When I was a teenager, I decided that I want to be a woman of logic as opposed to a woman of art. If you'll ask me whether I'll rather be smart (but ugly) or beautifully dumb, I will always say that I'll rather have brains. Looking back, I think of how clueless I was, not knowing the importance of art. But then I got my heart broken and the dam of feels got a crack and the walls crashed flooding my entire being of so much emotion I never knew I could feel. And then I changed. I still aspire to be an intellectual, a thinking woman. But the dam broke and now I'm a woman who feels. Thus, I found a new love--art. 

The THIRTEEN ARTISTS AWARDS (TAA) began as a curatorial project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) museum under the directorship of its first curator Roberto Chabet (1937-2013). The first group of artists gathered under this program exhibited their works in 1970. In a document on the event, Chabet made a critical connection between the Thirteen Artist and the Philippine Modernists. Both generations of artists were reviewed to have sought in their time the change and risk to "restructure, re-strengthen and renew art making and art thinking...that lend viability to Philippine art." Since then, the award would be given to deserving recipients without regularity or pattern, and always subject to constant revision. 

It is in this context that the Thirteen Artists Awards is sustained to this day: to mark the turnings in and of Philippine contemporary art, to update its modernizing potential and to assess how artists today engage with other forces in the art world. 

There are several works who really got my attention, however I wasn't able to take any photos. Sad! (Note to self: Always check camera's battery and memory card). We'll be going back to the CCP for the concert on Saturday so I'll just create a new post about that. In the mean time, go see visit CCP, check out the artworks and support Filipino Artists. The 13 Artists exhibit will be there until October 25, 2015. And best of all, it's free. 

Anyway, after CCP we went to Sev's Cafe located in the basement of Legaspi Tower. It's the building just across CCP. I'm there to meet my best friend and enjoy the rest of Saturday. It's my first time at Sev's so I'm a bit excited. Once inside, I found that it's very cozy and laid back. Not intimidating at all. 

Borrowed pic from RovingRani

Two things come to mind when I think about Sev's: Howie Severino and arts. Luckily, I got another dose of art visiting the cafe. There was a show that night with the theme "Palibhasa 90's Kids". It really made my Saturday night--all the good food, music and poetry. Sakto sa theme, I'm a proud 90's kid. So yes, there were a lot of Eraserheads cover and some Cranberries and a Jolina Magdangal (love that TL Ako Sa'yo cover!). I love the bands' line-ups. I'm in love with indie films and now I found that I fell in love with indie music as well. It even inspired me to buy a ukulele. Kainggit the girls who performed with it, with their original songs pa! Huhu. I envy composers. One band--Mae Ross even played HunterXHunter, Slam Dunk and Flame of Recca's Theme Songs. Talk about throwback! I used to know the lyrics of both songs but then I grew up. Sigh. Check out their Facebook. They posted the video of their performance there. I promise to never let go of my inner 90's kid. Another first that night is when I watched a poetry mic night by members of White Wall Poetry. OMG another kainggit moment! One of them was so good she memorized both her poems. Ay. I can't do a poetry mic night. Parang declamation nung elementary. Nakakaloka. I forget my lines and I get a serious case of stage fright. Tapos sila, complete with emotions pa. I followed White Wall Poetry's Facebook page because I'd like to watch them perform. 

To those of you who haven't watched a poetry mic night before, try niyo. Maraming hugot. Maraming feels. Heehee. 

I'll tell you more about the 13 Artists Exhibit on my next post, when I get decent photos, because these artists deserve to be seen and known.