Tags: Paintings, Visual arts
By Anna Valmero
BONGABONG, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO— Painter Marco Malto II believes artists like him can contribute to countryside projects that promote ecotourism and watershed management.
Owing to his volunteer experience in Namibia, where he worked with African children born with HIV and AIDS, Marco realized the power of painting to help children cope with their situation and to better express themselves.
He joined the six-month mission to Namibia in 2007 immediately after he took a sabbatical leave from the University of the Philippines-Diliman to join his wife, a former volunteer and staff of nonprofit VSO Bahaginan Foundation.
“My six-month mission renewed my passion with my art and flamed my advocacy for volunteering. It made me think of ways on how to use my skills to help people in need,” he said.
Marco also served as College of Fine Arts department chair while being a UP Pahinungod leadership training volunteer and full-time volunteer at Nayon ng Kabataan in Pasay.
Upon his return to the Philippines in 2008, he started forming a group and later partnered with VSO Bahaginan-Philippines to raise funds, through an art auction, for the ecotourism project in low-income forest communities of Ulot in Samar and Caro-od in Bohol.
The auction, entitled “Art for Volunteerism”, is an online selling of Filipino artworks open to art collectors both here and abroad. Prices of each art piece range from P50,000 to P300,000.
“Social injustice and economic woes are issues that are beyond culture and the color of one’s skin,” he said, referring to lessons learned from his experience in Namibia. “Image and pictures are powerful media to help these children release their tension and articulate ideas in life through the use of simple colored pencils or crayons.”
By being aware of the situation and gaining more perspective on the local setting, Marco returned to the Philippines with a goal to use his skills and be able help more Filipinos in need.
“An art auction for me offers a concrete action on the part of us artists in terms of helping the communities. Most Filipino artists are very sensitive and open-minded so it is easy for them to donate their works, they just need an avenue to do so,” he explained.
Ross Capili, another artist who donated mixed media works for the art auction, urges media watchdogs to monitor the progress of the ecotourism and watershed management projects so that artists would continue to share their works for worthwhile causes that produce results.
Capili previously donated four of his masterpieces to a non-profit organization for a book publication only to find out it was a hoax, taking his artworks.
Artists that are joining the auction include Benjie Cabangis, Zean Cabangis, Ferdie Cacnio, Dansoy Coquilla, Noell EL Farol, William Gaudinez, Riel Hilario, Mark Justiniani, Jonathan Olazo, Renato Agustin Ong, Mervy Pueblo, Pablo Baen Santos, Andoi Solon, Dexter Sy and Nestor Olarte Vinluan.
Most of the artists will donate half to almost all of the sales of their paintings and sculptures to VSO Bahaginan’s project.
Their will be exhibited at the Ayala Museum in Makati City on December 9. To learn more info about the artists and see their artworks, go to http://artforvolunteerism.wordpress.com.
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