The Negros Museum at 25: Ushering in the Post-Pandemic Renaissance

 
Negros Occidental is a melting pot of pure sweetness and abundant talents. Negrense culture has been passed on through generations in various forms, such as art, which continues to thrive today. Negrenses breathe and live art. However, Negros stood still along with the rest of the world during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The life people were accustomed to was halted, putting everyone's faith to the test. Establishments closed, everyone stayed inside, isolated. But in dark times such as this, a sliver of hope lights up the room. In all those days spent locked up indoors, people got by with creative pursuits, from sketches to TV shows, to films. Thankfully, things are shaping up to be better as restrictions have started to lighten up.        



Cinematheque Negros is a 78-seater, fully equipped indoor theater that serves as a home regional filmmaker to share their craft with the public.


Among the doors that opened this year is the region's creative hearth, The Negros Museum (TNM), which commemorated its Silver Anniversary on the 16th of March. Its opening event was dubbed Gibwang, a local term defined as the mingling of one into the other, just like a river's water emptying into the sea. Gibwang brought together 25 homegrown artists, headlined by Nunelucio Alvarado with his show, Ang mga Nawong ni Alvarado, Charlie Co, Roy Aguilar, and Antonio Tejado. Executive Director of TNM, Tanya Lopez, said, "This serves as a commemoration of all the milestones achieved and the rebirth of the organization as it takes on new forms of creative connections and other collaborative endeavors." True enough, Gibwang paved the way for a post-pandemic renaissance designed to awaken creative juices deep in slumber.

Simultaneously, the Film Development Council of the Philippines' (FDCP) Cinematheque Negros, a 78-seater, fully equipped indoor theater, re-opened its doors to film buffs. It commenced with Joachim Trier's 2021 film, The Worst Person in the World, and Sagay City's Mark Garcia with his film, Mga Bag-ong Nawong Sang Damgo kag Katingalahan (The New Faces of Dreams and Mysteries). Cinematheque Negros will serve as a home for regional filmmakers to share their craft with the public. This year, it will feature several works from local film festivals, such as Sine Negrense, Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, and Sine Maria.






Panakayon sa Negros Museum (Journey to the Negros Museum), an interactive tour that provides cultural enrichment to young audiences and their families.



After two years of pandemic-induced isolation, a roster of events that TNM has in store will finally gratify the long wait. First on the list is Panakayon sa Negros Museum (Journey to the Negros Museum), an interactive tour that provides cultural enrichment to young audiences and their families. Among the museum's programs, it seeks to educate students and teachers by cultivating experiential learning using creative tools with their imagination.



Samahan ng mga Aktibong Kabataan na may Dagabdab sa Aktibong Gawain (Association of Active Youth with a Passion for Active Work) often referred to as SAKDAG, is an art wellness program offered both off and online.

At TNM, art is for everyone. Samahan ng mga Aktibong Kabataan na may Dagabdab sa Aktibong Gawain (Association of Active Youth with a Passion for Active Work) often referred to as SAKDAG, is an art wellness program offered both off and online. This initiative aims to address fundamental mental health challenges through creative art activities, such as painting, movement, music, creative writing, and theatre to foster cognitive, physical, emotional awakening, and self-led reflection. Through this, TNM hopes to reach Negrense front liners, teachers, LGU partners, and everyone affected by the pandemic, disaster, and those displaced by conflict. Adapting to change, SAKDAG's online hub, which creates a safe digital space for audiences to manifest their feelings through art, continues to prosper.



Hugpong Dagyaw (to unite and to showcase with pride) utilizes social media to promote the Negrense culture and the arts by collating the works of various artists in music, literature, film, dance, and visual arts (photography) around Negros Occidental.


The rich culture of Negrenses continues to sway with the motions of time, evolving, adapting, and flourishing. One of TNM's programs is a competition series called Hugpong Dagyaw (to unite and to showcase with pride), which hopes to usher in the new wave of Negrense cultural practices. This program utilizes social media to promote the Negrense culture and the arts by collating the works of various artists in music, literature, film, dance, and visual arts (photography) around Negros Occidental. Hugpong Dagyaw offers an avenue for creation, celebration, and collaboration among Negrenses that highlight a unique lifestyle.

In addition to the surprises in the bag is Negros’ very own Negros Island Film Festival (NIFF), popularly called Sine Negrense. It was the first film festival for the whole island of Negros when it was launched in 2017. To this day it carries on its mission to develop film artists and audiences, as well as promote regional films on the national and international stage. A significant contribution of this film festival to local filmmakers is giving them an outlet to express and showcase their works, thus cultivating an informed public on the importance of cinema and storytelling in the context of national identity, culture, and heritage. Working with Cinematheque Negros, the future of Negrense filmmakers is promising.   


Negros Island Film Festival (NIFF), popularly called Sine Negrense, is the first film festival for the whole island of Negros when it was launched in 2017.

The writer Leo Tolstoy once wrote, "To evoke in oneself a feeling one has experienced, and…then, by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling—this is the activity of art.” The past two years kicked life struggles up a notch. But as resilient and unwavering as the Negrense culture, people refused to lose hope. Instead, they used these trials to fuel a will to live. Art, music, and literature are used to purge humanity of the anxiety brought by the ever-changing world. The result? A vast spectrum of works from all walks of life and generation. It makes one wonder how many used art to keep sane during the pandemic.  

One of the greatest takeaways from this pandemic is the appreciation of time. Most, if not all, have adjusted the way they manage their time, by reevaluating their priorities, consequently finding more time for themselves. Now that TNM is back again, Negrenses can finally treat themselves to well-curated works and events.

The re-opening of The Negros Museum is a lit torch to brighten up these strange times, a bit of ember, just enough to ignite a spark of hope that continues to help man get a sense of normalcy. The future may be uncertain, but this event is just the beginning. Ms. Lopez shared her optimism about the future of TNM, "We know that the road ahead will be challenging, as unpredictability will continue to rule, but we will continue to be motivated to strengthen our capabilities."   

For tour bookings, you may reach TNM through their official Facebook page or at +639489479173 or 433-4764.

Text By: Mayumi Espina
Photo Courtesy: The Negros Museum