The Peacock Gallery opens “Balik Tanaw” or “Looking Back” Exhibition

By Richard J Ford - . PRO for APCO Inc.
NSW-Australia
July 18, 2017



The Peacock Gallery located in the Auburn Botanical Gardens opened on 8^th July 2017 and will run till the 2^nd September 2017. The “Balik Tanaw “or “Looking Back” multi-arts program Exhibition will comprise of many public programs and events all centred on the idea developed by the Philippine artists Ernest Aaron, Alberto Estanislao, Jessa Melicor and Alwin Reamillo, who wanted to convert the gallery to explore the notion of a Filipino ‘home’ which responds to the aspects of culture and tradition that are recognisable as part of the Philippine diaspora.

The project team was composed of Ruben, Albert, Charles and Cen. We were all involved from the project planning, sourcing of artist/performers, event promotion, inviting the general community and APCO, catering and project execution, with Jenny Cheeseman, Art Coordinator of Cumberland Council as the project proponent.

The event was not only a feast of Filipino delicacies but also of Filipino Culture to help people to remember and learn about their ‘lost’ origins. Officially opened by the Manager of Culture and Activation, Michael Brown with Jenny Cheeseman representing the Peacock Gallery. The emcees Albert Prias and Charles Chan kept the audience entertained by the songs tendered by the singing performances of Jay Gaerlan, Gilda Pagaduan, Zabriel Orayenza, Emerson Tuazon, and Abigal Magtanong.

The dance numbers performed by the Filipinas Dancers and the VSD Dancers in their colourful costumes depicted the different Philippine ethnic groups and the different era they represent in Philippine History. The dancers' elegant and creative movements to the tune of Philippine traditional music brought back nostalgic past in the Philippine Culture and Heritage.

The Exhibition has made spectators to feel "Balik Tanaw" or "Looking Back" to the past.  As quoted in one Filipino proverb, "We can only reach our destination or we can achieve our goal in life, if we know how to look back where we came from or where we started from."

The Exhibition at the Peacock Art Gallery has a series of events running from 8^th July till 2^nd September. The 8th July was the opening of Balik Tanaw; 16th July is the Philippine Family Day; then 30^th July the Philippines-Balik Tanaw Panel Discussions, 12^th August will be Performances by Young Performers, and lastly on 2^nd September is the Philippine Spring Festival and Bayanihan Hopping Spirit House “Hop.” The Bayanihan Hopping Spirit House Hop will be the relocated to the Blacktown Arts Centre for the exhibition “Balik Bayan.”

For further details on these events look up this website: www.cumberland.nsw.gov/arts .