PAGCOR launched an art contest with the theme "It's more fun in the Philippines." The categories were professional and amateur. Here is the problem: professional was defined as those artists who have held a one-"man" show while the amateurs were those without. The winners displayed at the casino gambling place at Paranaque however revealed that the winners were all professionals. The artworks did not have any amateur. The works exhibited what would be called artworks of those who have been drawing and painting in the advertising world, and/or commercial companies that produce educational materials. 

Here are my comments: One artwork looked like a rehash of the cover of the box of a puzzle that presents the different tourist spots in the Philippines. Two other paintings depicted children -- what is this, a come-on to pedophiles to enjoy fun with kids? Another painting had a face laughing for what purposes?  I cannot gather. Still another painting showed a foreign woman looking at the different spots in the Philippines. 

True, the paintings desired to market the country, but the contents were not well-thought of. Another artwork had three little girls (??? Yak!) in the foreground, wearing clothes that did not look like Philippine, except maybe of the Muslim sarong which could be mistaken for the costume of some other female Asians.  Another painting showed boys climbing some kind of fence. Why climbing? Ask the painters. 

Besides, when we talk of amateur paintings we are immediately presented with ideas that exhibit simplicity, spontaneity, and naivete of some sorts. Yet the artworks showed sure masterful embrace of technique but had the same meanings all throughout, not revealing any in-depth understanding that "fun" in the Philippines is not mere physical enjoyment, but rather an appreciation of our culture, our social customs and mores, as well as political ideas. 

Yet, in this contest, none of these were visible. Instead we were presented with an array of paintings that depicted what could appear as colorful posters on the Philippines. 

When I presented my painting, I asked the organizer, Ms. Monfort if I could submit a photoshopped copy of my painting and later on she said, upon conference with one of the judges, that it should not be the case. Yet looking at most of the paintings, some sure looked "photoshopped." You see folks, Adobe Photoshop is a software that allows you to transfer a photo of your painting on to the computer so you can easily clean it up, copy some other images elsewhere and then paste it there. Afterwards, the product can be printed on canvas through another machine. 

So how sure are we that all the works that won did not undergo Adobe "photoshopping?" One artwork had an image of Amorsolo's farm with a superimposed image of the jeepney to make it current. The extreme likeness of the farm with the original Amorsolo cannot be denied. 

What is the purpose of a painting contest but to showcase the talents, not only the skills, but the depth of awareness of the artists with regard to the issues besetting or encompassing tourism in the country. It is not a matter of selling the country but promoting our historical roots, traditions and people with dignity. Do we expect some moral changes in a gaming agency?

I shall upload a copy of my painting next time.