Chapter I
Excavating bridges
f
or future streams
Lope Bosaing, a full-blooded Igorot of the Kankanaey tribe from the mountainous northern region of The Philipines, is a champion of the preservation of traditional designs and techniques of this area. He began by throwing pots and firing them to stoneware but in the 90’s was influenced to explore a more spiritual connection with the process and began creating jars and bowls based on the ceremonial works of his ancestors.
In 2005-2006, Lope Bosaing led a push to bring traditional Filipino art and artisans into the mainstream to claim a wider national and international appreciation of their work and to support local culture.
Around this time too, Sean James Cassidy from Parkes, a town in western New South Wales, Australia, held his first solo exhibition, New Songs for Ancestral Voices. This was held at the gallery of Rex-Livingston Art Dealer and it was here he met visiting Professor Tet Maceda, from the Department of Arts and Letters at the University of The Philippines (UP). Cassidy was exploring his own connections with ancestors through his use of Celtic designs, incorporating marquetry (wooden inlays), a skill taught to him by his grandfather.
Professor Maceda recognised a compatibility of pattern and design between the work of indigenous textile and clay artists in her country, and the oil and marquetry pieces in the Australian’s exhibition. She subsequently sent Cassidy’s C.V and biography to Professor Virginia Dandan, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at UP. Professor Dandan held a longstanding passion for clay and the preservation of the ancient craft and fought tenaciously to have clay art included in the university syllabus.
Dandan invited Cassidy to take up an artist in residency at the university. During this cultural exchange, Cassidy studied art as a universal language and held workshops and lectures in 16th Century European Masters oil painting techniques. Most of the students were from lower economic circumstances, and the painting materials were expensive, so Cassidy devised a method where they used less costly acrylic, with a minimum of oil paint for layering.
This use of readily available, less expensive materials, enabled the students to experience the effectiveness of layering with oils, at a more affordable cost. Parkes Shire Council, Australia, provided grant money to supplement the students' own funds to obtain these materials.
Dandan introduced Cassidy to master technician and pioneering clay artist Jon Pettyjohn. Through Dandan and Pettyjohn, Cassidy became more aware of the importance of clay in the history and culture of The Philipines.
Dandan and Cassidy travelled to UP’s northern campus in Baguio City, at the foot of the Cordillera, where they devised a plan for Cassidy to meet potters, artists, textile craftpersons, ex-professors and government officials in the mountain province.
In February, 2007, Cassidy met Lope Bosaing in the town of Sagada, in the Mountain Province. Bosaing’s passion for the preservation of the ancient designs and techniques of the pottery of Kalinga impressed Cassidy. With his time in The Philippines growing short, Cassidy decided to concentrate on Bosaing’s vision for clay art and the craft of his Igorot people and neighbouring Igorot tribes. Together they travelled to the far northern province of Kalinga to experience and witness the unique craft.
Cassidy and Bosaing both felt the traditional art could best be preserved through the establishment of a cultural centre at Kalinga or Sagada. Back in Sagada, Cassidy invited local artists to stage a joint exhibition with him at UP, Manila. Archaeologists attached to UP were very supportive of the exhibition titled, Excavating Bridges for Future Streams, which opened at the Vargas Museum UP on August 31, 2007. Excavating Bridges for Future Streams featured Cassidy’s painting, Sagadan stoneware pottery and basket weaving, and Kalingan earthenware. Traditional northern music and dancing, arranged by Prof Maceda, and traditional Filipino food were included in the opening presentation. The exhibition of Sagadan pottery was sold out. Excavating Bridges for Future Streams attracted 2500 visitors.
Lope Bosaing brought his work to the exhibition, where he educated patrons in the uses of the pottery, the traditions of the art, and the aspirations of the northern artists for the future of the craft. At the exhibition, Cassidy met Pablo Capati III, who had been working with Bosaing and was aware of the aspirations of the northern craftspeople.
In mid-October, Cassidy met Amanda Zappia, whose family was in the diplomatic service. Zappia was experienced at organising fundraising for a variety of causes, in several different countries. In Burma, under an oppressive political regime, she helped indigenous artists find international sales for their work. Cassidy and Zappia discussed undertaking another combined exhibition to support the Sagadan potters group. Zappia offered her home in Makati City for the exhibition venue.
Bosaing had long advocated the need for a large wood fire kiln to advance the production of the group’s pottery. During a meeting soon after between Capati, Bosaing and Cassidy, they agreed that a cultural hub and the development of a cultural exchange program was required, to foster the art and craft of the northern Philippines. They concurred that it should be set up around the Sagadan kiln to service its artists and those of surrounding regions, including Kalinga. The hub would include accommodation for visiting artists, a library area, a gallery and workstations. An auxiliary gas operated kiln would share the chimney of the wood fired structure.
At the end of 2007, Cassidy secured the facilitating role for the development of Indigenous and Non-Indigineous art in central western New South Wales, including identifying talent, mentoring artists and creating programs and workshops. He returned to Australia for two months. Capati and Zappia continued with the organisation of the combined fund raising exhibition and scheduled the opening for March 2008. Zappia received assistance from officials in different sections of the Australian Embassy in Manila and other international embassies to support the fundraising effort and the opening night.
Cassidy arrived back in the Philippines on February 1, 2008 with the news of funding from his home town of Parkes. Donations came from local individuals and organisations including Quota, Parkes Pottery Group and Parkes Men’s Shed.
Ub Ubbo was the title of the exhibition held at the Zappia home, opening March 4. All money raised from the exhibition, was later matched by contributions from the Australian Embassador’s Fund. Work on the wood fire kiln and cultural hub commenced later in 2008, on the site of an old Igorot stone structure.
Clay artists Jon Pettyjohn and Pablo Capati III from south of Manila, began working with Sagadan potter Lope Bosaing to bring traditional Filipino art into the mainstream.
