Sixteen colorful artworks about love filled the TSU San Isidro Campus grounds on Thursday morning (February 16) during the Chalk Art Competition titled "Let's Chalk About Love" organized by the Guidance and Counseling Unit under the Student Welfare Services.
The said competition is part of the Student Affairs and Services Week themed "Isang Linggong Pag-Ibig." This was conducted to unleash the students' creativity and encourage other students to visit the San Isidro Campus and witness the colorful artworks this love month.
“Based po sa mga activities ngayon, mas parang interested 'yung mga students sa ganito [chalk art]. Usually po kasi sa mga activities namin, spoken word poetry, 'yon, at mga TikTok challenges, eh hindi na masyadong nagjo-join 'yung mga students. Dahil nga po na-observe 'yung interests ng mga tao doon sa chalk art sa Session Road (Baguio City), 'yun din po 'yung naging inspiraion namin kaya kinonduct po namin dito,” Ms. Driny Gene Gacad-Alejo, San Isidro Campus guidance counselor, said.
Kyle Richmond Arceo's group bagged first place with their entry that is mainly focused on "Agape" or "Unconditional."
“Nakapaloob na po doon 'yung same sex [relationship], pagmamahal sa friends, sa family, lahat na po. Inincorporate po naming lahat dito 'yung creativity naming tatlo na gusto naming makita ng tao,” Arceo said.
Mr. Kenneth Leo Pamlas, one of the judges and a faculty member from the College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA), said Arceo’s group has the most vibrant color with its neat finish and white highlights.
Arceo's groupmates for this artwork are Joanna Marie Corpuz and Thomas John Apolonio.
The work of Kian Marquez, Justin Gherome Mauricio, and Carl Francis Navarro titled “Silk of Timeless Love” features two inverted scenes where a man caring for his aged mother and a woman caressing her child to sleep are enveloped in a clock. Their entry won second place.
Meanwhile, Myjo Maj Perez and her group’s work was inspired by the famous letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (Chapter 13, Verses 4 to 7).
“'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.' Lahat po ng klase ng love... sa kapatid, sa magulang, sa mga hayop, may root po sa baba dahil dito po umusbong lahat. Kaya sinisimbolo nito growth ng isa't-isa, 'yung root at heart connected sila," Perez said in an interview with the Office of Public Affairs.
Perez landed third place together with Mica Ann Morte and Alvin Tacliad.
She said the heart symbolizes its connection with the love of brotherhood, motherly love, and a woman praying at the topmost part of the art.
They also included in their artwork the love for animals or "fur babies" as well as the iconic poster of the Studio Ghibli movie "Grave of the Fireflies" where the Japanese boy, Seita, was carrying his sister Setsuko who died in their struggle to survive the World War II.
The winners are from the College of Architecture and Fine Arts.
The first placers will receive 2,000 pesos, 1,000 pesos for the second place, and 500 pesos for the third place. The other groups who did not qualify will receive 300 pesos as a consolation prize.
