KURIS: The First Ligad-Rivera Art Exhibit

 

My compadre Ruben “Nonoy” Casuncad, considered by many as the finest artisan in the province, together with Dr. Alexander M. Rivera, (Yes, that EENT doctor) will be launching an art event dubbed Kúris (Arts and Passion): The First Ligad-Rivera Art Exhibit on December, 2021. I am already writing about it now because as I have told you in my recent blog entry about Jun Gulapa, another illustrious artist from Sablayan, the month of February is National Arts Month as declared by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 683.

This brainchild of the two distinguished painters of San Jose is perceived to be held annually and expected to be participated by all painting enthusiasts from all over Occidental Mindoro. Well, to those who are interested, you still have ample time to coordinate with Nonoy and Doc Rivera about this upcoming “art attack” of an event.

Before going to Nonoy, allow me first to acknowledge the painter whose eyes also labored on the painting canvass and brushes and not only through the lens of his otoscope and nasal speculum. Doctor Alex Rivera is a self-taught artist who first discovered his prowess in 1998. He is into “fantastic and erotic arts” as how he described them in his Facebook account. Some of his paintings are displayed in his Barangay V clinic in San Jose. I am Doc Alex’s patient for more than a decade now because of my seasonal and perennial rhinitis.

On the other hand, Nonoy Casuncad is not only a painter, he is an all-around artist. He also make key chains, refrigerator magnet, treated driftwoods, wood carvings and decors, medals, beadworks and other “kung anik-anik”. Just name it.

I first met Nonoy in 1989 while he was working as an artist in the Vicariate-owned In Verbo Tuo Printing Press while I was with the Human Development Office or HDO. In 1998, he decided to pursue with his craft and he started an art shop called Ligad. Ligad, if my memory serves me right, according to Nonoy, stands for “Likhang Isinalalarawan sa Guni-guni at Damdamin”. Ligad has an accreditation with our provincial Department of Trade and Industry Office or DTI. At present he is more involved in wood carving and most of his clients are tourists,-both local and international, and some wholesalers outside of the province. His works always find place in trade fairs and art shows here in our locality and elsewhere for more than 23 years now. At present, he is planning to initiate a province-wide organization of artists through Kúris as its entry point.

By the way, Kúris in Hanunuo language is a stroke made with a knife and the like, a line, a scratch, a score or to line, mark, score and scratch lightly with a pointed tool or instrument. When asked about the title of the exhibit, Nonoy said: “Sa artist kasi, kapag nakaharap ka na sa canvas at nag-iisip (conceptualize) ka ng subject at concept, magsisimula ka sa kuris-kuris hanggang sa makabuo ka ng isang wangis o imahe.” The painting is on and for the period of nine months, from April to December 2021, they aimed at finishing 40 materials or paintings for the show.

The painting exhibit Nonoy and Doc Alex have in mind is something that will be participated by artists from all walks of life. For instance, every year, an exhibit will be participated by women artists, the following year will be from the ranks of the Mangyans, and so forth and so on.  It is also Nonoy’s dream to put up an art gallery in Iling Island to pay homage to the place where most of his materials for wood carvings and inspiration from her painting aside from those motivation that he harvested from the Hanunuos and other ethno-linguistic groups of the Mangyans came from.

From the start, the Local Government of San Jose through Board Member Michelle Festin-Rivera, when she still sits as the municipal tourism head, is so supportive of the initiatives of the town’s local artists. The LGU likewise pledged monetary support for said forthcoming painting exhibit in December. DTI provincial office also vouched for some considerable amount of fund for the endeavor. Nonoy is gratefully thankful of such gesture as local government's manifestation of highly considering art and culture in its PPAs and mandate.

Today, Nonoy is aiming to capacitate the town's gifted and special children with inclination in painting or arts in general from all-over and teach them basic painting lessons. He is looking forward for a future where he is introducing or teaching art to children with special needs. He said that children with such characteristics tend to be most successful when they have their own materials and spaces to work, and are permitted to make as many art products as they like. 

Nonoy believes that art experiences are good ways to hold attention, and provide children with acceptable, enjoyable ways to express their feelings. He intends to solicit funds from good Samaritans of arts to help him make this grand target a sustained, fruitful reality. Knock, knock on your generous doors.

Nonoy Casuncad is in a way building his legacy and in the process, paying it forward.

A meaningful arts month to all!

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(Photo: Ligad File)