The Cultural Center of the Philippines celebrates the birth centenary of National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquín with artistic activities highlighting his works on May 4 at various CCP venues beginning at 1:00pm. The event, entitled “Nick Joaquín. He lives.” is supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). It is free and open to the public.
There will be a screening of Sari Dalena’s film Dahling Nick at the CCP Tanghalang Manuel Conde (Dream Theater) at 1:00pm followed by an opening ceremony of the celebration at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) at 4:15pm. The ceremony will be highlighted by a dance performance entitled Amada by Ballet Philippines, poetry reading by writer Pete Lacaba, a theatrical presentation of an excerpt of Nick Joaquín’s How Love Came to Juan Tamad, and the unveiling of Nick Joaquín’s Portrait and Commemorative Stamp Design, among other activities. Likewise, the Aparador ni Quijano de Manila, an exhibition featuring personal items and portraits of the said National Artist, will open at 5:30pm at the Pasilyong Victorio Edades. Small Beer, an informal discussion about Nick Joaquín’s life and works, will follow at the Atrium and 4th Floor Hallway at 6:00pm. Small Beer will also include the launching of The Woman Who Had Two Navels and Tales of the Tropical Gothic, published by Penguin Random House. Lito Zulueta will be the moderator with writers Marra Lanot, Pete Lacaba, and Luis Francia as members of the panel. Nick Joaquín Book Fair led by Anvil Publishing and National Book Store will be held at the CCP Little Theater Lobby and 4th Floor Hallway as well.
Nick Joaquín was named National Artist of the Philippines in the field of literature in 1976, the highest recognition given by the state for an artist in the country. He was regarded by many as the most distinguished Filipino writer in English writing so variedly and so well about so many aspects of the Filipino. He also enriched the English language with critics coining “Joaquinesque” to describe his baroque Spanish-flavored English or his reinventions of English based on Filipinisms. Aside from his handling of language, National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera writes that Nick Joaquin’s significance in Philippine literature involves his exploration of the Philippine colonial past under Spain and his probing into the psychology of social changes as seen by the young, as exemplified in stories such as Doña Jeronima, Candido’s Apocalypse and The Order of Melchizedek. Nick Joaquin wrote plays, novels, poems, short stories and essays including reportage and journalism. As a journalist, Nick Joaquin used the pseudonym Quijano de Manila.
His voluminous works included The Woman Who Had Two Navels, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, Manila, My Manila: A History for the Young, The Ballad of the Five Battles, Rizal in Saga, Almanac for Manileños, and Cave and Shadows.
Nick Joaquín passed away on April 29, 2004.
For inquiries, contact the CCP Intertextual Division at 832-1125 loc. 1707 or 0919-3175708 or ccpintertextualdivision@gmail.com.
