The initial plan was to spend a whole day on the second day of the Performatura Festival 2019, devoted to Francsico V. Coching, National Artist for Visual Arts. But a combination of factors, including the intense heat and even the upcoming elections, left me arriving in the afternoon and making the most of what the festival had to offer.
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| Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School Radio Broadcasting Group |
I made sure to catch the performance of students from Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School Radio Broadcasting Group in a reading of Coching's Lapu-Lapu. The promising voice talents of these students, ranging from Grade 8-12, made their video viral online. And this gave them an opportunity to fly to the capital to be part of the festival. A couple of the group's youngest members (Grade 8) weren't able to join the trip but that didn't hamper the group much even as each member had to act out multiple characters throughout the reading.
I admit that my listening skills were put to the test (with all the multiple characters that I lost track of) and it had me wishing to see Coching's illustrations that accompanied the text that was read. It also made me wonder if this rather romanticized vision, along with the film by National Artist Lamberto Avellana that was also shown that afternoon, of Lapu-Lapu, who is considered as the first Filipino hero led to the current prevalent (and disputed) image of him as the muscular warrior in a loincloth brandishing a sword.
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| Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School Radio Broadcasting Group |
I admit that my listening skills were put to the test (with all the multiple characters that I lost track of) and it had me wishing to see Coching's illustrations that accompanied the text that was read. It also made me wonder if this rather romanticized vision, along with the film by National Artist Lamberto Avellana that was also shown that afternoon, of Lapu-Lapu, who is considered as the first Filipino hero led to the current prevalent (and disputed) image of him as the muscular warrior in a loincloth brandishing a sword.
Speaking of Lapu-Lapu, a copy of the collection and more titles from Coching was available at the Coching table at the mini-komiks convention at the Main Theater Lobby. I was also able to browse a few titles from local creators and publishers. They later on presented their more recent and upcoming komiks at the book launch that wrapped up the second day.
As I tried to make the most out of my time, I did the unthinkable and had a Coching themed tattoo done. I also had a photo taken by Estela Vadal, the most unusual photo booth that included a random poetry below every photo printout that it dispensed.
I have been missing the comics scene since I devoted myself more to the classical music/arts and culture scene almost a decade ago. And the Coching day at the Performatura Festival 2019 was probably the world telling me to awaken the comics enthusiast in me that has been hibernating.
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| El Indio |
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| Ang Barbaro |
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| Pedro Penduko |
As I tried to make the most out of my time, I did the unthinkable and had a Coching themed tattoo done. I also had a photo taken by Estela Vadal, the most unusual photo booth that included a random poetry below every photo printout that it dispensed.
I have been missing the comics scene since I devoted myself more to the classical music/arts and culture scene almost a decade ago. And the Coching day at the Performatura Festival 2019 was probably the world telling me to awaken the comics enthusiast in me that has been hibernating.
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