Aug

8

Carlo J. Caparas is NOT a Visual Artist

Filed Under Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics | 31 Comments

Note: The category for Film and Visual Art are separate in the National Artist Awards.

It’s only natural for Carlo J. Caparas and his supporters to respond to criticism of his being awarded as the National Artist for Visual Art and Film. If any of these people ever visit my blog, then this is my response to them.

To Carlo J. Caparas:

This is not a social class issue. It doesn’t matter if you come from the poor or if you were born rich. The issue is that you were given the title of National Artist for Visual Art… when YOU ARE NOT A VISUAL ARTIST. You claim you can draw. You’ve shown your drawings of eyes, or whatever they were on TV. But the issue here is whether you drew the comics stories that form the body of your work. YOU DID NOT.

Steve Gan drew Panday and Pieta. Karl Comendador drew Gagambino. Karl also drew the artworks on the stamps of your characters. Tor Infante drew Totoy Bato. Hal Santiago drew Kroko. Mar Santana drew Bakekang. And so on and so forth.

YOU DREW NONE OF THIS.

By claiming and keeping the title of National Artist for Visual Art, you are also claiming and stealing the work of these men. These men have toiled years and offered much of their creative lives to comics, and collaborated with you to bring your characters to life. And now you turn around and claim the credit for their work once again.

I have not told you that you deserve this award or not. Nor will I say it. Because to me, that’s not the issue.

I am simply stating that the National Artist Award should not be given to someone who is NOT A VISUAL ARTIST.

And if I may repeat… YOU ARE NOT A VISUAL ARTIST. This title does not belong to you.

To NCCA Chair and Education Undersecretary Vilma Labrador:

You claim Carlo J. Caparas has the credentials that make him worthy of this award. You claim ‘“If their critics would only consider their qualifications—baka manliit sila.”’ And you claim that “The president does her selection with great deliberation…she studies these things carefully.”

Then answer me this. How is it that you bestowed the title of National Artist for Visual Art to someone who IS NOT A VISUAL ARTIST?

I don’t deny that Carlo has numerous achievements. He has written many stories, directed many films, and he has undertaken many projects that proved beneficial to many people.

BUT THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE.

The issue is that Carlo J. Caparas is NOT A VISUAL ARTIST. And yet through “careful deliberation”, and through “careful study”, someone still decided to award him AS a visual artist.

I’m scratching my head here. Am I on Pluto? Am I on another planet? Is this BIZARRO world where they give the Best Actor Award to a Director who never acted? Where they give Manny Pacquiao a gold medal for Swimming? Where they give a Gold Record Award to Bayani Fernando?

Are we even speaking the same language? Don’t they understand COMMON SENSE?

YOU GAVE THE TITLE TO THE WRONG MAN. Carlo J. Caparas is NOT A VISUAL ARTIST.

Do I need to repeat this simple inexorable fact again and again before anyone out there understands this?

You know what? I want to bestow Carlo J. Caparas and NCCA Chair Vilma Labrador an award, and a much deserved award too!

The Award for Best Issue Diverters. Ever.

If you believe Carlo J. Caparas was wrongfully given this title, and he is not qualifed for it, Please sign my online petition here. As of now, 1,900 signatures and counting!

R.I.P. National Artist Awards
Protest Rally Photos
http://illacdiaz.multiply.com/photos/album/466

Comments

31 Responses to “Carlo J. Caparas is NOT a Visual Artist”

  1. ray on August 7th, 2009 9:05 pm

    sir gerry, i ask your permission to repost this on Facebook. thanks in advance.

  2. Gerry Alanguilan on August 7th, 2009 9:17 pm

    Please do Ray, with my thanks!

  3. Kat on August 7th, 2009 10:16 pm

    Spreading the word. I’m all for this.

  4. hailey on August 7th, 2009 10:25 pm

    I admire your courage to speak when you have to.. You are an eye-opener.. Two thumbs up for you!

  5. macoy on August 7th, 2009 10:35 pm

    caparas is a square peg shoved by gma into a round hole. they both know they’ve screwed up but will never admit it.

    what the blogsphere needs to do is keep shaming them and shaming them until the foreign press picks up the story. then the government’ll start listening.

  6. Ryan Parreno on August 7th, 2009 11:06 pm

    Di na po anonymous lol.

    Got into great conversation in Twitter between Joey Javier Reyes who went to the rally.

    His tweet: Came from protest rally at CCP. Wished that arguments were more objective rather than personal against unwanted choices for Natl Artists.

    I then explained to him how he’s in the position of representing komiks in a way that fellow komiks creators do not desire.

    I’m glad you’re discrediting on Caparas’ weak social class argument & tempered yourself from making personal attacks. But one thing you can bring to the forefront is komiks community’s opposition to Caparas.

    You oppose it & some creators expressed the same. But I’m saying if you can assemble a manifesto to be signed by other creators like yourself, the artists who worked with him, and other komiks writers, you can establish that Caparas has no support from either industry he worked in.

    Good luck, and here’s hoping this all works out somehow!

  7. Nyek! – EdgarTadeo.com - Blog Archive » NOT!onal Artist is Carlo J. Caparas…[tripple period!] on August 8th, 2009 12:03 am

    [...] Gerry Alanguilan’s blog: To Carlo J. [...]

  8. adam! on August 8th, 2009 12:10 am

    mga ilang bagay lang na puwede pa nating pag-isipan at pag-usapan:

    sa totoo lang, sa tingin ko, sa level pa lang ng legitimacy = due process, tapos na ang argumento na pro-caparas dahil hindi talaga dumaan sa tamang proseso ang pagkilala sa kanya bilang pambansang alagad ng sining, thus farce na ang national artist award na’to (pero kasi farce naman na talaga siya to begin with, so ewan ko lang).

    pero heto yung di ko pa maitawid talaga sa utak ko: kinilala si caparas para sa gawa niya sa komix, na isang visual art, kaya dun siya binigyan ng parangal, regardless ng kung siya ba ang nagdrowing o hindi, dahil ang pagkakakilala natin sa komix ay isa itong visual art, at tingin ko mahirap idispute ang output ni caparas sa komix regardless kung nagdrowing ba siya nun o hindi, regardless sa kalidad ng mga kuwento bilang high art o low art.

    problema: ang komix ay generally collaborative na effort, walang mas matimbang o mas-importante sa equation ng paggawa. sa paghihimay na ganito – si caparas ay manunulat, hindi mangguguhit – babalik na naman tayo sa pagiisip na mas matimbang ang isa (artist) kesa sa isa (writer, o vice versa) sa production.

    tingin ko kaya ganito ang reaksiyon ng karamihan sa pagkilala ke caparas bilang visual artist ay kasi isa na naman itong assertion ng pagiging di importante ng artist sa paggawa ng komix. at si caparas rin kasi ay isang natural gloryhog. pero ideally, hiwalay ang mga bagay na yan sa assessment ng art, tulad ng dapat hiwalay ang pulitika sa assessment ng art.

    problema: kung bibigyan mo si caparas ng parangal para sa komix work niya, saan mo siya bibigyan? sa visual art o sa literatura?

    tingin ko kasi, yun yung ultimately ay naging rationalisation nila para sa pagbigay sa kanya ng pagkilala bilang visual artist: ang kinikilala ay si caparas sa mundo ng komix, at ang komix ay visual art, thus siya ay national artist for the visual arts.

    at tingin ko rin naman kasi, ginawa lang yan kasi kailangang gawan ng paraan ang pangako ni GMA ke caparas na maparangalan bilang national artist. sinubukan na nila sa pagsusulat, e, at di nila napenetrate yun, kaya dito naman sa visual art.

    at sa totoo lang, hindi maiiwasan ang umpugan ng uri sa usapan na’to, lalo na kung ang unang naginvoke ng social class issues ay yung mga “high art/high lit” na tao (at para malinaw lang, ser ger, hindi ikaw ang tinutukoy ko dito).

    tingin ko yan ang pinakaimportanteng bagay na naiungkat ng isyu na’to, na me mga pinanghahawakan pa rin tayong expectations/perception tungkol sa kung ano ba ang karesperespeto at thus deserving ng label na “art,” at madalas, ang “art” na’to ay “high art” pa rin talaga, at kapag nadiskaril ito – si caparas ay artist! – nagkakagulo tayo.

  9. GabbyD on August 8th, 2009 12:23 am

    i have a question on your position on this matter…

    lets think about stan lee and jack kirby

    lee is the writer. kirby the illustrator.

    would it be wrong to award stan lee the visual artist award for his work in comics?

    if yes, what award ought to be given (assuming an award had to be bestowed). writing for a comic? story editing? character creation?

    can we not say that lee should be given an award for his involvement in comics in general, is there a name for this kind of award?

    what do you think of this analogy (lee is like caparas). as i’ve read here and at other places, caparas wrote a number of comics, and was a publisher.

    can we not award him a “comics award”? even if he himself is not the illustrator?

  10. Gohlico on August 8th, 2009 12:40 am

    Forward is not the same as backward. Wala bang common sense ang mga taong to?

    We must keep on making noise. I have a feeling that gaining international media’s attention is within our reach.

  11. Miko on August 8th, 2009 1:08 am

    Great point by Macoy. It’s just kinda sad that we need the foreign press before the our government starts listening.

    Anyway, I’m really tempted to use ALL my email accounts to have multiple signature on the petition.

    Lucky for CJC that I believe in intellectual integrity.

  12. Richard Ramos on August 8th, 2009 1:12 am

    Hello, Gerry!

    with your permission, am posting this on facebook also.

  13. Kenneth on August 8th, 2009 1:32 am

    I wholeheartedly agree with your viewpoint – and I am a big fan of your work on Superman (but that’s beside the point)

    I will share this rebuttal as well on FB!

  14. garon on August 8th, 2009 1:42 am

    i totally agree. his interview on anc made me so upset i had to take a shit.

  15. Well, if it isn’t… « Creating Enchantment on August 8th, 2009 2:17 am

    [...] When I got home, I opened my computer to right away check if there were any updates on Gerry Alanguilan’s blog about the National Artist issue. And sure enough there was. It’s this one: Carlo J. Caparas is NOT a Visual Artist [...]

  16. Gerry Alanguilan on August 8th, 2009 2:50 am

    GabbyD… Carlo was awarded the Presidential Award of Merit. I think that’s kind of a big deal. It’s an award that I have no problem with. I think he’s gotten other awards elsewhere. I think Carlo would definitely be eligible for any number of industry awards.

    The thing with the National Artist Award is that it’s pretty specific on what to give awards to. There is no “comics award” category. The closest thing a comic book creator can possibly come would be “Visual Arts”, which covers “Illustration”. There is no provision for comics writers specifically. The “Literature” category would *probably* cover it, but many would probably take issue with it.

    And yes, I think it would be wrong to award Stan Lee a Visual Art award, considering he never came up with any visuals at all.

  17. Gerry Alanguilan on August 8th, 2009 3:08 am

    I’m thinking about how Carlo J. Caparas, or any comics writer can be eligible for the National Artist award. I’m thinking of writers like Pablo Gomez, Mars Ravelo, Tony Velasquez. Although Mars and Tony dabbled in illustration early in their careers, much of their body of work is in collaboration with other artists.

    Right now, correct me if I’m wrong, but there’s no category that could fit them. They could conceivably fit in “Literature”, but I don’t see how a comics writer can be taken as a separate entity from the comics artist.

    Comics, as an artform, must be taken as a whole, and the WORK only becomes complete in the presence of a writer and artist. The WORK cannot exist without the other.

    How can a writer be awarded, and not the artist, when the two of them both created the same thing?

    In this light, it is far easier for creators like Francisco V. Coching and Larry Alcala to be named National Artist because they both wrote and drew their own work.

    Their comics WORK and body of WORK can be attributed to only one person.

    UNLESS an award is specifically named, BEST WRITER, or BEST ARTIST, which commonly comes with comics industry awards.

    In the National Artist Awards, there is unfortunately no such categories.

  18. Chris Go on August 8th, 2009 7:02 am

    He really can’t draw. This is from a radio interview he had yesterday. Aside from drawing some murals, he does not have any other work that would merit an award for visual arts.

    True, He could be cited for writing but I was surprised that he was awarded the NA for Visual Arts.

  19. Lala Gallardo on August 8th, 2009 9:51 am

    Hi Gerry,I hope you remember me, this is Lala Gallardo, your friend from buzznet. Thank you for these words. Hopefully it will educate those who need to be educated. I’ll be reposting this on my facebook.

  20. GabbyD on August 8th, 2009 9:54 am

    @ gerry

    “I’m thinking about how Carlo J. Caparas, or any comics writer can be eligible for the National Artist award”

    thats exactly what i was thinking about when i wrote my comment.

    my response was: under the logic you espouse, it would be impossible for a writer to win in comics, assuming comics were considered a visual art.

    but now your position is clearer: comics ARE NOT visual art.

    they are a hybrid of literature and visual art.

    options:
    1) so one would have to create a new (very specific category)
    2) or lump the writers in literature, lump the illustrators in visual art

    honestly tho, do you think this “solution” would be too hard to implement? or, if it would make it harder for a comics writer to win in lit, where he/she has to battle with short stories, novels, etc…

    when we say visual art, can we not (naturally) include comics there? who has won the visual art award before [i'm researching that now]… pure illustration lang talaga?

    after reading about the controversy, i honestly thought that the reason caparas was awarded, was coz of his contributions to comics, which the commission considers as a visual art as a whole.

  21. Gerry Alanguilan on August 8th, 2009 10:28 am

    Yes, based on the National Artist Awards criteria as it stands, it’s very unlikely for a writer to win, unless the guidelines are disregarded as we have seen. There has never been a comics creator who has won before. Going by the guidelines, it would be more logical to assume that Francisco V. Coching or Larry Alcala to be the first to win it because these men are both writers and artists.

    For three decades, the comics stories of Francisco V. Coching were significant elements of Filipino life. Not only were his stories devoured by the reading public, only four or so of his 50+ comics novels were not make into motion pictures. Not only is Francisco V. Coching an exceptional writer and artist, he is also well regarded by his peers. He has not only won the Presidential Award of Merit, he also a Gawad CCP Para sa Sining Awardee, one of the most prestigious awards ever given to a comics creator. A book was written about him in 2001, and in September of this year two more books of his life and art will be published.

    Coching is perfectly qualified to become a National Artist for Visual Art, more so than Carlo Caparas could ever hope be.

  22. Gerry Alanguilan on August 8th, 2009 10:30 am

    Thanks Lala! Yes, I remember you. Wow. Buzznet. Flashes of 2005. :)

  23. Jun Pamintuan on August 8th, 2009 12:16 pm

    Stan Lee is definitely a writer
    Jack Kirby is definitely a penciller
    Both are of course, comic artists.

    A Writer and a Penciller are two different things same as a Swimmer is different from a Boxer which of course have their own set of awards, titles, and honors bestowed to them.

    And yes it will be wrong if Stan Lee receives an award or title as a Visual Artist because he is not qualified. But of course he never received anything of that sort so all is fine with Stan.

    Regarding what honor, award, or title to bestow Stan Lee for his work in comics and as a creator because an award as a Visual Artist doesn’t fit him..here’s some to name a few of what he already received.

    Jack Kirby hall of fame
    Eisner hall of fame
    National Medal of Arts – the highest honor conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the people.

    But enough with Stan Lee because there are no issues to talk about the legend. CJC is honestly not even good enough to get himself compared to Stan and what Stan has achieved.

    Awards and Titles for writers is not the case here. This is a case about CJC and the title he received which in the first place he shouldn’t have. As was said and will be said again. How can you give a National Artist for Visual Arts title to someone who doesn’t even qualify as a Visual Artist? Can he even show to the public visual art works he made prior to the time he was given the title which are significant enough to at least get him nominated for the title? I doubt it. I very much doubt it. Heck in all the years I have been into comics I have never even seen him draw something significant or make a visual art that instantly became a classic. Has the public even seen him draw simple character sketches? Nope. Head sketches? Nope. Any good looking art at all? None. In short..he hasn’t made any visual art that made an impact, importance, or significance. EVER. He is just NOT QUALIFIED FOR THE TITLE.

  24. paolo on August 8th, 2009 2:24 pm

    …hindi ko alam kung sadyang nagiging bobo na ang karamihan sa mga pinunong pilipino…
    …nang dahil sa isang titulong hindi karapat dapat piparangal para sa mga nilalang na katulad ni Carlo J. Caparas kung saan karamihan ng mga pelikulang kanyang idinerihe ay pawang mga hango sa masaker ng buhay… karapat dapat bang bigyan ng parangal ang ganitong klaseng gawain kung saan negatibo ang nais ipabatid sa madlang pilipino…ano naman kung isa siyang box office direcktor e kung ang sarili lang niya ang tinitingala niya… mali kung sa mali pero sadyang bobo ata ang mga nagparangal sa kanya bilang alagad ng sining sa ilalim ng biswal arts…at mas lalong bobo ang naparangalan ng titulo bilang nasyonal artist por biswal arts at pilm…sa kadahilanang inaako niya ang titulong karapatdapat sa mga gumuhit ng mga likha niyang komiks…
    tunay nga na isa si carlo j caparas bilang komiks king… isa siyang komikero… at hindi nasyonal artist…kung magkakaganun e di malamang sa malamang isang gaguhang patimpalak na lang ang mga susunod na piging para sa paggawad ng titulong “nasyonal artist”…
    sino na ang isusunod sa hanay ng nasyonal artist???
    …maglolokohan na lang ba tayo samundo ng sining…

  25. JP Cuison on August 8th, 2009 5:47 pm

    Mag quotes mula kay Mr. Caparas (from ANC media in Focus with Cheche Lazaro)

    ” Alam mo kasi Che, talagang bagay sa akin dahil alam mo kung bakit,Komiks pa lang, pelikula at telebisyon na pinagmulan ko… ang image ko Nationwide….” –Carlo J. Caparas

    “…Kamukha nyan,sasabihin mo na hindi ako marunong gumuhit… Eto sa harapan mo ipapakita ko sa’yo na isa akong illustrator. nag-umpisa ako sa komiks as an ilustrator, nangyari lang na mas malaki ang kikitain kong salapi sa pagsusulat sa komiks. Nakakapag drawing ako isang nobela 3 araw. Samantalang sa komiks nakakasulat ako in one seating…22 scripts, chapters…”
    —-CARLO J. CAPARAS

    “Che kasi alam mo maikli ang oras natin no. Gusto ko lang ipakita ang kakayahan ko sa pagdedebuho…sa pagguhit. Itong mga mural na’to na ginawa ko sa canvas at ink na mahirap na medium pero nakakayang kong gawin na hindi kayang gawin ng ibang pintor na narito…”
    —-CARLO J. CAPARAS

    Mr.Caparas hindi issue dito kung marunong kang magdrawing o hinde, ang issue e ikaw ba yung visual artist ng mga importante mong mga gawa. Mga gawa mong ginawang pelikula,soap at kung anu-ano pa.Hinde di ba? Atleast man lang banggitin mo yung mga pangalan ng mga naging artists mo…tsk tsk tsk.

    -JP Cuison

    ito yung link ng mga videos
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqo_9VgASxY&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZTJNtsK0tg&feature=related

  26. Carlo J. Caparas: Not a Visual Artist — in-indie.org × Nick Nichelle Dael on August 9th, 2009 12:25 pm

    [...] And for further reading here: gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/1731 [...]

  27. Jose Mari Lee on August 9th, 2009 2:29 pm

    The trouble with this HORROR – I mean – HONOR… being given to Caparas is this: the one who bestowed the honor upon him is as ignorant and as clueless as Caparas himself.

    Why can’t the guy accept the fact that his komiks work is TOTALLY devoid of artistic merit and his films can be categorized as the worst ones in the world? Why is he kidding himself? Why insist on making look like a stupid goof, someone trying so hard to be given an honor, and get it BY HOOK OR BY CROOK!

    Also, since every movie he makes he invokes God, prayer, and so on in the titles, well, I hope he remembers a beautiful passage from LUKE: (14:11) “For whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted”.

    I just hope Mr. Caparas, that you see the light. You may accept this honor, but you know deep in your heart that you don’t deserve it. Someday, you will leave this world and what sort of impression are you going to leave behind? Someone who was honored as a NATIONAL ARTIST who didn’t deserve a bit to receive that honor?

    Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Discard it from your soul and be thankful for all the graces you have received in this temporary existence. Tomorrow, when we finally cross the other side, we will not take with us any material thing, or anyone of the seven deadly sins that some of us ached so much to have in this world. REJECT this award and walk away in peace.

    Then, everyone will look up to you and call you an honorable man.

  28. mojacko on August 9th, 2009 3:44 pm

    ay nako, dapat national artist for comedy na lang sya! oops! aagawan naman si dolphy?

  29. rikki (ikotron) on August 9th, 2009 6:25 pm

    sir…can i post this link in my deviant art account….

  30. Gerry Alanguilan on August 9th, 2009 11:01 pm

    Please do Rikki, with my thanks.

  31. motmot on August 27th, 2009 3:08 pm

    sir gerry, this is dennis aka motmot, freind of Ivan (the french artist) we met in san pablo last january…

    i agree with 100% in your views on this, clearly the award giving body has gone to the birds, i guess i need not to argue more, Pinas nga eh, what do you expect…

    Much respect….