Filipino artists create watercolour paintings with polluted river water

Record ID: 102233

  • Title: Filipino artists create watercolour paintings with polluted river water
  • Date: 25th May 2016
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MAY 23, 2016) (REUTERS) PEOPLE SITTING NEAR VISUAL ARTIST JC VARGAS AS HE PAINTS ON CANVAS PAINTBRUSH DABBING ON DIRTY PIGMENT BOTTLES CANVASS BEING PAINTED BOTTLE CONTAINING DIRTY PIGMENT CANVASS BEING PAINTED VARGAS LOOKING ON CANVASS SHOWING WATERCOLOUR PAINTING OF POLLUTED RIVER MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MAY 24, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMEN REMOVING PROTECTIVE WRAPS ON DIRTY WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS INSIDE GALLERY (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) VISUAL ARTIST, JC VARGAS, SAYING: "At first it was difficult because it was the first time I experienced using dirty pigments, and second was the smell. Although the pigments have already been decontaminated, the smell of the sludge was still present, so that was a big challenge for us artists." PEOPLE INSIDE GALLERY POSTER READING (English): "DIRTY WATERCOLOR" PEOPLE LOOKING AT PAINTINGS DIRTY WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS ON DISPLAY WATERCOLOUR PAINTING OF CHILDREN PLAYING ON DIRTY RIVER PEOPLE LOOKING ON PEOPLE INSIDE GALLERY VARIOUS OF PAINTING OF FISHERMEN FISHING IN DIRTY RIVER PEOPLE GLANCING AT PAINTINGS PAINTING OF CHILDREN PADDLING ON TOP OF BOX PEOPLE INSIDE GALLERY PAINTING OF CHILD'S FACE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CURATOR, CID REYES, SAYING: "The common element in all these paintings is that we portray mostly the children and the families that live along the Pasig River, so that the quality of showing that the people who enjoy the water and at the same time not aware of that danger of swimming in polluted water should make us aware of the need to keep the Pasig alive." VARIOUS OF TUGBOAT MOVING ALONG PASIG RIVER GARBAGE FLOATING ON WATER CHILDREN PLAYING NEAR RIVERSIDE POLLUTED RIVER GARBAGE FLOATING ON WATER SHANTIES ALONG RIVERSIDE
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2016 10:59
  • Keywords: Artists polluted water Pasig River painting dirty watercolour art
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Art,Arts/Culture/Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0014JB21QX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Polluted river water became fresh inspiration for a team of Filipino artists who have made watercolour paintings using dirty water pigments.
    As part of a social awareness project by advertising agency TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno, nine artists were commissioned to paint images using pigments taken from six contaminated rivers in the Philippine capital.
    Sediments were extracted from the river water to produce dark, earthy pigments that were sterilized to avoid bacterial contamination.
    Each painting depicted everyday scenes found along Manila's riverside, from children taking a dip in polluted water to people taking shelter under a bridge.
    Artists took careful attention to using watercolour as a tricky medium and the challenges of using an unconventional pigments.
    "At first it was difficult because it was the first time I experienced using dirty pigments, and second was the smell. Although the pigments have already been decontaminated, the smell of the sludge was still present, so that was a big challenge for us artists," said JC Vargas, one of the artists.
    It took the team six months to mount the exhibit they called "Dirty Watercolor" at a mall in Manila.
    The project aimed to promote awareness of environmental degradation and the condition of people living near polluted tributaries.
    "The common element in all these paintings is that we portray mostly the children and the families that live along the Pasig River, so that quality of showing that the people who enjoy the water and at the same time not aware of that danger of swimming in polluted water should make us aware on the need to keep the Pasig alive," said Cid Reyes, the curator.
    The watercolour paintings fetch a price between 40,000 pesos to 120,000 pesos ($851-$2600), with proceeds going to a local charity fund in charge of rehabilitating the polluted rivers.
    Pasig River is one of Manila's longest river and was considered as "environmentally dead" by ecologists due to its highly polluted water content.
    The Philippine government and several non-government organisations have been trying to clean-up Manila's polluted rivers since the 90s, but has seen little development.
    Environment activists said poor law enforcement on garbage segregation and environmental protection were the reasons for waste problems in the Philippines.
    The National Solid Waste Commission said on its website that close to 9,000 tonnes of garbage is collected in Manila daily.
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