Art Republik, a new TV show that features Filipino artists, debuts February 28 on Knowledge Channel at 8:40 p.m. Art Republik is a 30-minute program on Philippine arts and culture, profiling 51 artists from various art fields and two art collectors or a total of 53 guests for its first season. The first season of Art Republik carries 13 episodes anchored on themes, which are based on cultural traits.
The cultural traits used as episode themes include close family relations with a focus on siblings' relationships, respect, Bayanihan, adaptability, hard work, responsibility, strong sense of community, commitment, courage, quality, sentimentality, excellence, and perseverance.
For the first episode, Art Republik features two families involved in the fields of independent film and the visual arts: the Lee Brothers and the Dalena sisters. Roxlee is the hero of underground cinema; Romeo Lee commonly known as Lee is a University of the Philippines-Diliman icon and visual artist/performer.
Sari Lluch Dalena is a multi-awarded filmmaker who recently bagged the Best Picture and Best Director awards at the 2011 Cinema One Originals Film Festival for Ka Oryang. Aba Lluch Dalena is a visual artist, an art teacher and the lead vocals of Rockbato. Kiri Lluch Dalena traverses the fields of visual arts and film.
“We created the show to provide an alternative program to the usual entertainment and political fare on television. TV is a powerful medium to inform and engage people. We hope that Art Republik could contribute in increasing the awareness on Philippine art to a wider public by presenting its creators, the Filipino artists, whose work reflect our culture,” Betty Uy-Regala, producer of Art Republik, said.
The other members who complete the show's team are co-producer Evie dela Cruz, director JL Burgos, Imelda Morales, Opaline Santos, Ria Torrente, Kathrina Reston, Tom Estrera III, Allan Alcantara, Erwin dela Cruz, Rene Bayking, and Joel Laserna. Alma dela Pena, Mavie de Ocampo, Kristine C. Tabada, and Phillyn Lorenzo were part of the pilot episode production.
The show is produced through the Asian Christian Arts Association, Inc., a non-governmental organization, and partially funded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the policy-making body and grants-giving government agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture.
Felipe de Leon, Jr., chairman of the NCCA, said, “The Philippine government recognizes the role of culture in the development of the economy and national unity. This is embodied in our Constitution (Article XIV) and the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).”
Art Republik will be aired on Knowledge Channel every Tuesday at 8:40 p.m. with replays on Thursday at 8:40 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Knowledge Channel is channel 42 on Sky Cable. Art Republik is on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/artrepublik).
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For more information on Art Republik, please contact Betty Uy-Regala at 0906-2604175 or email betty_uyregala@yahoo.com.
Scheduled Airing of Art Republik on Knowledge Channel
February 28, 2012: Sari, Aba and Kiri Lluch Dalena and Rox and Romeo Lee share their family experiences in Episode 1's Siblings in Art. The Dalena sisters and the Lee brothers are in the fields of visual arts and film. Replays on March 1 and March 3.
March 6, 2012: Poets Michael Coroza, Nerisa Guevara, Kooky Tuason, and Fliptop rapper Batas speak of respect in the worlds of Balagtasan, poetry slam, and Fliptop battles in Episode 2's Spoken Word. Replays on March 8 and March 10.
March 13, 2012: Actors Irma Adlawan, Soliman Cruz, Gabe Mercado and dance artist Myra Beltran present how performers give of themselves on stage and off in Episode 3's Performing Bayanihan.
Replays on March 15 and March 17.
March 20, 2012: Architects and musicians jam on adaptability with Francisco Mañosa, Lolita Carbon, Ana Mangalino-Ling and Cooky Chua on Episode 4's Space and Sound. Replays on March 22 and March 24.
March 27, 2012: lawyer/playwright Nicolas Pichay, medical doctor/musician Moel Diaz, teacher/actor Anna Deroca, and advertising executive/musician Isa Garcia share how they balance their multiple roles in Episode 5's Artists by Night. Replays on March 29 and March 31.
April 3, 2012: Responsibility is exemplified by directors who lead creative and art projects such as Sid Maderazo for TV commercials, Marie Jamora for MTV, Claro Ramirez and Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez for art exhibitions in Episode 6's Directors' Cut. Replays on April 5 and April 7.
April 10, 2012: Theater artist Joel Saracho of Taumbayan, filmmaker Avic Ilagan of Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace, musicians Marben Moreno of Hades Bar and Andre Umali of Headstock Bar build a stronger and closer community with their spaces in Episode 7's Tambayan. Replays on April 12 and April 14.
April 17, 2012: Episode 8's On Women shows the high level of commitment of visual artists Brenda Fajardo and Karen Ocampo Flores, and literary writers Malou Jacob and Aida Santos to their craft and advocacies. Replays on April 19 and April 21.
April 24, 2012: Female tattoo artists Gel Cabrera and Minnehaha Calleja, street artist Whooop, and comic book creator Budjette Tan discuss courage in the urban art episode, Episode 9's Skin, Street and Comics. Replays on April 26 and April 28.
May 1, 2012: Episode 10's The Old and New focuses on quality work as filmmaker John Torres, visual artist At Maculangan, media artist Tad Ermitaño, and dance artist Rhosam Prudenciado, Jr. compare the traditional form with the new. Replays on May 3 and May 5.
May 8, 2012: Visual artists Mark Justiniani and Alfredo Esquillo, Jr., art collector Robert Bjorn Santos, and gallery owner Albert Avellana show the upside and the downside of sentimentality in Episode 11's The Collector. Replays on May 10 and May 12.
May 15, 2012: Filmmakers from different genres and generations, National Artist for Cinema Eddie Romero, Ditsi Carolino-Garcia, Antoinette Jadaone, and Pepe Diokno define their brand of excellence in Episode 12's And the Winner is... Replays on May 17 and May 19.
May 22, 2012: Ildefonso P. Santos, National Artist for Landscape Architecture; Virgilio S. Almario, National Artist for Literature; Abdulmari Asia Imao, National Artist for the Visual Arts and; the late Salvador Bernal, National Artist for Theater Design narrate how they persevered in the beginning of their art journey until they were conferred the highest recognition for the arts in Episode 13's The National Artists Special. Replays on May 24 and May 26.
