(December 22, 2013 in Cebu, Philippines, interviewer:
Mayumi Hirano)
*******************
How did you start
Turtles nest?
It started in 1997. We used to have Kukuk’s Nest across
the street, and this place was up for rent and I took it because the house is
getting old and I am interested in doing something. Because Kukuk’s Nest was
more as a backpacker’s place and I was also active that time in the arts so I had
to look for another space. There was no definite plan in the beginning. First
because I had so many books so we called the place “book café” and organically it developed into
a hangout place for artists because they started coming and frequented the
space.
From the
beginning, did you have the gallery space
as a part of Turtle’s Nest?
Yeah, we always have the small space to show artworks, performances and small
projects. It’s an alternative space.
Were there other
artist-run spaces in Cebu at the time?
There were only the normal galleries or commercial
galleries so to speak. You know the galleries in Cebu don’t survive that long.
There is no knowledge of managing a gallery and selling art.
So is Turtles
Nest one of the oldest space here in Cebu?
Yeah, I think so. I don’t know if we are doing it well,
but we are having fun. That’s a tip for survival, I guess.
How are the shows
curated in Turtle’s Nest?
I am not very strict. What normal galleries don’t accept
can be done here. Artists can do
everything. They can paint on the wall, ceiling and everywhere, or do performance
art. Russ Ligtas is a performance artist from Cebu, and he did a lot of shows here, shows that you don’t really
see often in Cebu. Artists come here
because its easy to propose and do a show. I don’t even ask them about their
plans. I want to be surprised! Artists tell me what they need and what they
want, and normally I say Okay.
Many artists,
whom I met in Cebu, have mentioned the absence of curators here, so artists
have to organise themselves.
Actually, we don’t have professional curator here, also because
many artists resist that. Some art spaces are too strict. They require artists
to go through all the procedures and submit written proposals. And you know how
artists are, they hate these paper works. That’s why here, I stay open to
whatever they want to do.
What was the best
show ever held in Kukuk’s nest for you?
A performance art project, wherein the artists made a
spoof of the reality TV show Big Brother. They lived in the space for 1 week. That
was pretty cool! Before there was also the LUNA gallery at the back of this
space, which was a bigger space. It introduced a lot of woman artists and their
group exhibits. That was also cool.
Are there many
women artists, active in Cebu?
Yes there are a lot, but there were more male artists. Let’s
say if there is a group exhibit of 15 artists, there would be only 3 to 5 female
artists participating.
How did you get
into the arts?
I majored in Biology, and got interested in the arts and
went back to school again. But I’m jumping into different media- literary,
visual and now I’m into film. I started making films in 2007.
You work in
different medium. Is there a reoccurring theme in your practice?
One time I did a leg series. It’s all about legs, very
feminine I would say. It’s also figurative. I did this with Russ in a two-man
show in 2004.
Do you focus on feminist
aspect in your film works as well?
In my literary work, yes. Like, I wrote a story about a
woman who left her village when she was young because there was a wild rumor
that she is having an affair with a priest. The film is about her coming home
and facing her demons. My work always responds to women and nature, maybe. I
sometimes make stories based on my own life or other people’s lives. I wrote a
story about Mail Order Brides because I see this situation happening.
Can you tell me
more about the work?
It’s a full length film that we made in 2011, and its
about mail order bride, a simple girl from the Olango Island married to a
German guy. Her parents want it so she can help the family back home. But the
film shows the island and the simple life in the village. It won best picture
in Gawad Urian in 2011.
Is that where you
are from?
No, I am from Butuan in Mindanao. I grew up there. I just
finished a short film shot in Butuan about human trafficking, Pigadagit. A girl
disappears one day and the parents and villegers believe that she had been
taken by a witch or monster from the river and forest but in reality she was
taken by human trafickers. But nobody looks for her, because there is a myth.
I shot the film in a very small village by the river, I
wanted to show the nature. I was asked to do a workshop in film making, and I proposed
them if I were to do a workshop we should come up with a film. Workshop was 5
days and shoot the film for 3 days and we made a 20-minute film with local cast
and crew. Because I am originally from Butuan and they asked me to help them in
the art scene, and I thought I can combine the visual artists, the literary in
the film.
How do you see
the relationship between the Visayas and Mindanao in terms of the art scenes?
It’s not as competitive as Manila and Cebu for example,
because Cebu is a little bit insecure with Manila as a capital city, and some
people always complain they always get everything. But Mindanao, I think they
don’t feel like that. They feel Davao is the imperial city and in Cebu they
feel that also. Of course the scene in Manil is bigger, more active. In fact many
of Cebu visual artists prefer to exhibit in Manila. Because there are more
collectors. Cebu does not have a big population of collectors, and local
collectors also buy Manila artists. Cebu collectors are very traditional in
taste.
How is the
literary scene here?
Quite active. Lots of Cebuano writers write in Cebuano. In
fact Cebuano literature is now being taught in the universities, and we are
very happy because people are reading our work. And I think this is because
people prefer to read in Cebuano than Tagalog.
What’s the
language spoken in Butuan?
We have our own. The film is also in Butuan language.
Cebuano is not
your native language.
For me its native because my dad is from Cebu and my mom is
from Butuan. So we spoke Cebuano at home, only my mom speaks Butuanon. And
people in Butuan speaks Cebuano, but Cebuano don’t want to speak in Tagalog.
Butuanon is a dying language. Mostly old people speak the
language. That’s why I really wanted to make the film, so we can follow what
Cebu is doing before the language dies. You know in Butuan, most of the peoples
are migrants. They come from Luzon, Iloilo and every where, and children are
sent to Cebu to study. Davao now has no distinct language, the people come from
everywhere and it’s a huge city. I think Mindanao is less westernized and a lot
of tribal groups.
You are a board
member of Pusod. Will you tell me about this organization?
Pusod is an open organization for visual artists based in
Cebu. But most people there are from UP maybe because most of the core is from
UP and some from USC, but I would say 80% is from UP, mostly painters, some
sculptors and performance artists.
Pusod was very active in organizing festivals. We hosted
the Visayan Islands Visual Art Exhibition and Conference (VIVA Excon), when it
was held in Cebu. We hosted it for 3 times. And we also hosted some local
festivals, workshops. Pusod is one of the most active organisation in Cebu. Pusod
has 5 to 10 core group members plus officers.
As a board member, I always have to attend the meeting and
do all the hardwork, like raising money. For the VIVA Excon for example, there
were 100 artists who came, and we had to take care all of them, including their
accommodation, food, transportation and all these logistics and we made it! I
don’t know how we made it, but we are always hosting it. We ask the help from
the local government and corporations. We try but they don’t give cash more.
They would give the goods, foods and tie ups, at least its good.
How do you
sustain the space? Is the main financial resource coming from the bar and
restaurant?
Yes, because people drink a lot of redhorse, and young
artists in Cebu start to learn how to drink here. Some of them blame me. I
teach them everything. Artists try to see their works here. There was an
exhibition that was sold out. Some artists bring their won buyers / collectors.
But for the most the artists, trying to sell their artoworks is a totally
different game. Actually the reason why I became an artist is because other
artists try to sell to me their artoworks and I say NO Ican make it!
Is there an
active networks with Cebu and other islands in the region?
Yes, with the visual arts. Because of VIVA, every two
years we have to meet. We have directory of all practicing artists from
Visayas. With the artists work, name and contact address. But now I try to focus on film because less
people here are into it. But I think what I do is trying to fill in what’s
lacking. I try to carry the burden of art world, but I am happy with the
results. We try to do something.
X
Bambi
Beltran is a multi-awarded literary, visual, and film artist. She received her
Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of the Philippines
Cebu, where she also attended the Bachelor of Science in Fine Arts Program. Her
interest in filmmaking started in 2006, when she was cast in the Cebuano film
Pagbalik, which won the Best Regional Film Award at the Gawad CCP Short Film
competition; this was immediately followed in 2007 by Babaylan, a Cebuano short
that she wrote and acted in.
Beltran
has since been credited for her work in Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria (Story Writer,
2011), Di Ingon Nato (Associate Producer, 2012), and Cartas de la Soledad
(Actress, 2012), among others. In 2011, she also directed a segment of the
omnibus full length film Byernes, Byernes. Her most recent work as an actress
can be seen in Lav Diaz’s Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon (2014), which won the grand
prize at the World Premiere Film Festival in the Philippines, Locarno Film
Festival in Switzerland and Sao Paulo International Film Festival in Brazil.
© Maria Victoria Beltran and Mayumi Hirano