collectors of MADE. Led by National Museum’s Dr. Anna Labrador, a lecture on “How to Start and Build your own Art Collection” was held for its members.
• YPA re-launched as the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) and included Sculpture, Architecture, and Interior Design Competitions. • Launched and awarded the First Metrobank Foundation Prize for Achievement in Sculpture (MPAS) to recognize mid-career sculptors who continued to excel & contribute to the development of Philippine Sculpture.
1984
1987
1988
1996
2004
2005
• The Competition was renamed Young Painters’ Annual (YPA). • The Arts Grants program was formalized to support first solo and international exhibits of former winners as well as various art endeavours. It also supported art institutions like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
Last run of implementation of the Mixed Media Category. Birth of the “Mula” trophy, designed by former winner & glass sculptor Noell El Farol. Central in its design is a single grain of rice, representing the core culture of the Filipino. Like rice, one cultivates his or her own talents before harvesting one’s potentials. Supported by a graceful stalk, the trophy represents a standing grain.
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2006
2008
2012
2013
Together with Visayan Forum Foundation, MADE-Network of Winners (MADE-NOW) conducted its first project—an art therapy session for female victims of human trafficking and child labor.
• Launched Art MADE Public, a public art education program, in celebration of the Philippine International Arts Month and in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and SM Supermalls. • Published its first art coffee table book, MADE of GOLD, featuring 140 paintings, 12 sculptures, seven Metrobank Prize for Achievement in Sculpture (MPAS) awardees, 13 interior designers, and six architects since 1984 – 2012. MADE OF GOLD won best design for the National Book Awards in 2014. • MADE-NOW launched the first art psycho-social intervention program entitled “Project HeART for Self-Transformation.”
• With the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, MADE had to put a pause on the conduct of its annual competition and re-channelled its framework towards pandemic aid. In response to the social situation, MADE launched its digital art education campaign, “#MADEatHome: art education online,” on Facebook and Instagram. #MADEatHome received the Silver Anvil in the 56th Anvil Awards.
• MADE held its first Art Criticism Writeshop at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on April 23, 2016, facilitated by the late Dr. Reuben R. Cañete, together with Mr. Duffie Osental, Mr. Carlomar Daoana, and the late Mr. Leo Abaya. It was attended by 20 participants.
• MADE produced its first ever online lecture: “Filipino Deco Decoded” with architect and art historian Dr. Gerard Lico. The webinar was supported by a month-long campaign on the art deco heritage of the Philippines in partnership with Docu Lico, Arkitekturang Filipino, and Facade Books.
• For the very first time, MADE partnered with One Mega Group’s BluPrint Magazine for the recognition program’s theme “Blue Prints MADE for 2050,” together with the United Architects of the Philippines and Philippine Institute for Interior Designer. The Six Outstanding entries were featured in the BluPrints for 2050.
• As a direct intervention to the economic need of the sector, MADE launched the MADE-Community Aid and Relief for Emergency Situations (MADE-CARES), an industry-specific amelioration program to support visual artists and arts & culture practitioners whose source of income or employment were affected by the crisis. P 1 million worth of cash assistance was given to 202 individuals.
Art MADE Public conducted “Meet the MET in MADE,” a special traveling exhibit in partnership with Manila Metropolitan Theatre.
2014
2016
2017
2018
• Partnered with Federal Land, Inc. (FLI) for the 2017 MADE Sculpture Recognition Program. From table-top sculptures, MADE shifted to public art and art installation. 2017 Grand Awardee Moreen Austria’s “Pagtaguyod” was chosen by FLI to be constructed in the Metro Park development in Pasay City.
2019
2020
2021
MADE celebrated its 35th milestone anniversary.
• The financial assistance for MADE Grand Awardees was increased to P 500,000.00. The amount covers an artistic development fund of P 150,000.00 for Grand Awardees of Painting.
• MADE celebrated its 30th milestone anniversary with the theme MADE in the Contemporary, featuring a lecture series, retrospective exhibition, and awarding ceremony at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. • The occasion also showcased the works of past winners since 1984-2014 through an exhibit and limited edition Metrobank prepaid cards. • Launched the first MADE Art Criticism competition, naming the award as “Metrobank Foundation – Alice Guillermo Award for Art Criticism” to honor one of the country’s pioneers in art criticism.
• MADE’s Information Campaigns and Art MADE Public were launched online with “Art MADE Public: Awardees in Conversation,” featuring MADE awardees Elmer Borlongan, Mark Justiniani, and Manny Garibay. This was followed by four online lectures featuring MADE Awardees and creative industry leaders. • MADE celebrated Heritage Month with a special online campaign on the Philippines’ architectural heritage, co-produced with Center for Filipino Architecture, Arch Lico, and Docu Lico. • Launched www.madeartdepot.ph― MADE’s first ever microsite built for the 2021 virtual awarding ceremony and exhibit opening. The microsite will also cater to future MADE activities online such as receiving of entries, information campaigns and Art MADE Public.
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PURPOSIVE PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE ARTS Aside from recognition, MADE fulfills its commitment to uplift artists by providing them spaces where they can fearlessly explore and create. This year, we worked hand in hand with two of the country’s most dedicated champions of Filipino creativity to help artists thrive even in crisis. Weaving Communities Together MADE, in partnership with Bayo and its Foundation, supported sustainable livelihood programs for artisans of local weaving communities. In appreciation of MADE’s support, the team of fashion makers in Bayo created art masks featuring the 2021 MADE Painting and Sculpture Recognition Awardees. Bayo: Pride in the Filipino Bayo is a homegrown fashion brand that takes pride in being Filipino. It offers a variety of locally-made, eco-friendly, ready-to-wear apparel with the vision of empowering the Filipina, from weaver to wearer. Through its Foundation, Bayo aims to create, find, and support programs that uplift the Philippines and the Filipino people. Bayo Foundation’s mission focuses on promoting our heritage, celebrating local talent and ingenuity, focusing on sustainability, and creating opportunities for our artisans. In fulfillment of its mission, Bayo supports various weaving communities under its Business and Outreach programs by providing weavers opportunities for capacity-building and economic growth. One such community is Ambension Silk, a social enterprise located in Gawad Kalinga Village in Bulacan that aims to revitalize the textile and weaving industry through the Filipino traditional craft of making handwoven textiles. Bayo Foundation helps empower Ambension weavers by providing them looms and materials as well as access to market channels. Bayo is also an advocate for sustainable fashion. Through their #JourneytoZero initiative, Bayo aims to raise awareness and promote Earth-friendly consumer practices; and reduce textile waste by transforming fabric scraps into chic and sleek fashion.
Learn more about Bayo, Bayo Foundation, and their advocacies by scanning the QR code or by going to: @bayoclothing www.bayo.com.ph
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The Power of Storytelling Stories connect us; they transform the way we see the world. The most meaningful ones can change the way we live our lives. This year, the brilliant creatives behind Rank Magazine share their voices to tell the compelling stories of young Filipino artists who defied the odds to produce their life’s masterpiece. MADE and Rank Magazine’s exclusive zine features the 2021 MADE Awardees, the inspiration behind their winning works, and tales of triumph in the middle of a devastating pandemic; stories that remind us of the resilience of the Filipino creative spirit. Rank Magazine: Stirring narratives. Shifting perspectives. Rank Magazine is a young independently-produced online portal that aims to dissect popular culture through stirring narratives and compelling visuals. Rank Magazine believes in the power of media and how this shapes and reshapes the Filipino collective psyche. Rank Magazine is composed of a group of collaborators of writers, photographers, designers, and art and media enthusiasts and practitioners—one with the mission of bringing stories to the forefront.
Read Rank Magazine’s feature on the 2021 MADE awardees by scanning the QR code.
Enjoy Rank Magazine’s features and covers by scanning the QR code or going to: @rankmagazine www.rankthemag.ph
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MEDIA PARTNERS
Special thanks to the following: Photographers: Jojit Lorenzo (www.jojitlorenzo.com) Chito Cleofas (www.facebook.com/ChitoCleofasPhotography) Videographer: AfterTwelve Media (www.facebook.com/aftertwelve.tv) Website Developer: GMA New Media, Inc. (www.gmanmi.com) Events: Ticket2Me (www.ticket2me.net) Catalogue Designer: The Happy Three Friends (www.thehappythreefriends.com) Exhibit Curation: Rica Estrada Art Writer: Carlomar Daoana Graphic Designer (Social Media): Lee Valdez
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The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) was established on January 8, 1979 by Dr. George Ty Siao Kian, 16 years after he founded the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank). As the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group, MBFI implements programs that recognize excellence in education, military, police service, and the arts. It also maintains a dynamic partnership with other organizations that provides services for the underprivileged and marginalized sectors of society and remains responsive to aid survivors of natural calamities in the Philippines through relief and rehabilitation efforts. Vision To be the country’s premier corporate philanthropic foundation contributing a significant impact on social development. Mission As the heart of the Metrobank Group, we live up to our “Excel. Engage. Empower.” roadmap that embodies who we are and what we do.
For more information: w ww.facebook.com/MetrobankFoundation w ww.facebook.com/metrobankartanddesign @metrobankfoundation @metrobankartanddesign @MetrobankFound Metrobank Foundation www.mbfoundation.org.ph www.madeartdepot.ph
4F Executive Offices, Metrobank Plaza, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, 1200 Makati City, Philippines Tel. Nos.: +632 898-8855/ +632 898-8095 Telefax No.: +632 818-5656 Email: foundation@metrobank.com.ph