4TH Philippine International Performance Art Festival (UGNAYAN '05)

“Performance Art is an infinitely varying, enormously wide-ranging and yet an enigmatic activity. It may be read as an endless permutation of an individual action; a subtle equivalent of the spoken and written word. Performance Art is one of the most potent, intuitive and yet highly evolved strategy that can be used to comprehend the unknown. Performance Art is an expressed desire and a declared ACTION with a singular intent of heightening the consciousness of its audience."

-Yuan Mor'O Ocampo, Founder & Artistic Director of UGNAYAN PIFAP '05

Challenging the orthodoxies and the conventions of Fine Art practice, performance art crosses the boundaries and subverts the normative practice of aesthetic expression, says Yuan Mor’O Ocampo, the founder and artistic director of the 4th Philippine International Performance Art Festival with its theme “UGNAYAN ‘04”.

UGNAYAN '05 PIPAF Participants Meeting at Kanlungan ng Sining

The convergence of seventy-eight local and international artists on September 18 – 22, 2005 at the seven locations in Metro Manila signifies the redefinition of traditional art making within the Philippine art and culture.

Mor’O Ocampo is passionate to say that, “The 4th PIPAF was conceived, as an event for the artists, to reconstruct through their performative actions the "invisible in the visible", as a venue-for-exchange – a "meeting point" between and among national and international performance artists. “UGNAYAN’05” bolsters that urgent desire to reintegrate art and life, and to reaffirm and re-identify with our own cultural roots.”

The five-day event is composed of 3 components, namely, (1) LIVE ART PERFORMANCES with an opening salvo on September 18, 2004 at the Kanlungan ng Sining, the home for the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) at Rizal Park; (2) EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, in cooperation with the participating institutions such as the University of the East and the Far Eastern University, the local and international artists will engage in ART DIALOGUE with students and teachers on September 19 and 21 respectively; Dance Forum Space in Cubao, Quezon City on September 19; the Kuquada Art Gallery in Cubao, Quezon City; and the Rajah Sulayman Park, in cooperation with the City Government of Manila, on September 22, 2005.

Danny Sillada’s Claiming My Vertical Space Between the Earth and the Sky, Photo by Teza Cornes © 2005.

The third component is the ART FORUM with its thematic discussions “Engaging the Public Sphere” and “Live Art as Cultural Strategy”, which focus on how government art institutions and alternative / artists-run spaces address their “audience” in contemporary art scene keeping in mind the context of shifting Asian identities in contemporary art. It will be hosted by the Ateneo Art Gallery at the Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City from 9 am to 6 pm, September 20, 2005.

International Artists Akiyo Tsubakihara (Japan), Andres Stitt (Cardiff, Wales), Arnulfo Tikb-ang (Australia), Chumpon Apisusk (Thailand), Kai Lam (Singapore), Lee Wen (Singapore), Marilyn Arsem (USA), Sakiko Yamaoka (Japan), Tony Schwensen (Australia), Yeh Tzu-chi (Taiwan) and Yoyoyo Gasmana (Indonesia) are scheduled to perform in the 4th PIPAF.

International Artist Marilyn Arsem, Photo courtesy by Yuan Mor’O Ocampo.


Forty-three and time-based artists (individual and collective) from the Philippines are Adelle Victoria, Alan Rivera, Alwin Reamillo, Arnel Ramiscal, Bogie Tence Ruiz, Boyet de Mesa, Bryan Lonop, Buddy Ching, Danny Sillada, Donna Miranda, Felimon Blanco, Gary Chong, Gio Respall, Ian Lomongo, Jay Cruz, Jeho Bitancor, Jetro Jocson, Jevijoe Vitug, Juan Crisostomo, Judy Freya Sibayan, Kaye O’Yek Daya, Lorina Javier, Mannet Villariba, Jay Cruz, Jeho Bitancor, Jethro Jocson, Jevijoe Vitug, Kaye O’Yek Daya, Lorraine Javier, Marge Francia, Marlon Magbanua, Mervin Espina, Mideo Cruz, Mitch Garcia, Myra Beltran, Neo Angono Collective, Noel Pama, Sr., Patrick Chong, Paul Morales, PLM Hiyas Ng Maynilad, Raul Alcoseba, Rommel Espinosa, Ronaldo Ruiz, Teza Cornes, Vim Nadera, Walter Ladera, Wawi Navarroza, Wire Tuazon, Yuan Mor'O Ocampo and the World Dance Alliance-Philippine Choreographer’s Network will be featured in UGNAYAN ’05.

The 4th PIPAF is sponsored by the City Government of Manila in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Japan Foundation Manila (JPM), Art Association of the Philippines (AAP), the On-the-Spot Artists’ Association (OTSAA), Metrobank Foundation, Ateneo de Manila University, Far Eastern University, University of the East, Kuquada Art Gallery, Lumiere Gallery and the Dance Forum Space. For more details and inquiry, please visit http://www.ugnayan.motime.com/ or email: liveartmanila@yahoo.com.

Yuan Moro Ocampo's The Shadow, performed in Denmark.