Out of the more than 1,000 students who joined the Shell 55th National Students Art Competition (NSAC), four young artists were chosen as the best of the bests in the categories of Digital Fine Arts, Sculpture, Watercolor and Oil & Acrylic.

The formal awarding ceremony was held last Tuesday (December 6) at the Ayala Museum, where all the works of the finalists are displayed in a special gallery located at the museum’s main lobby.
Serge Bernal, Pilipinas Shellâs Vice President for Corporate Relations, acknowledged the studentsâ âtenacity and eagerness to be part of the movement for a better world.â He said that the artworks evoke âhope, courage, and optimism, which is what we really need in times like these.â He thanked the artists for giving their efforts and creative juices in keeping Shell NSAC alive despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought to the art world.
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairperson Rene R. Escalante commended all the artists, saying, âPutting your art out there for everyone to see takes courage⊠[which is] a value we want for every Filipino artist.â He also recognized NSAC as Shellâs âcontribution to nation-building which empowers the young artists of tomorrow.â
Ayala Museum Director Mariles Gustilo lauded NSACâs âSulong Siningâ theme for its âtimely message about charging forward through art to lead the nation to a better, brighter future. This theme fits what we are valiantly pursuing today in the aftermath of the pandemic: we persistently and consistently forge great paths ahead. NSAC has not only showcased the youthâs artistic prowess but reaches new generations through Filipino art.â
Dennis Marasigan, Vice President and Artistic Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), also pointed out artâs âsupreme function: making our lives better than we live it ⊠Without art, mankind could not exist.â He also encouraged all the artists, âAlways stay optimistic for our country for the trials ahead. Let us all make good art, and make it an expression of who we are and what we believe in.â
The first-place winners in all categories were awarded P60,000 each, while the second-place winners and third-place winners individually received P40,000 and P30,000 respectively.
The following are the NSAC Awardees per category:
Digital Fine Arts

- âAkong Makita. Akong Masulti. Akong Mabuhatâ
- Earl Marie Pabinguit from Cebu Technological University
- 1st place, Digital Fine Arts

- âThe Avenueâ
- Louise Gabrielle Abing from Mindanao State University â General Santos
- 2nd place, Digital Fine Arts

- âPerceptionâ
- Xymon Cadric Calayag from Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology
- 3rd place, Digital Fine Arts
Sculpture

- âGenerational Stringâ
- Mherlo Mahinay from the University of the Philippines â Diliman
- 1st place, Sculpture

- âAng Paglayag Ni Juanâ
- Luke Eidref Agapito Berja from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines
- 2nd place, Sculpture

- âHangang Pampangâ
- John Romer Pavilando from Tarlac State University
- 3rd place, Sculpture
Watercolor

- âPag-asa, Dalangin at Pangarapâ
- John Michael Flores Ramos from Tarlac State University
- 1st place, Watercolor

- âMulat at Nagmamasidâ
- Shara Mae Chan from De La Salle University â Manila
- 2nd place, Watercolor

- âKeep The Fire Burningâ
- Khaila Mae Faustor from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines
- 3rd place, Watercolor
Oil and Acrylic

- âUpturned Façadeâ
- Densen James Almeda from the University of the Philippines â Cebu.
- 1st place, Oil and Acrylic

- âBahay-Bahayanâ
- Marko Sarmiento from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines
- 2nd place, Oil and Acrylic

- âA Glimpse of Hope and Lifeâ
- Clark Myer Arquio from University of the Philippines â Cebu
- 3rd place, Oil and Acrylic
Seasoned, prominent artists served as the Shell NSAC judges, namely: Nemi Miranda, Edgar Doctor, and Edgar âEgaiâ Talusan Fernandez for the Watercolor Category; Francis âIskoâ Andrade, Ronald Ventura, and Rolando Ventura for the Oil and Acrylic Category; Daniel Dela Cruz, Jan Leeroy New, and Carlo De Laza for the Sculpture Category; and Jose Tence Ruiz, Pablo Biglang-Awa Jr., and Victor Balanon for the Digital Fine Arts category.
The 55th Shell NSAC was sponsored by Bakuna Hero Health and Medical Services, McDonald’s, Grab, and Phirst Park Homes Inc.
Partners such as Anima Art Space, Art Elaan Gallery, Ayala Museum, Blanco Family art Museum, Iloilo Museum for Contemporary Art, Modeka Creative Space, Museo Iloilo, Orange Project, Stuart Gallery, and The Kabilin Center of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., helped make the 55th Shell NSAC possible.
To learn more about future Shell NSAC and related events, please visit: https://shell.com.ph/juanartnation
- ASUS to Offer Huge Deals at 2.2 No.1 OLED Festival Sale - January 27, 2023
- Eastern Communications Deploys New Ship to Complete Undersea Cable Project - January 27, 2023
- Pru Life UK March the Streets of World’s Oldest Chinatown - January 26, 2023
0 Comments