Prize-Winners lead Bosom Care Fundraiser by M. C. Nava

Cultural Center of the Philippines’ 13 Artists awardee Charlie Co and lone Negros winner in this year’s Philippine Art Awards Peter James Fantinalgo head the list of local artists in Agubay II, a month long fundraising visual arts exhibit of Bosom Care: the Bacolod Breast Cancer Support Group. Opening the show on October 1, Saturday at 5 p.m. in Italia Restaurant is Dr.Rafael Jocson.

Other prize winning artists include past Philippine Art Awardees Raymond Legaspi and Jovito Hecita as well as 19 year old Shell Competition and Metrobank Young Artists awardee Dennis Ticao, who so amazed the judges with his entry in this year’s competition they came to Talisay to see the artist at work to be convinced.

An interesting mix of established as well as up and coming artists Agubay II features artists who have exhibited both here and abroad. Among them are Art Association of the Philippines awardee and Anaheim Art competition winner Rafael Paderna as well as Dennis Ascalon who represented the Philippines in Utsonomiy Biennale and Art Traveling Exhibit in Kwangju.

Other participating artists are Rodney Martinez, Roy Aguilar, AntonioTejado, Susanito Sarnate, Ian Valladares, Tot C Co, Roger Salvarita, Jay-R Delleva, Gwen Decena, Janet Lim, Moreen Austria, Sol Alquizar, Roderick Tejing, Edmund Bacia, Barry Cervantes, Ramon de los Santos, and Hilario Campos III.

Initially meant to exclusively showcase and promote local talents, the visual arts fundraiser has attracted the participation of Negrense artists based in Manila and abroad like Hinigaran native son Jun Martinez who had near sold out show in Italia last May and Riyahd-based advertising executive Edbon Sevilleno. It has likewise elicited the participation of artists from the neighboring islands like Anthony Fermin of Cebu and Trina Ascalon of Iloilo. The fundraiser has even elicited the participation of visiting Chicago-based installation and digital artist Jun Jun Santa Ana whose work, Identity I is currently on at Negros Museum. Santa Ana has exhibited not only in galleries in the Philippines like the University of the Philippines’ Vargas Museum but also abroad in the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York and the Koltsovo Airport in Yekaterinberg in Russia.

As the show’s title implies Agubay II is not the first time local artists have extended help to Bosom Care, a nonstock, nonprofit, nonsectarian organization composed of breast cancer survivors and their relations which provides assistance to breast cancer patients. In 2006, visual artists participated in a similar show at the Orange Gallery to raise funds for Bosom Care’s many projects which range from underwriting mammogram fees to chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer patients.

Local artists have a long history of generously helping the sick. In 2001, 17 local artists banded together to put up Gugma, a fundraising surprise Valentine’s gift for Bosom Care’s president, Dr. Ma. Cecilia Nava, who was then undergoing chemotherapy. In 2003 local artists did it again with the fundraising show Halad in Café Marias for the hospitalization of the late playwright and cultural worker Joel Arbulario. That same year they likewise put up a unique winner take all raffle to raise funds for the treatment of the late Hiraya Gallery curator Bobi Valenzuela.

Impelled by a desire to help the organization, some artists have donated their works for free, thus lending substance to Bosom Care’s logo of two women clasping hands. Agubay II takes its title from the Ilonggo term which means to assist, support, or guide a person who cannot walk by himself/ herself.

In keeping with its mission statement to empower cancer patients to live productive meaningful life despite their illness Bosom Care has helped countless women by holding breast cancer fora featuring well known oncologists; conducting information campaigns in schools, radio and tv; bringing cheer to cancer patients through hospital visitations; sponsoring fun runs in 2005 and 2006 to promote healthy living and spending P/ 152,545 to underwrite the treatment of some 43 breast cancer patients who have asked for assistance since it started in 2003. This year’s visual arts show will likewise raise funds so Bosom Care can eventually become a foundation.

Agubay II is Bosom Care’s opening salvo to celebrate October as International Breast Cancer Consciousness month. It will climax with a breast cancer forum featuring three cancer specialists from Manila sponsored by Philippine Society of Medical Oncology in October 28 at Italia Restaurant.