Angelo Acedera, News, Communication Management Office
Marko Sarmiento, a second-year Communications Research student, won the first-ever Kabataan Painting Contest conducted by National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP). Marko won the first prize worth P150,000.00 and a certificate for the University. He said that his inspiration for making the artwork are the challenges we are facing due to the pandemic.
“I wanted to paint a story where we Filipinos are resilient when it comes to difficulties in life. in our trying times, we often say “Bahala na” which is a good thing for me since our faith is still intact despite the challenges and obstacles we are faced with. We look up to him and say “Bahala na,” which I correlate with the term “Bathala na” or “Let God”. The cross symbolizes the hardships that we and our country collectively experienced.”
As a young artist, he believes that the true purpose of art is to paint a story that would pierce through the viewer’s heart. He dedicates his winning masterpiece to those people who believe in him, especially his mother who always saw a spark in him.
“I will always be thankful to her for being the most caring, loving, and supportive mother that she always has been, and I will always dedicate my artwork to her. Lastly, I dedicate my work to those people who are struggling, demotivated.”
Regardless of how slowly things are moving along or who has been supporting you, Marko encourages all aspiring artists to never give up, “To my fellow young artists, I just want to remind them that we are all capable, we just need to believe in ourselves and listen to those people who believe in us. Also, we should try things that are outside our comfort zone, and not be scared of change but accept change for the betterment of ourselves.”
The NRCP-NQC Kabataan Painting Competition is part of the NRCP Quincentennial Public Lectures and Events. It aims to deepen the youth’s understanding and appreciation of the country’s rich history and pre-colonial cultural heritage through the arts.
Marko’s work was displayed at the Kabataan Painting Exhibit held last June 28-30, 2022, at the UP Town Center. It was showcased alongside the top 20 winning submissions from the 67 college students who took part in the competition, representing different parts of the nation.
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