The frenzy over the diversity of Asian Americans cutting their unprecedented historical wins at the marquee in the recent 93rd Oscars Awards continues to be celebrated overseas even among multi-disciplinary Fil-Am artists of today’s generation according to our colleague George Vail Kabristante who is himself an avowed Oscarites.
Our good friend made mention of Fil-Am artists San Diego-based filmmaker Ed Samson, and New York-based painter Rommel Rico who recently were in a hub with a coterie of fellow Fil-Am artists tracking down how Asian Americans— in particular the pure Filipinos and of Filipino descent– have fared so far in the list of nominees and winners of to die for imperial Oscars Awards aka Academy Awards since its inception by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Ed Samson by the way is one fair-haired guy and sought-after scriptwriter among the more active Pinoy filmmakers in the Bay Area. He was recently commissioned to write the biopic of Miguel Malvar by the administrator of the hero’s estate Atty. Jose Malvar Villegas, Jr., Founding Chairman-Emeritus of the two million-strong Citizen Crime Watch (CCW). Rommel Rico on the other hand is an established and advocate-driven visual artist in New York.
Tracking down the achievements of Pinoys in the annals of Oscars Awards and checking against Wikipedia, Pinoy nominees and winners according to these two artists could be counted on the fingers of anyone’s hand. Ed Samson singled out only one pure Filipino Ronnie del Carmen so far who has been nominated to the 2015 Oscars’s screenplay for “Inside Out” shared with Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley. The painter in Rommel Rico whose eyes are keen on all the color pallette one cleverly sees on screen so to speak, has noted the lone Paul Denham Austerberry of Filpino descent so far to have won an Oscars for Best Production Design (“Shape of Water,” 2017) including a BAFTA that he shared with set decorators Shane Vieau, and Jeff Melvin. He also inputted the pioneering contribution of National Artist for Painting Carlos “Botong” Francisco who designed “Genghis Khan” (1950) for director Manuel Conde, posthumously awarded like Botong National Artist for Film. Said masterpiece was screened at the Venice Int’l. Film Festival in 1952 to some acclaim.
Incidentally, Rommel is holding a one-man virtual exhibit billed “SALAMAT FRONTLINERS” on June 12, 11:00 a.m. This is under the auspices of VIRRCO Virtual Art in partnership with the UP College of Medicine Class of 1997 and FILMARTS as beneficiaries. To recall, Rommel has held a successful one-man exhibit of his oeuvres at Pfizer Headquarters lobby, 42nd St., New York. This earned him glowing reviews from art critics including art aficionados from as far as Europe, and South America. They hailed his brush works for its Mediterranean allure, reflecting the haunting appeal of his diverse subjects and the tropical luminosity caught from the memory of his own fabled sunny island – Sibuyan, Masbate .
Amid the pandemic, Rommel also collaborated in a fundraising initiative with Duyan Project under the Project Red Ribbon Care Management Foundation, Inc., one of the country’s leading advocates to separate the care and treatment of children with HIV-AIDS from adults with the same affliction. His painterly works were emblazoned on fashionable quality t-shirts on limited affordable editions and were up for grabs online. In New York, Rommel juggles between a highly demanding day job at Pfizer Headquarters as a Project Manager at 42nd St., New York and his first love and passion for painting, devoting much of his free time on weekends at his 3-storey apartment shared with other friendly Asian American occupants at Queens.
To recall, at the height of the pandemic Rommel made history in the art circles of New York when he took to his paintbrushes at his studio in Flushing, Queens where he drew the controversial portrait of Pres. Rodrigo Roa-Duterte wearing a face mask in sheer confidence vis-a-vis ex-president Donald Trump without one in a comical mix of conceit and invulnerability. The actual painting session was covered live for world broadcast by Fil-Am TV host-broadcaster Don Tagala in “Balitang America” for TFC (The Filipino Channel). Editions of said artwork couldn’t have been much more adored and purchased by hero worshippers alike of Pres.Duterte and the unrelenting Trump.
Fortuitously, Rommel was one of the more than 80,000 Filipinos from the Big Apple alone who was given a special tribute by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio who thanked all of them for their incredible work and sacrifices as cultural animators and public health service advocates, historically marking that America would not have literally survived the Covid -19 pandemic without the sacrifices of the Filipino brothers and sisters who served on the frontlines of the Covid -19 pandemic. This was underscored by Mayor de Blasio during the recent celebration of Filipino American History Month all over the States. Rommel Rico’s virtual exhibit on hand will be hosted by former Filipino movie star and Fil-Am Giselle Toengi Walters. This will also feature international performing artists Sheryn Regis and Jerome Armaquinton. Locally, the virtual exhibits are highly endorsed by the Philippine Motion Picture Directors Association (PMPDA) headed by director William G. Mayo, and Balintataw Film & Theater Arts under Artistic Directors George Vail Kabristante and Fil-Aussie Mars D. Cavestany, PhD. Referencing the coming exhibit popular culture writer and painter Zyruz Imperial who was shortlisted in the 16th Annual National Art Competition of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has noted in particular the painting style of Rommel Rico, saying “ The luminous and aqueous watercolor strokes of the semi-figurative portraitures of Rommel are highly evocative of the meandering nature and volatility of the re-surging variants of the Covid-19 virus. This he adroitly rendered in delicate and luminous patterns of light as if caught through the silky gossamer wings of a carefree flip-flopping butterfly in buoyant flight. The art works focusing gamely, albeit sensitively on the importance of adhering to health protocols couldn’t have been made more relevant and as timely as today’s health concerns. ” Let’s give ourselves a break amid the pandemic.
Check out this must-see virtual event to free our hearts and minds of the uncertainties of the current time of our lives.
Stars Photog 