In bringing foreign artists to perform arts in the Philippines, it was Filipino curator Vanini Belarmino who curated and paved the way for Danish artists to showcase their talents in “In Situ, Performance and Exhibition.”
“In Situ” isn’t new in the world of arts or even in the palpable everydayness of not only peoples of the world but Filipinos as well.
It is not only “performing art” but “performing life itself” wherever, whenever, or whatever.
It is done and can be done anywhere to express one’s thoughts and feelings for the good of everyone—the very purpose of art.
That is what Vanini, a native of San Pablo City has been doing all her thirty-plus life globally.
We discovered Belarmino’s roots when we asked her what province she is from.
“I am from San Pablo,” she said referring to the city of Laguna.
“But I don’t stay there anymore,” Vanini clarified.
Belarmino has settled herself abroad, like in Singapore.
But being a Filipina, she cannot just ignore the importance of bringing performance art to the Philippines.
So when she and CCP Vice President and Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan talked about a collaboration between Danish performing artists and the CCP, it was a done deal swiftly.
According to Dennis, it was not a fast decision since the presentation of performing arts is as natural and fluid as life itself.
Aside from Molly Haslund, Filip Vest, and Kai Merke who Belarmino has the pride of working with as curator, a Filipino-Danish came into the fore.
She is Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen who has a Filipina mom and a Danish dad and a progressive artist herself who believes in the naturalness of performance arts while experimenting, fusing, and playing diverse roles that convey significant ideas and images.
Vanini and Lilibeth have done several performance arts in the Philippines like in Lucban, Quezon where they involved the farmers and other countryside folks in performing real life like cooking indigenous foods in a large casserole or cookpot.
Harvesting garden veggies and cooking them are also part of performance arts.
There were other discoveries Belarmino and Rasmussen made in the Philippines to express life through performances anywhere like the barangays or remote barrios.
That is where the San Pablo City-born Vanini and Philippine-born Lilibeth (she went to Denmark when she was 8 years old) intersect their vision in the arts.
(Photo Credit: Boy Villasanta)
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