College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines, Diliman

Recognition rites of the College of Fine Arts for our 2008 graduates.
Candlelight Rites Guest Speaker: National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva.
Candlelight Alab ng Sining Awardees: National Artists: Ben Cabrera and Abdul Mari Imao.

An Illustration, Advertising and Design Exhibition that takes off from the Heroës Anónimos theme of the continuous struggle of the artist as illustrator, creative art director, advertising and industrial designer. Works by Fernando Amorsolo, Guillermo Tolentino, Irineo Miranda, Botong Francisco, Larry Alcala, reflect the development of the commercial arts curriculum of the UP College of Fine Arts from the 1920s to to the present visual communications and industrial design programs.

Exhibition Committee: Joey Tanedo, Tina Colayco, Ruben de Jesus, Mitzi Reyes, and Jen Adano

Homecoming Exhibition. Uniquely Pinoy.

Canadian-based artist Romy Mananquil returns home to the UP College of Fine Arts where he taught for many years in the Visual Communications department for a centennial homecoming solo exhibition.

Dear CFA Alumni:

It has been heartwarming, seeing and meeting many of you here on home grounds at CFA on various occasions, most notably – our CFA Art Fair last September 1, 2007, and most recently the homecoming solo exhibition opening of former Viscom professor Romi Mananquil on April 15,2008.

On this, our Centennial year, we promise many CFA and UP Centennial activities that you can be part of. I have a CFA centennial activity calendar of events in my April 2008 update for everyone’s reference.

With this letter, I would like to reach out to all of you and find ways to create an active online alumni community to keep in touch with everyone, and generate a swell of support for the College and its needs.

For now, may I share some good news from our faculty.

• One of our younger faculty Ms. Ninel Constantino from our Visual Communications Department became Mrs. Topel Lee (CFA alumnus) last March 8, 2008.
• Former Visual Communications professor, Romi Mananquil opened his first solo homecoming exhibition at the Corredor Gallery of the UP College of Fine Arts last April 15,2008. In attendance at the opening was National Artist Napoleon Abueva, National Artist for Literature Rio Almario, and former CFA batchmate National Artist Bencab, Canandian Ambassador to the Philippines Robert Desjardins, UPAA Toronto Canada President Noel Cruz, Former BSP Chair Jaime Laya, UP Diliman Chancellor Sergio S. Cao, CFA Dean Tina Colayco and CFA Professor Emeritus Virginia Flor Agbayani. At the opening were Romi’s classmates, professional colleagues and former students in full force. The occasion was a happy reunion for many alumni who found themselves home again. Romi has been based in Toronto, Canada for the last twenty-five years.
• Congratulations are in order to Prof. Rita Badilla Gudino for making it to the final round of the International Ceramics Festival in Japan.
• Welcome back to Prof. Emeritus Virginia Flor Agbayani who is in town to join us for our round of CFA activities! Warning, she’s sharp and ‘taray’ as ever! She’s looking for all her former students.
• Last February 15-17,2008, the present faculty of the UP College of Fine Arts made a historic return to its very first home, the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Bagac, Bataan, where it opened its 2008 College Faculty Conference. This was the original Quiapo home of Rafael Enriquez, the first dean of the College.

Keep well and best regards to all. Till our next update.

Tina