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Forever endowed with the pleasure of experimenting in every aspect of his work, Darel Betita Javier comes from a long line of esteemed Negrense artists.


Born and raised in a family of artists, Darel Betita Javier, unlike his two siblings, was not quick to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Graduating with knowledge of architecture in 1992 from La Consolacion College- Bacolod, Darel spent much of his time in North Carolina, working on construction projects, before finally returning to the Bacolod City of Philippines. Finally pursuing what he was always meant to, Darel is now a full time evolving artist, forever endowed with the pleasure of experimenting in every aspect of his work.

SCREAM. Colored, pencil, 40inx30in

You grew up in the Philippines in a family of artists. How important has been this positive family environment in allowing you to express your art?

Art for me is just like a sport. It’s a playful thing. I never imagined that someday I will be just like my late dad doing art and enjoying it. I did not take art seriously when I was younger. My two brothers were already joining art competitions from the time we were elementary and high school, but not me. It was only after I came back from the US that I became a full time visual artist.

You then emigrated to the US for a few years (North Carolina). A major culture shock and a substantially different environment from the Philippines. What major learning(s) did you bring back from the US?

To be on time. In the US, it is important to be on time for an appointment or a meeting. The people there are always punctual and they always respect everybody’s time.

King, Queen, and the Prince

This Girl Is On Fire

Self Portrait

Mother's Paradox

You were born and brought-up in the Philippines, a Catholic country where religion is a central pillar within society. How important is religion in your art? What religious references do you like to refer to?

I am a Christian, I respect all kinds of beliefs and I don’t really touch religions in my art.

What is your creative process like? Where do you find your inspiration?

I usually draw it first on paper or tracing paper before finalizing it on a canvas. I often find my inspiration from my family especially from my wife, who has always believed in my work, since the beginning. She is a very supportive wife, and for an artist that is a very important thing.

Which is the role the artist plays in the society? How do you view the current art scene in the Philippines? How important is the space given to artists in modern Filipino society?

Artists help people and communities find their voice to be heard through art. It helps people express their feelings and learn to appreciate colors, textures, emotions and the beauties around them.

The Art scene in Philippines is very alive! A lot of new art galleries have opened, and more art exhibitions are happening. More young people have begun to appreciate art, and there are more younger art collectors emerging. The art scene in the Philippines is getting more exciting every year.

Any current or past Filipino artist who has influenced you?

I have a lot of present Filipino artists who influenced me a lot. I call them my art idols or the “masters”. Some of which are, Ronald Ventura, Rodel Tapaya, Andres Barrioquinto, Lynyrd Paras, Jon Jaylo and Jason Montinola.

Can you let our readers know of your favorite Art Museum in the Philippines?

ILOMOCA, Bencab & The Pinto Museum but I have never been there. The Pinto Museum is on my wishlist for when this pandemic ends. It’s the most instagram-worthy museum of Asia. As it is an hour from Manila, I tried to go there many times when I have group shows in Manila but it was to no avail, I’m always short of time. Because I usually stay only for 2 to 3 days and then go back again to Bacolod. Manila is so crowded, it’s a big city. I don’t belong there. I only go there when I have group shows.

SANCHUPAPA.  Oil on Canvas with Toilet Pump.

The five words that best describe your art?

Exceptional unique, expressively composed, and evolving.

In which city can we expect to see your next solo exhibition?

In Manila. I have upcoming solo shows but because of the pandemic, they were rescheduled.

If you were to name one mentor who has inspired you in your life and path as an artist, who would that be?

Of course my late dad, Eng. Eduardo D. Javier. He was an engineer, a visual artist, a muralist (who made the longest wood mural in Asia 1969), a sculptor, a Dad and a mentor.


This article appeared in L'Officiel Singapore and Luxuo.com . Interview by Julia Roxan.

Tales of Sugarlandia presented by Don Papa Rum 

Episode 1: Heritage Homes of Sugarlandia

 

Tales of Sugarlandia presented by Don Papa Rum
Episode 2:  Heritage Kitchens of Sugarlandia

For generations families in Sugarlandia have passed down and protected recipes in their private kitchens.  Host and “Man on the Ground” Ben Scharlin gains access to some of the most famous private kitchens in Sugarlandia to talk with the descendents, chefs, and business owners who have been custodians of these heritage foods and recipes.   In this episode we explore heritage recipes and kitchens of Sugarlandia.

Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaJP6-fVb2w

Production Credits:
Writer, Producer, Host:  Ben Scharlin
Production Company: Aim High Productions and UnitA Creatives
Presented by: Bleeding Heart Rum Company

Special Thanks To:
Keeno Locsin
Nora Lacson
Cindy Belleza
Mark Sanchez
Joman Lopez
Sylvia Golez

Location Links:
Emma Lacson's Delicacies: https://www.facebook.com/emmalacsonsdelicacies
El Ideal Bakery:  https://www.facebook.com/EL-IDEAL-Bakery-157423434580
18th St. Pala Pala:  https://www.facebook.com/18thpalapala
Melkens Seafood Restaurant:  https://www.facebook.com/Melkens-Seafood-Restaurant-129816017822588

Tales of Sugarlandia presented by Don Papa Rum  

Episode 3:  Mountains of Sugarlandia




Sugarlandia isn't always what it seems.  Beyond the sugarcane fields, to the east, majestic mountains rise from the ground to kiss the sky.  The spirit of mystery and magic lives in these mountains, where ancient ravines and rivers collide.  Embodied by the mighty volcano, Mt. Kanlaon, the spirit of Don Papa can be found here.  In this episode Don Papa Rum's host and "Man on the Ground" Ben Scharlin explores the mystical and magical mountains of Sugarlandia.


Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5SmQ8cq4CE

Production Credits:
Writer, Producer, Host:  Ben Scharlin
Production Company: Aim High Productions and UnitA Creatives
Presented by: Bleeding Heart Rum Company

Special Thanks To:
Hon. Laurence Marxlen Dela Cruz
Dr. Albert Jo
Chef David Dadivas
Chef Gerry Grey Jr.
Jorilyn Impil-Fuentes
Chi Flores

Locations:
Don Salvador Benedicto:  https://www.facebook.com/DonSalvadorBenedictoLGU
Rapha Valley:  https://www.facebook.com/raphavalley
Kusinata:  https://www.facebook.com/kusinata
ManggaPuri Villas:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Manggapuri%20Villas/1695976564029200/
Kwartitos:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kwartitos/319897371864411/
Malatan-Og Falls:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Malatan-Og%20Falls/445294992225949/

Despite the difficult times brought by this pandemic, we are still happy and proud to be standing tall continuing our mission to be the home of the most relevant stories that are significant to our Negrense history – stories that have passed on through many generations and those that primarily reflect the Negrense values of resiliency and hardwork.

All through the years, we have proven that we are not merely an organization that serves itself but rather an institution that commits to engage communities and create programs that pave the way for opportunities, not just to local artists and cultural workers, but specially to the youth and the children of Negros—for we owe to their generation the future and the preservation of our rich culture and heritage

Dalayon reiterates the contribution and role of the museum as part of the community's recovery and healing, one individual at a time, especially in these challenging times.




PANAKAYON ONLINE: JOURNEY INTO CULTURE,  HERITAGE, TRADITION AND ARTS

The Panakayon sa Negros Museum is an interactive tour designed to provide cultural enrichment to young audiences in order to experience and learn, in an educationally enjoyable environment, through exhibits, games, performances, food, and hands-on activities that will engage young visitors and stimulate their imagination.

The “Tuklas” (TulongKaalamanSenter) of the Negros Museum created this exciting adventure for grade school and high school students by way of introducing art, culture, and history in an entertaining and educational manner that would mark a child’s first (or succeeding) visit to the museum as significant and memorable.

Panakayon aims to serve as a developmental tool for students in exploring and understanding culture and heritage through an experiential tour designed to complement different ages and year levels with varying choice activities, highlighted by five exciting components, which include BIYAHE (Trip), PALAGWA-ON (Performance),  HAMPANG (Games), ABUBOT (Handicrafts) and PAGKAON (Delicacies).

The Panakayon Online: Journey into Culture, Heritage, Tradition and Artsis The Negros Museum’s response to address the challenge of making its content available to its audiences as visits and field trips to museums are prohibited because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Panakayon Online was launched last September 1, 2020 with support from Cultural Center of the Philippines, through the CCP Outreach KaisasaSining Regional Arts Center Partnership, and in line with its Kalinga ng Sining Program.

Adapting its format using the digital platform, Panakayon features Negrense history, heritage, culture and artistic practicesthrough a set of online segments and activities that aims to highlight, revisit, and revitalize, as well as engage and educate various audiences and communities.

Segments

1.    HANDURAW – to “re-imagine”, features fun facts about Negros places and spaces, as well as introduces traditional Hiligaynon words to educate both young and not-so-young, and help bridge memories of yesterday to today.

2.    PA-AMBIT – to “to share”, focuses on prominent Negrense artists that have relevant contributions in the field of theatre, film, literature, music, dance, and visual arts. The aim of the segment is to share their art journey and experiences and to inspire the next generation of Negrense artists.

3.    HINAMPANG – meaning “games”, introduces brain teasers inspired by a mix of traditional and contemporary games translated in an online platform where virtual audiences can join, interact, and open discussions

4.    TALABUAN – meaning “marketplace”,promotes local products, artistic works, and initiatives that are proudly Negrense

5.    SILANG – meaning “see through”, highlights the life stories of the people behind the scenes (the white pillars which is one of the most prominent feature of The Negros Museum building)who promote, organize, and support arts and cultural initiatives to help in the preservation and promotion of Negrense culture, as well as create initiatives to educate and engage local communities.

For more information on PANAKAYON ONLINE, follow The Negros Museum page at https://www.facebook.com/TheNegrosMuseum

As part of the Negros Season on Culture, The Negros Museum will be launching the following:

•    THE BLACKBOX PRESENTS




Live performances, especially theatre productions, have been strongly impacted by the COVID19 pandemic.  Many stage plays all over the country have been postponed and cancelled; while some theatre groups attempt to migrate their performances online. However, nothing beats the experience of watching a live theatre performance.

The Negros Museum, in partnership with The Performance Laboratory, Inc.,  will launch The Blackbox Presents with weekly staged readings of plays written by emerging Negrense playwrights. “AngMga Raga Raga” features four short plays—Roger Joshua Venzal’s“Kabig” (Take); VeniseBuenaflor’s“Tuhoy” (Choice); Racine Genada’s“Panaguay” (Hide and Seek) and Noel Pahayupan’s“Angan” (Perhaps)—that tackle current and relevant societal issues incorporating stories of realities brought by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.



 

Dates:  November 13, 20, 27 (Fridays) 5:30 pm
Venue: The Blackbox Theater, The Negros Museum
Limited Seats Available for Reservation.
For more information and reservations, call (034) 708-5080 or message https://www.facebook.com/perflab.official

•    ANG MGA ISTORYA NI BAO

A story telling session derived from the “Ang Mga Istoryani BAO” interactive tour of The Negros Museum. Adapting to the “new normal” this segment will be the newest addition to our current program, “Panakayon Online”, translating our usual face-to-face storytelling portion into an online platform with the fusion of exploratory and multi-sensorial experience for children in the form of colorful illustrations and use of puppetry. The stories will feature the Filipino and Negrense core values integrating Toto and Inday as role models, and BAO as our icon, storyteller, and companion.

Dates:  November 14, 21, 28, December 5 (Saturdays) 9:00 am
Follow: https://www.facebook.com/TheNegrosMuseum and
BAO (facebook/IG is @baotheunbowedcarabao)

•    SINE NEGRENSE ONLINE (SNO) SCREENING

Since   the   1980’s,   Negros   is   known   for   its   contribution   in
Philippine Cinema when Peque Gallaga directed Oro, Plata, Mata. In those times,   Gallaga   brought   his   team   of   Negrense   artists   to   Manila   who pursued careers in the different areas of film, television and advertising.



In 1991, Peque Gallaga together with other Negrense decided to
give  back  to  Negros  the talents  and  experience  they  have  acquired  in Manila,  and so the Negros Summer Workshops was born. The Negros Summer Workshops offered classes in Film Production, Cinematography, Production   Design,   Acting,   and   Production   Managenemt,   that   would culminate in the Piaya Awards which featured the collaborative short film outputs of the participants. This in turn produced a new batch of young creative prodigies to the film industry, under mentorship of Director Peque Gallaga, who are at present pursuing careers in the industry and making waves in film competitions in other countries.

In 2012, Negros Summer Workshops closed on the retirement of
Peque. This short lull on the film movement in Negros paved the way to the   establishment   of   the   Bacollywood   Workshops   and   the   Bakunawa Workshops,   these   initiatives   continued   to   develop   potential   filmmakers and produce films in a smaller scale. Their outputs are also included and curated   within   the   Cinema   Rehiyon   Programming   of   the   National Commission   for   Culture   and   the   Arts (NCCA)   in   different   part   of   the
country, and other local festivals like the Cine Kasimanwa West Visayas Film Festival held in Iloilo.

Other initiatives like the Kahirup Film Festival of Silay City and
the Sine Agustino of CSA-B Film Competition have been sprouting in the past   years   as   well   as   the   Bakunawa   Film   Workshops   extending   its outreach   to   San   Carlos,   Bago   and   other   communities   with   NCCA Outreach, and the establishment of the Univesity of St. La Salle’s Institute for Moving Image (IMI).

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) saw the significance of sustaining the progression of the culture of cinema in the Island through the construction of a Cinematheque at The Negros Museum, and the conceptualization of a Negros Island Film Festival that would encourage a new breed of film makers to find their voice as Negrenses, telling their own stories through film.

Themed “Negrense New Wave,” the Sine Negrense: Negros Island Film Festival, was launched in 2017 with a two-part thrust, Artistic Development,to develop the competency of filmmakers in all aspects of the film process, and Audience Development, to broaden the taste and critical thinking of the local movie goers.

With the competition theme, “Fuel to burning passion,” Sine Negrense aims to bring out a new generation of filmmakers and enthusiasts, as well as cultivate an informed public on the importance of cinema and storytelling in terms of national identity, culture, and heritage.

Filmmaking as an industry is one of the worst hit industries amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and just when budding film makers in this side of town were given the avenue to showcase their films through the Sine Negrense Film Festival, COVID entered the scene and everything came to a halt.

Regional filmmakers, just like everyone, had to stay home as told and producing films for the 4th Sine Negrense Film Festival was on a lockdown. Without the films, organizers had to postpone the festival to 2021 and in lieu of the annual screening and awards night, there will be Sine Negrense Online (SNO) where winning entries and directors of the initial three years of the festival will be featured, as well as their Behind-the-Scene Experiences during pre-COVID shoots. One of the highlights of the SNO are online testimonials from filmmakers on how Peque Gallaga's works influenced theirs as young Negrense story tellers, through their own film.

Sine Negrense Online will be complimented with open air film screening at the The Negros Museum Courtyard, if weather permits.

Dates: November 25-28, 2020
Open Air Film Screening will have Limited Seats Available for Reservation.
For more information and reservations, call (034) 708-5080 or message https://www.facebook.com/SineNegrense .

•    PAGTILIPON – TIPON

Museum Tours
Following IATF guidelines, The Negros Museum accommodates small tours by reservation and appointment only to control the number of visitors at any given time. Health and safety protocols (such as social distancing, wearing of masks, foot bath, and entrance with thermal scanners) shall be strictly implemented.

Museum as a Venue
The museum also opens its spaces to cater to cultural and artistic activities through its creative hub with the aim to gather artists and art enthusiasts.

In addition, its beautiful spaces can also cater intimate celebrations, recitals, special events, and even video/photo shoots.

For more information and reservations, call (034) 708-5080 or message https://www.facebook.com/TheNegrosMuseum
 

The island of Negros always had a special place in the life, work, and art of Peque Gallaga. It was inspiration, refuge, and home, shaping his view of the world and his place in it. We pay tribute to him as we dedicate the first year of Negros Season of Culture to his memory.