Sunday 20 October 2013

Performance Art with Pin@y Artists in Cologne in Kunst der Begegnung V

Art of Encountering V Handeln und Wandel ist ein feines Paar 7 künstlerische Positionen aus den Philippinen begegnen 7 KünstlerInnen des Aktionslabors NRW mit dem Ziel, Methoden und künstlerische Strategien der Aktionskunst und Performance Art zur Anschauung zu bringen. Gegenstand der Aufführungen, der Aktionen, der Interventionen, Interaktionen und Performance sind diverse Medien, verschiedene "Öffentlichkeiten" - implizit der "Urbane Raum." Zusammen bilden sie Gestus und Habitus dieser Kunst der Begegnung V (Source: Performance Art in NRW 2013, PAErsche aktionslabor nrw; Orangerie-Theater im Volksgarten, Köln) Performance Artists from the Philippines Mannet Villariba Boyet de Mesa Patrick Ka Hyan Chong Kaye O'yek Rommel G. Espinosa Super Thom Daq Yuan Mor'O Ocampo Aktionslabor NRW PAErsche Marita Bullmann Béatrice Didier Petra Deus Rolf Hinterecker Karin Meiner Evamaria Schaller For further meaning of Performance Art, I am posting the definition as taken from wikipedia.org. "Performance art is an essentially contested concept: any single definition of it implies the recognition of rival uses. As concepts like "democracy" or "art", it implies productive disagreement with itself. The meaning of the term in the narrower sense is related to postmodernist traditions in Western culture. From about the mid-1960s into the 1970s, often derived from concepts of visual art, with respect to Antonin Artaud, Dada, the Situationists, Fluxus, Installation art, and Conceptual Art, performance art tended to be defined as an antithesis to theatre, challenging orthodox art forms and cultural norms. The ideal had been an ephemeral and authentic experience for performer and audience in an event that could not be repeated, captured or purchased.[2] The in this time widely discussed difference, how concepts of visual arts and concepts of performing arts are utilized, can determine the meanings of a performance art presentation (compare Performance: A Critical Introduction by Marvin Carlson, P. 103,2-105,1). Performance art is a term usually reserved to refer to a conceptual art which conveys a content-based meaning in a more drama-related sense, rather than being simple performance for its own sake for entertainment purposes. It largely refers to a performance presented to an audience, but which does not seek to present a conventional theatrical play or a formal linear narrative, or which alternately does not seek to depict a set of fictitious characters in formal scripted interactions. It therefore can include action or spoken word as a communication between the artist and audience, or even ignore expectations of an audience, rather than following a script written beforehand. Some kinds of performance art nevertheless can be close to performing arts. Such performance may utilize a script or create a fictitious dramatic setting, but still constitute performance art in that it does not seek to follow the usual dramatic norm of creating a fictitious setting with a linear script which follows conventional real-world dynamics; rather, it would intentionally seek to satirize or to transcend the usual real-world dynamics which are used in conventional theatrical plays. Performance artists often challenge the audience to think in new and unconventional ways, break conventions of traditional arts, and break down conventional ideas about "what art is". As long as the performer does not become a player who repeats a role, performance art can include satirical elements (compare Blue Man Group); utilize robots and machines as performers, as in pieces of the Survival Research Laboratories; involve ritualised elements (e.g. Shaun Caton); or borrow elements of any performing arts such as dance, music, and circus. Some artists, e.g. the Viennese Actionists and neo-Dadaists, prefer to use the terms "live art", "action art", "actions", "intervention" (see art intervention) or "manoeuvre" to describe their performing activities. As genres of performance art appear body art, fluxus-performance, happening, action poetry, and intermedia." (Wikipedia.org) "Act and Change is a Fine Pair"

Thursday 26 September 2013

Merienda Pinay Style - Turon

When everybody back home is talking about pork barrel scam and plunder, am blogging about one fatty but delicious Philippine merienda to go with your favorite tea or LatteMacc. The other day, I was Skyping with one BFF (Best Friend Forever) and as usual our topic touched on what else but food. She told me she would like to cook bananacues, and this gave me the idea to save the bought Saba or Kochbananen as the Germans call them which are now yellowing in the kitchen. Want to please (meaning as a friendly revenge)the nice Dutch neighbor who has been pampering me with a Dutch doll wearing traditional Dutch dress, rhubarb compote and Advocaat with cream. So this merienda or snack is called turon. If you want to make it yourself, here are the ingredients: Turon Saba or Kochbanana (choose the yellow ones as the green ones are quite hard and need longer cooking) Red Sugar to roll the cut banana Cooking Oil for deep frying Wrappers for Lumpia (available as frozen wrappers in Asian shops) Just follow the photos and enjoy cooking, as simple as that. Note that either you fold your wrappers or just leave them open at the ends before deep frying. Let the golden fried turon drip a bit before serving otherwise they might swim in hot oil. Then share them with your neighbors bringing the hood to the neighbor as I have read somewhere else. Kain Tayo! Let's Eat!

Monday 26 August 2013

Million March Against Pork Barrel Scam. No To Corruption!

One poster circulating in social networks on the planned rally

Photo: Farlet Vale

Photo: Ricky Brix Bello

Photo: Fudge Tajar

Source: Cynthia P. Allanigue

Source: Reuters/Erik de Castro

Kalongkong Hiker

Collage by Faye Laquio

Meanwhile in Bella Italia...in Solidarity



August 26 is a declared national holiday - National Heroes Day in the Philippines and on this especial day, the first national protest - Million March Against Pork Barrel ignited through the different social networks took place in Luneta. It was also the first huge rally against the present administration of President Benigno Aquino. It was a massive gathering of Filipino people in expressing their anger on the abuse of the so-called Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or known as pork barrel. Following a report about one Filipina, Janet Lim-Napoles who allegedly siphoned off 10 Billion pesos of legislators' PDAF allocations to her bank account through fake  non-government organizations (NGOs) over the last ten years, suddenly everybody was talking about pork barrel. (Pork barrel as defined by wikipedia is the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district.) People are demanding now accountancy and transparency from their public servants.
For a more detailed background on the pork barrel scam, please read other reports and opinions.
Thanks to the sources of photos which I grabbed in FB.

Sunday 21 July 2013

Summery Treats

Halo-Halo    
     It's not your phone ringing but it's a especial Philippine delicacy eaten by legions of Pin@ys migrants in their host countries or what we call now country of destination or new homes. Halo-halo is summer treat made of sweet "Panghalo" or ingredients like cooked and sweetened red or white kidney beans, caramelized plantains, garbanzos, "Kaong" sugar palm fruit, "macapuno" coconut sport, sweet potatoes, gelatine, sweet corn, jackfruit, and "Buko" young coconut meat. Shaved ice are added and evaporated or fresh milk is pour into the mixture.  Toppings of leche flan, ice cream and ube jam add to the especialty of this Philippine all time merienda favorites. As alternative to using shaved ice with milk, many Pin@ys are freezing packed milk or milk in cartons and let them thaw a bit for easy mixing or halo-halo. Try it and enjoy your summer!   
                                        

                      Halo-halo                                                                          Guinumis

Guinumis topped with pinipig (pounded young rice)


For Guinumis recipe, I goggled this one made by Ms. Nina Daza Puyat.


Pandan guinumis by Nina Daza Puyat
  • 2 halves panotsa
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2-3 pcs pandan leaves , cut into pieces
  • 1 cup fresh coconut milk
  • 1 cup Cooked small sago
  • 1 cup prepared gulaman , diced
  • pinipig
  • shaved ice
steps
  1. Prepare pandan syrup by melting panotsa in water over low heat. Add pandan leaves to infuse the syrup with pandan flavor.  Strain and let cool.
  2. Mix 1 cup cooked sago with 1 cup cooled pandan syrup. Set aside the other cup of plain pandan syrup.
  3. To assemble: In a tall glass or wide dessert glass, place about 2 Tablespoons of sago and syrup at the bottom layer of the glass. Top with gulaman.
  4. Scoop some shaved ice on top. Pour coconut milk, followed by a drizzle of plain pandan syrup. sprinkle some pinipig and serve immediately.
 Other Summery Treats alla Pinay
Vanilla Ice Cream Topped with Mango and Strawberry

Sago and Gulaman

Ingredients for Making Sago and Gulaman (forget the artificial banana flavouring)




Monday 8 July 2013

Cologne Pride. Christopher Street Day Parade in Cologne. Demonstrating for the Rights of LGBT

Love is in the Air

Orange Queens

Black and Pink Duo

Can I have a photo, please, pretty please.

Aren't we too overdressed for this hot day?

Baraka - meeting point for LGBT

"Fighting the Bad Guys" (Amnesty International)

Amnesty International calling attention for the rights of LGBTs

Aids Help

Blue or Pink or White. We are.

Russia-do you hear us?

Alohah!

Tourists wanting to grab souvenir posing with attractive parade participants

Mixture of all Pink and Pro-LGBT

On the way to the parade

Pretty Women
Christopher Street Day (CSD) - a yearly celebration and demonstration for the rights of LGBT
(Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders) has this motto for 2013 "Wir sind. So oder so." (Rough translation: We are. Like This or That.) Cologne Pride  (video of the parade) ends its yearly weekend activities focussing on the situation of LGBT and demand for equal treatment for married LGBTs with a colorful parade presenting LGBT different organizations and their concerns.

It traces its origin on the Stonewall Riots, the first big uprising of LGBT people against police assaults that took place at the Stonewall Inn, a bar in New York's Christopher Street in the district of Greenich Village on June 28, 1969. (Source: Wikipedia)