50 Years, 50 Artists: Celebrating 50 Years of GMA News

People who work in television produce moving images. But what happens when these images stop moving? That’s the essence of a new exhibit of photography and art mounted by the people who produce GMA News. “50: Fifty Years of News, Fifty Artists," which opened yesterday in GMA Network’s Timog Avenue building, was organized to mark the half-century anniversary of one of the country’s pioneering news organizations.

Many of the pictures appear to have come from the exotic locations and dramatic situations experienced by TV professionals. But rather than the ephemeral feel of TV, this exhibit draws viewers into the contemplative space of a frame. Joy Madrigal, a program manager in public affairs who previously worked for years as a field producer, shot one stunning example: Her photo featured a young, emaciated child on his mother’s breast while she looked intently into the camera, her right arm showing off a tattoo. The poverty in the photo evokes a certain melancholy in the viewer, but the strong love and human connection between the mother and child also makes the photo somewhat comforting as well. The exhibit enabled GMA News and Public Affairs personnel to display their talents in other visual media, such as cameraman Kikoy Rapadas, who is also an accomplished photographer. He captured a scene in “blak en wayt" of children at play but appearing almost abstract, their backs turned to the camera and immersed in water, frozen in time while frolicking in a lake or river. My Piece of Sky by Marissa Flores News personnel got exposed to a different side of network executives who contributed photos, such as Vice President and program host Jessica Soho’s peek into her Chinese ancestral village, and Senior Vice President Marissa Flores’s My Piece of Sky, a dreamy image of a staircase that appears to lead to the heavens. Flores gave the opening remarks, where she said, “We’re 50 years old, and what better way to mark a birthday than to get fifty people together to mount a show of pictures they made in the course of their work, and paintings and sculptures they made to de-stress from the pressures of the work place...this is art with a heart." While the exhibit featured visual art, the opening was a multimedia affair with news and public affairs personnel performing for their colleagues, including news writer and violinist Rosetti Rivera, saxophonist and Post Production staff, Jeremiah Neil Ramos, Post Production Unit Manager Maritoni Falconi who sang “Sunlight," photographer and poet Vivian Limpin, who gave a reading of her poem “Paglikha," Addy Pareno of Public Affairs who sang “Blue Moon" and Alex del Fierro of Post Production, who sang “Vincent." The event was also a reunion for some ex-GMA personalities who joined the celebration, such as Tina Monzon-Palma, Antonio D. Seva, Veronica Baluyut-Jimenez, Amado Pineda, Ruben Dela Cruz, Lita Evidente and Fr. Nicanor Lalog II. They hobnobbed with GMA Network CEO Felipe L. Gozon, news anchor and Kapuso Foundation president Mel Tiangco, and other network executives. The art and photos are for sale, with 20 percent of the proceeds going to the GMA Kapuso Foundation. The exhibit will last until July 10. For queries, contact the organizers, Kelly Vergel de Dios and her staff at 9827777 local 1305 and 3015.