By Lynette Joy A. Pasajol

Far Eastern University (FEU) first-year Studio Arts major Bea Katrina Fulgencio was awarded the grand prize in the Exhibition category during the Manila Bulletin Sketchfest 2024 held at the Mall of Asia Music Hall last October 20.

Fulgencio’s winning piece titled ‘Ang Silid nang Malaman ko ang mga Malikhaing Ulat ng Pilipinas’ depicts a chaotic classroom during a group reporting session, reflecting the relevance of legends and their transmission through generations.

With the theme ‘Alamat: Mythical Stories and Legends of the Philippines,’ this year’s iteration of the Sketchfest featured a panel of judges, including visual artists Auggie Fontanilla and Wesley Valenzuela, along with National Museum of the Philippines Director Arvin Manuel Villalon.

In an interview with FEU Advocate, Fulgencio shared how she interpreted the theme for this year’s competition in her winning artwork.

“I interpreted the theme as a whole for the Philippines… I also only ever encountered alamat (legend) when inside the classroom or when it is used as a teaching material which I considered to use as the setting,” she said. 

Fulgencio’s approach to the theme rooted in her educational experiences, as she drew from the chaos of classroom dynamics during group activities.

“The myths and legends in the Philippines are alive up to this day because it is relevant, as these stories are common experiences and scenarios in our country as it was back then both from the lens of political and societal relations,” she said.

Created on an 18 by 24-inch canvas, the winning piece utilized acrylic medium and incorporated both impasto and wet and dry techniques.

Fulgencio shared her creative process and the tight timeline she followed to complete her winning piece.

“The final concept was established on the day I had to prime my canvas. I had one day to apply and let the primer dry, one day to paint the whole piece, and half a day for the varnishing,” the Studio Arts student shared.

Furthermore, Fulgencio credited her ongoing development as a Fine Arts student to FEU for helping her create artworks with purpose and depth.

“With my experience so far since I shifted to this department last semester only, my artistic sense is now tuned to a direction to create with purpose and depth. FEU allows us student artists to create our art our way by nurturing us to refine techniques and explore as many art forms as possible,” she added.

Fulgencio also recalled her surprise at winning the grand prize, saying she initially thought she had placed third.

“I honestly got up the stage thinking I won the third place which is already amazing from my standpoint. When I was about to claim the prize and sign the form, I gave it back to clarify because the paper I was given was for a grand prize,” the Studio Arts student shared.

Artists registered online for the Sketchfest, but walk-in participants from Cavite, Quezon City, and various universities also joined the competition. 

The event featured digital, on-the-spot, and exhibition categories open to individuals aged 16 and above, gathering a total of 359 artists from all over the country.

Since its inception in 2011 with 200 participants, the Manila Bulletin Sketchfest has grown over 13 years as a nationwide competition, uniting amateur and professional artists alike.

(Photo courtesy of Manila Bulletin)