For their Basic Anthropology course, ID 117 Arts Management invited renowned calligrapher Taipan Lucero, whose works “[celebrate] Maharlikan heritage through art and design.” Lucero’s seminar “CalligraFilipino” seminar showcased new techniques and modern twists to the Baybayin practice.
According to his official website, “My advocacy is CalligraFilipino; a portmanteau of Calligraphy and Filipino. It is a term I coined for my self-developed style of Baybayin fine art calligraphy that draws influence from elements of Filipino culture such as our ancestors’ royal garbs, jewelry, the Maranao’s Okir, the Pintados.”
“CalligraFilipino is a movement towards strengthening Filipino identity in a globally homogenizing world. Join me in my journey as we showcase the beauty of traditional Filipino culture through CalligraFilipino,” the website added.
Held at 6/F BlackBox Theater, School of Design and Arts (SDA) yesterday, Nov. 26, CalligraFilipino celebrated the heritage, culture, and artistry of the country’s ancestors.
Featuring his creative innovation on ancient Filipino scriptures, Lucero worked as a freelance designer in Japan. With inspiration rooted from doing Japanese Calligraphy, he then decided to make his own practice and went back to the Philippines.
With no formal rules or strictness in Baybayin writing, Lucero shared that the practice can be open to different artistic interpretations; using various techniques contributed in improving its artistry.
Although his style of strokes on writing are usually for aesthetic purposes, the ancient writing is flexible for modernization.
“Some of my letters look very different from the original,” Lucero, a Visual Communication cum laude from University of the Philippines-Diliman cum laude, said.
In addition, he also told the audience,”There’s nothing wrong with loving other cultures but I think we should also show love to our own,” emphasizing that it is our responsibility to recognize and appreciate Baybayin writings that have stood the test of time and continue to define the intelligence and talent of our ancestors.
From discussing CalligraFilipino rules to Baybayin writing steps, Lucero also utilized worksheets and handouts for actual application.
Lucero’s talk emphasized the beauty of ancient Filipino writings. Through reviving Baybayin in calligraphy form, one’s expression of love and respect towards the culture strengthens appreciation for Filipino history.
