When Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Corporate Communications’ head Glaiza Lee invited me to the opening of “Kwentong Kahoy,” I thought it was again in Los Banos, Laguna but a second look at the digital invite, it was in Binan City, after all.
Being a resident of San Pedro City, I requested to be picked up from the Southwoods toll gate along SLEX for an easier access to the venue instead of going to the meeting place in Makati City.
A van with other members of the press picked me up and brought us to sprawling hectares of plains verdant near the Cavitex Diversion Road which most of it is still part of Binan City. The huge land is called Arthaland, obviously a high-end subdivision this side of the southern suburb of Manila.
At the Pavilion at Sevina Park, Cecilia Araneta Parkway in the city, an art exhibit billed “Kwentong Kahoy” was to be inaugurated with special guest Dennis Marasigan, CCP Vice-President and Artistic Director and the host of the show, Jaime Gonzalez, Vice Chairman and President of Arthaland.
“Kwentong Kahoy” is an art display which has been going on since its soft launch on October 30, 2024, only to be recently, officially launched with Gonzalez, Marasigan, Bryan Jayson T. Borja, Department Head of the Binan City Culture, History, Atts, and Tourism Office (BCHATO), other officials of Arthaland, and the CCP Visual Arts Department headed by Rica Estrada Uson.
“Kwentong Kahoy,” according to the CCP CorpCom, aims “to introduce the public to the diverse forms of art created with wood, showcasing the adaptability and rich cultural significance. It offers an educational insight into the craftsmanship and creativity involved in wood art by exploring different techniques, such as carving and relief printing.”
The show presents art products from wood like musical instruments as guitars, tambourines, among others, various types of bolos and spears, wooden sculpture of animals whose original pieces are found in Laguna etc.
Arthaland, being a home development organization, finds the art show meaningful and collaborative in making an ideal abode for people living in a country style.
In a nutshell, according to Gonzalez, Arthaland was conceptualized as a source of natural beauty, rich environment and ecological awareness so “Kwentong Kahoy” is pretty much a conduit to the enhancement of nature in the heart of the village.
“Wood has always played an integral role in human civilization, serving as both an artistic medium and a utilitarian object in our society. As the third collaborative project between the premiere arts institution and one of the most environmentally conscious corporations, ‘Kwentong Kahot’ is geared towards encouraging appreciation for, and discovery of social, cultural, artistic, ang environmental values from its exhibition,” the CCP Publicity Department’s press briefs.
Most of the artifacts in the show are artworks from the CCP 21st Century Art Museum (21AM) Collection.
Since the rehabilitation of the CCP Main Building, the agency's various proactive projects are being brought to different venues to continuously serve the artistic and cultural pursuits of the Filipinos.
“Kwentong Kahoy” art show can be visited Mondays to Sundays from 9 AM to 5 PM.