SPOT.ph: Statement from BenCab on the National Artist brouhaha

A brewing boycott of the National Artists Awards by past awardees threatens to expose failure of this year's deliberations.

by Spot.ph

Published Jul 31, 2009

BenCab (seen here), Arturo Luz and Napoleon Abueva have decided to boycott the awards ceremony which will be held on a date yet to be announced by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. The three National Artists will reportedly continue their dialogue tonight at the farewell dinner for CCP president Nes Jardin.

SPOT.ph spoke to a sad and alarmed 2006 National Artist for Visual Arts Ben Cabrera (or BenCab) over the phone this morning.

Here's what the painter said: "I feel bad. It's a mockery of the system. They might as well just appoint [their own choices] and not go through the whole process. I will boycott the awards. I will not march. I will not mention any names but we heard that there was one very influential person who helped manipulate the results."

(For more on this story, click here)

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