This weekend 8/10-11, I’ll be at the 20th Anniversary of Pistahan at Yerba Buena Gardens in downtown San Francisco.
Saturday night, I’ll also be at the Philippine Consulate for Lumpia & Martinis starting at 6pm. Art, performances, music and food. Check it out
2013 has ben pretty busy. I don’t think I posted an event in 2012 but this year, I’ll get back in the habit. Since I last updated, I’ve been doing more non-Philippine events and setup a monthly pop-up shop but for now, here’s what’s going on this week.
5/28 6-10PM, 111 Minna Gallery – San Francisco
Monthly Sketch Tuesdays where Bay Area artists gather
5/29 6-10PM, 111 Minna Gallery – San Francisco
CrowdFunding Launch Party Extravaganza. This one is different where I’ll be doing live art then doing a 2 minute presentation about my business and Baybayin movement.
5/31 – 6-9PM, 1 Ferry Building – San Francisco
API Circle Celebration on the Closing Night of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
6/1 – 7-11PM, The Armory 240 North 2nd St, San Jose
FAME
It’s been a while since I posted. I actually missed announcing an event I did at Treasure Island last weekend.
#1 I’ve started to create more pieces for events this spring/summer. You can see some at my Instagram account. You can search for Baybayin to find me.
#2 My Spring/Summer schedule is starting to take shape. Please note some dates may change. SFSU lecture 4/10, 111 Minna April Sketch Tuesdays (3rd week), Treasure Island 4/27-28, Vegas 5/11-15, SF Asian Street Fest 5/18, SF Philippine Independence Day @ Union Square 6/15, Europe 6/?????, Delano 7/??, SF Yerba Buena 8/11-12, LA 9/??
For Vegas, I’m doing an event at the “Pinoy Pride Celebration” 5/11-12. I’m looking to do something during the late afternoons/evenings. Anyone got a hookup with UNLV for a lecture/workshop?
#3 I’m announcing my 2nd book to be released later this year titled “Baybayin Stories”
It will be a collection of art and personal stories. Basically, you tell me your story and I’ll make art for you and publish them both in the book. More details at BaybayinStories.com. Here’s a sample of how a page would look like…
This Sunday 12/9 in San Francisco, Ray Haguisan of Malaya Designs and I will be having probably our last event this year. Join us an a unique boutique sale at the historic International Hotel on Kearny st in Chinatown. Indigenous artists will have items you won’t find else where. Watch live kulingtang and backstrap weaving.
Also, I’ll be doing a large scale Baybayin demonstration and playing music starting at around 3pm. I haven’t played any of my music in the US before, so it will be interesting…..Music + Calligraphy mashup!
Sunday, Dec. 9th, 1pm-6pm
International Hotel Manilatown Center
868 Kearny Street, SF, CA 94108A Gathering of Indigenous Artists at the International Hotel Manilatown Center in the historic Manilatown neighborhood. Descendants of residents of the old neighborhood return to offer their island inspired clothing, jewelry, and art to the general public. The Center is located in San Francisco at 868 Kearny Street at the intersection of Chinatown, North Beach, and the Financial District. Come experience the a new holiday tradition deeply rooted in a rich arkipelago nation culture. See traditional weaving demonstration by Jenny Bawer Young and Holly Calica sponsored by the Alliance of California Traditional Arts (ACTA).
More info on the Facebook invite
If you go to San Francisco State University, I’ll conduct a lecture/workshop coordinated by PACE. I’ll be trying something different than what I’ve been doing the past 2 years lecturing. This new format is based on my experience and self realization at the Asian Art Museum event this past weekend.
You may have heard about my 3 day event at Asian Art Museum this weekend (10/19-21) but also, this Friday, 10/19 I’ll be taking part of 2 Blocks of Art at the Bayanihan Center in San Francisco. Right after my live painting and lecture at the museum, I’ll be running over to this event. I’ll probably be there around 4:30PM. This is probably going to be one of my last public events this year where you can buy artwork.
2 Blocks of Art Central Market Art Walk
Friday | October 19 | 4-8PM
Bayanihan Community Center
1010 Mission Street @ 6th
San Francisco
When Filipinos think about Baybayin or the handicapped term Alibata, they think of a few things like the writing system that’s no longer used, backwards “mountain people”, the un-Christianized or an annoying thing they have to take in school. The art aspect of Baybayin isn’t really being discussed or thought of. Sure, we have tattoos but is it art if you merely select a generic font from the internet? The act of the tattooist putting the ink on your body is art but is the end product artistic? That’s up to you the individual to decide but I would think that nobody would ever think of using an Arial font for a tattoo. They would opt for some sort of calligraphy most likely.
It’s time to introduce Baybayin as an artform. We need to move away from taking shapes from existing material that’s been around for hundreds of years. Baybayin used in art as an element has been around since the 70’s if not earlier but they were straight copies of those references. Paul Morrow has done so much for Baybayin by releasing his fonts over 10 years ago but now have become the “standard”. Artist’s individual styles are now graded against Morrow’s Tagalog Stylized font.
It’s time to introduce Filipino Calligraphy that encompasses all indigenous and future writing systems from the so-called Philippines. Artists play an important if not more important part than academics in the promotion of Baybayin because it’s visual and digestible to the public.
This is a concept I’ll be introducing at my event at the Asian Art Museum October 19-21. I will be writing a famous yet controversial saying from a Filipino hero on canvas 15′ long. After the live art, I’ll be introducing Filipino Calligraphy to an audience of mostly non-Filipino artists, art academics and art lovers with a lecture.
Asian Art Museum
Chong-Moon Lee Center
for Asian Art & Culture
www.asianart.org
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
T 415.581.3500
F 415.581.4700
I’ll be at UC Davis tomorrow to give a Baybayin lecture and workshop. Since there’s an issue going on, I think I’ll touch on it while I’m there. It will be interesting to see how these young Filams feel about it. I’ve been critical about us Filams, let’s see if I’m surprised.
Contact Chi Rho Omicron Inc UC Davis if you want to attend.
I’m proud to announce my Filipino Calligraphy event at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum on October 19 to 21, 12-4pm. Joining me with be Japanese calligraphic performer, Aoi Yamaguchi. In the 4 hours, Aoi and I will collaborate on a large piece writing a poem and saying in our own languages, conduct a lecture about our work and a workshop.
The collaboration between Baybayin (pre-Spanish Filipino script) artist Christian Cabuay and calligraphic performer Aoi Yamaguchi demonstrates the history and culture of Japan and the Philippines. Cabuay and Yamaguchi explore the differences and similarities of their art and struggle. By embracing traditions, rituals, and roots, they are pushing the boundaries and creating something anew, integrating international cultural ideas, styles, and forms. Meaning “beginning/origin” in Tagalog and Japanese, Simula and Gen symbolize the artists asserting identity through their calligraphy traditions.
Asian Art Museum
Chong-Moon Lee Center
for Asian Art & Culture
www.asianart.org
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
T 415.581.3500
F 415.581.4700
I’ll be back in the LA area September 8-9 at Pt. Fermin Park, San Pedro for FPAC. Look out my workshop and new art.
Kristian Kabuay 