INK Turns 20
I had two favorite books growing up and even if I can’t remember what the stories are about anymore, I can tell you exactly what my favorite pages looked like even if I haven’t seen these books in ages. Being a visual child meant I was attached to the drawings more than anything else.
So I always thought it was a cool job to be a children’s book illustrator. I never had the talent, sadly, but my three-year stint at the Ayala Museum introduced me to many artists including some that belonged to Ang INK, the super cool group of talented people that illustrate children’s books here in the Philippines.
And Ilustrador Ng Kabataan is twenty this year and they celebrated with an exhibit that opened at the ground floor of Ayala Museum in late November. Wished we could’ve been there to show you photos of the event as I hear it was really fun, but you can still visit and have a look at over 100 works featuring some of the most memorable (read: mostly award-winning) works by INKies throughout the years.
Some personal favorites below, and they just happen to be work by friends of LMT:
Sundalong Patpat by Ferdinand Doctolero
Ang Barumbadong Bus by Jo Ann Bereber-Gando
Green Clothes for the Yellow Dragon by Mariano Ching
A glimpse at the future of INK:
Check out Maurice Risulmi’s futuristic version of crowded Manila city dwellings in Sky Palaboys:
And of course, more opportunities for kids and the young at heart to fall in love with their favorite picture books all over again.
Here’s to 20 and more years of doing the noble work of firing up children’s imaginations. Ang INK’s 20 Taon Exhibit is up until January 15, 2012. Don’t miss it!
All photos shot with my HTC Rhyme.
