The contest this year is in cooperation with Metrobank Foundation and the Embassy of the United States in Manila. Sponsors include Giordano and Rebeo.
The theme of this year’s contest owes to the fact that UST became an internment camp of the Japanese during World War II, said Red de Leon of the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences, organizer of the annual contest.
Fifteen universities and colleges from all over the National Capital Region will participate in the contest. A lecture series on the visual arts will be held as well.
The UST On-the-Spot Painting Competition is the oldest of its kind in the country and has produced many of the biggest names today in Philippine art.
UST Rector Magnificus Fr. Silvestre Sancho organized the First Annual National Painting Contest in 1941 and consequently acquired works by Fernando Amorsolo, Vicente Manansala, Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Galo Ocampo for the UST Museum.
This move by Father Sancho revolutionized the museum, which previously had been a repository of natural-science artifacts. Hence, it became known by its present name, the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences, the oldest museum in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the First National Art Competition Exhibit, the result of the painting contest, opened to the public March 12, 1941, under the auspices of professor Galo B. Ocampo of the UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts.
The same month, the inaugural winners were declared by the judges, a prestigious panel that included architects Juan Arellano and Andres Luna de San Pedro, University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts dean Fernando Amorsolo, and UST School of Fine Arts faculty members Victorio C. Edades and Rafael Enriquez Jr.
“Pounding Rice,” by Vicente Manansala, was proclaimed winner for the Filipiniana category while “Pater Noster” by Jose de los Reyes won in the Religious category.
The painting titled “Panday Pira” by Fermin Sanchez won in the Historical category.
Museum
The UST Museum recently reopened to the public after months of renovation and refurbishment.
Also in the offing is the Santo Tomas Internment Camp commemorative exhibit starting Feb. 3. It will feature archival pictures of the internment-camp years as well as various articles, memorabilia and books.
The museum will also hold a documentary exhibit on the visit of Pope Francis in the university last Jan. 18..
The papal exhibit will open Feb. 7.
For more information about the competition and the exhibits, contact the UST Museum at 7811815 or 7409718.
