In praise of the unsung

THE WORK SHOWS a nun squatting next to a man stabbing himself. It's hardly relaxing fare for the living room wall, but then Jose 'Jojo' Legaspi has no interest in depicting comfort and solace in his art.

Touted as Manila's answer to Damien Hirst, Legaspi is gaining respect on the international art scene - even if the Catholic Church considers his work to be blasphemous. His painting is just one of a catalogue of works by Filipino artists on show at the first Philippine Arts Festival.

In a city where Filipino artists have a tough time getting their work shown to the public, the Philippine Consulate and Philippine Association of Hong Kong have combined to organise their own showcase of Filipino works.

This Saturday the Central Library will host Unang Sulyap (First Glimpse): A Survey of Philippine Artworks in Hong Kong, a four-day exhibition of 70 paintings and sculptures by 35 artists. It covers a wide range of styles - from the more commercial graphic design, to the abstract and socio-political.

It's one of nine events of art, drama and photography that have been laid on this month. Contemporary art is likely to steal the limelight as this category makes up a big part of the festival. A number of galleries have been roped in to help introduce promising artists such as Legaspi to potential collectors.

Headlining some of these exhibitions will be established contemporary artists who are on the international circuit and whose work has registered with Sotheby's and Christie's at sales of Southeast Asian art in the past two years. Contemporary artist Benedicto Reyes Cabrera, or Bencab, for example commands high prices for his work.