MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Playing with the unique architectural elements of the Bamboo Pavilion at the Liwasang Kalikhasan, Dagitab Digital, a light, sound, and projection presentation of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), presents another symphony of illumination in celebration of Earth Day this April.
Led by the Production Design and Technical Services Division, under the Production and Exhibition Department, CCP’s Dagitab Digital puts the spotlight on light design as an important element of events, theater productions, and festivals.
“Most performances, which use lighting design, are produced in conventional settings such as theaters and other performing venues. Through Dagitab Digital, we challenge conventions. The featured light designers work on the unconventional space — with all its idiosyncrasies and elements — to create a one-of-a-kind show,” shared CCP Artistic Director Dennis N. Marasigan.
For this third installment of the light project, Technical Director D. Cortezano turns the pavilion into a canvas and paints it with brushstrokes of luminescence, interplaying with the space and conversing with the infrastructure.
D. Cortezano is currently the resident Technical Director of Arete at Ateneo de Manila University and a faculty member of the Ateneo Fine Arts, Guang Ming College, and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela Theater Arts program. He is the current moderator and director of technical and design at Tanghalang Ateneo and a collaborating member of the Asia-Pacific Bond of Theater Schools, the ASEAN University Network on Culture and the Arts, and the ASEAN Youth Cultural Forum.
For the Earth Day celebration, he created a light show that highlights the architectural prowess of the Philippines’ local traditional structures, emphasizing the strength of solid structural lines through the light rails.
Featuring music from classic and contemporary musicians, the five-minute light spectacle juxtaposes the rice fields of Central Luzon, reminding the public of the importance of Mother Earth as the source of human sustenance and calm respite.
“Compared to previous light shows, we are exploring an interactive type of installation, where passing through the space instead of being a sit-down experience can help keep the audience interested. The experience needs to be curated. The audience experience needs to be clear from the moment they enter to the time they exit the structure,” shared light designer Cortezano.
D. Cortezano works with a project team composed of Assistant Lighting Designer Rafa Sumilong, Production Manager Jericho A. Pagana, Assistant Production Manager Benette Emmanuel Estrada, Technical Assistants Camille Balistoy and Danilo Villanueva, led by Project Manager Ricardo Eric Cruz. The Dagitab Digital Earth Day show begins on April 25, following the opening of the CCP Earth Day art installation, featuring visual artist Leeroy New’s Mebuyan Colony, at the CCP Front Lawn.
The fifth in the Mebuyan series, the immersive outdoor installation fuses the artist’s fascination with science fiction and Philippine mythology, referencing Mebuyan, a goddess residing in the underworld in Bagobo mythology.
Part of the CCP’s Earth Day 2024 celebration, Mebuyan’s Colony follows the theme “Planet vs. Plastics,” with the artist mixing organic and recycled materials to create the multi-sensory installation, utilizing materials such as discarded plastic bottles, bamboo, and steel. A variety of foliage encompasses the work, made possible with the support of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It will be on view until May 25, at the CCP Front Lawn.
Complementing the Dagitab Digital show and Mebuyan’s Colony installation is the façade lighting of the CCP Main Building, Ebb and Flow. This year’s Earth Day façade lighting offers a tranquil approach, with the ocean as its inspiration. Using the element of water as the palette, sea wave patterns appear on the building fascia, enveloping the area with a tranquil atmosphere amid the chaos of the boulevard.
Conceptualized and designed by Pagana, with Gobo makers Camille Balistoy and Shantie De Roca, the facade lighting aims to remind and educate the public about environmental challenges; particularly, the water pollution the planet faces today. It shows the CCP’s commitment to its advocacy for sustainable water resource management and environmental protection and conservation.
The CCP façade light show runs from April 22 to 30, with shows from 6:30 to 10 pm daily, except Monday and during inclement weather.
