INDEPENDENCE Day will be celebrated with a touch of art by Baguio National Artist Kidlat Tahimik with an exhibit at Sunshine Park and the Baguio Museum.
The exhibit comprising of huge sculptures depicting the story of valor 500 years ago at Mactan focuses on the quincentennial celebrations of the April 27, 1521 victory, which to Kidlat Tahimik coincides with the spirit of Independence Day: how our natives gallantly repulsed the foreign invaders
The sculptures will soon be on a two-month journey to Madrid for a special exhibit but the artist will be staging it first at the park and the museum as an Independence Day farewell show so that the youth can appreciate the unique Cordillera qualities of the work of local artisans and to highlight the significance of Independence Day before it is viewed by art buffs in Spain.
The exhibit will be part of the Parks for All Program of the city.
Kidlat Tahimik is giving a special invitation to high school art students, “I wish to share it with high school students under the SPA (Special Arts Programm of Deped)” he said in his letter to the DepEd.
The show will open at Sunshine Park and the Baguio Museum on June 12 but there will also be an online virtual tour to avoid a face-to face activity as part of the observance of health protocols. Kidlat Tahimik will host the virtual walkthrough where he can also explain the culturally relevant elements of the exhibit.
His film “BalikBayan#1” about the 1st circumnavigation of the globe by the indigenous slave of Magellan can also be viewed by the students, preferably on June 10 and 11 before the virtual walkthrough on June 12 and 13 to drum up awareness of the valor of our natives in 1521.
The show is actually a re-mounting of the Independence Spirit 1521-2021 Art Installation first staged at the Baguio Convention Center.
The artistic process will also be documented by NCCA and Kidlat Tahimik to be included in the bid of the city for the renewal of its Creative City status with UNESCO.
