PuertoParrot.com

Whang Od is the oldest living traditional mambabatok artist. (“Batok” is defined as the art of tribal tattoo.) Her name is synonymous with Philippine tribal tattoo culture. She lives in a tiny mountain village called Buscalan, in the town of Tinglayan, Kalinga province in northern Philippines.

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Published at 2019-03-07 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : People

Tags: Tradition, artist

All Jazzed Up with Guitarist-Composer Johnny Alegre

I have always been fascinated by jazz improvisations that make every performance fresh and spontaneous. My adopted hometown, Chicago, is a big blues and jazz town, with music constantly in the air across its diverse neighborhoods and up to the mesmerizing skyscrapers.

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Published at 2018-08-21 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, People

Tags: artist, music

From Street Children to Talented Artists: Filipino Youth Paint for Peace

It’s easy to forget the meaning of peace when all you see in the news are calamities, terrorism, and threats of war. We get so used to violence that we brush it off as part of our everyday, not once stepping back and asking ourselves how we can make it better.

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Published at 2018-03-24 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Documentary

Tags: artist, children

A Purpose-Driven Artist

Social environment plays a significant role in the life of an artist. Whether having a keen eye for physical observation or an easy perception of social cues, the creative mind is an active mind. It seeks out content and needs to be constantly inspired.

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Published at 2018-03-14 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, People

Tags: artist

June Dalisay, Art Healer

For works of art to encompass time and become part of cultural history, the story moves beyond the artist. The narrative and attribution will always belong to its creator, but for art to survive it requires the critical role of an individual who understands both the essence of the creative piece as well as its technicalities. This “unsung hero” of sorts is the art conservator.

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Published at 2018-03-12 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, People

Tags: History, artist, culture

Ezra Santos’ Fashion Artistry

Ezra Santos is now an icon in the world of fashion. The Dubai-based Filipino designer is one of the leading fashion figures in the Persian Gulf, boasting a reputable clientele, such as Arab and European royalties, along with Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities, including Lady Gaga. His designs exude timelessness and elegance, characteristics that stem from a confident yet unassuming individual who simply loves what he does.

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Published at 2018-03-12 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, People

Tags: artist, fashion

Spotlight: Kalinga Tattoo Artist Whang Od

The Philippines’ fierce Kalinga tribe has just one remaining ‘mambabatok’, or master tattoo artist: Whang Od, who is nearly 100 years old. A visit to her home in the Cordillera mountains is one of the most sought-after tattoo pilgrimages in the world. Read on for more about Whang Od, the Kalingas, and this fast-disappearing tradition of hand-tapped body art.

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Published at 2018-02-06 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Culture, Documentary, People

Tags: Kalinga, artist, tattoos

10 Contemporary Filipino Artists to Know

With the exception of a few established artists on the international stage, the Filipino art scene was long confined to an insular environment – until about a decade ago. After a 50-year hiatus, the Philippines participated in the 2015 Venice Biennale with a national pavilion, which drew attention to the region and brought a new wave of local artists into the limelight. We profile ten contemporary Filipino artists you should know.

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Published at 2018-02-06 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts

Tags: Contemporary, artist, international

An Artist for the People

'The artist is well advised to take on the challenge of creating art that will contribute to social change by enlightening viewers and audiences about the nature and causes of the problems they face as Filipinos today'

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Published at 2017-12-27 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Culture

Tags: Creator, art, artist

Two Men, Art, and the City of Light

His studio was messy, with colorful crusts and spots, as he narrated his roots. A pack of Choc Nut rested on his desk, while a nearly empty bottle of Tanduay stood against rows and rows of books.

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Published at 2017-12-27 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Culture

Tags: artist

Manilaart 2016: Creating the New Golden Age for Philippine Art

ManilArt, the country’s longest-running Art Fair, celebrates its 8th year of promoting the best of Philippine creative artistry from the various regions of the country on October 6-9, 2016 at SMX Aura Convention Center, Taguig City.

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Published at 2017-12-27 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Culture, News and Events

Tags: art, artist

Filipino Artists in Unprecedented Exhibit on Human Dignity

On Thursday, March 9, 2017, Filipino artists representing all media and led by National Artist Ben Cabrera (BenCab) will come together in an unprecedented exhibit that will put the spotlight on human dignity amid the spate of extrajudicial killings in the country.

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Published at 2017-12-27 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Culture, Documentary, News and Events

Tags: artist, photography

The Master from Angono

He was the second painter to be named National Artist, posthumously like his predecessor, Fernando Amorsolo. But where one could go to the Ayala Museum and see a number of Amorsolo, there is no such place where one could go and see Carlos “Botong” Francisco’s paintings in some depth, except at the City Hall of Manila in the anteroom of the Mayor’s Office.

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Published at 2017-12-26 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Culture, People

Tags: Amorsolo, artist, painting

The Artists and the Gallery

All artists aspire for successful exhibitions. This desire is no less fervent for the gallery owner. Mounting an exhibition can be directed into three stages: the pre-exhibition, exhibition proper, and post exhibition.

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Published at 2017-12-25 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Business, Culture, Documentary

Tags: Galleries, artist, exhibition

The Art Market and the Young Artist

Once we were asked at a forum about the “directions” that Philippine art was taking. And we said that we weren’t really sure as there were many kinds of art work being done, but added as an afterthought that “they all seem to be headed in the direction of the art market.

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Published at 2017-12-26 by Puerto Parrot

Categories : Arts, Business, Culture, Documentary

Tags: Market, art, artist