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Art Criticism Writing Workshop

July 16, 2024

September 14 & 28, 2024 (onsite)
PKL Center, 8th Floor, KL Tower
Facilitated by Pristine de Leon
Apply here: https://bit.ly/klfi-acww-apply
Deadline of application on August 24, 2024

Purita Kalaw-Ledesma, a pillar of Philippine art, recognized the critical role of art criticism in nurturing a vibrant art scene. Her 1955 master’s thesis referenced a pioneering art appreciation class at the Ateneo Graduate School, handled by Fernando Zóbel and Arturo Luz. Unlike in other universities, the class incorporated art criticism alongside appreciation, nurturing critical thinking alongside artistic understanding. Secondly, it demonstrably fostered future art critics, with figures like Leo Benesa and Eric Torres emerging from its ranks. 

Emulating the spirit of Zóbel & Luz’s classes, this art criticism writing workshop cultivates the necessary skills to critically examine art. Operating with a contemporary lens, the workshop enables the participants to flexibly navigate the ever-evolving landscape of art. 

This program also offers emerging writers the opportunity to be mentored by a practicing art critic, Pristine de Leon, the 2016 recipient of the PKL Prize in Art Criticism – The Philippine Star.This workshop is part of the public programming for the “Critic/ism in flux” exhibit which traces the fluctuating field of Philippine art criticism. The exhibit draws on the archives of Purita Kalaw-Ledesma and showcases works from featured contemporary artists that provoke viewers to imagine the future forms of art criticism.

About the Facilitator

Pristine L. de Leon’s art criticism practice is informed by her experience in new journalism, art scholarship, and an inclination towards creative writing. 

Since receiving the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma prize for art criticism at the Ateneo Art Awards in 2016, she has written reviews and features on visual art and theater as an art columnist in The Philippine Star. She has contributed criticism to regional platforms such as Art and Market and ArtsEquator.

Her fascination with the shape-shifting figure of the art critic led her to become part of the first Asian Arts Media Roundtable convened by ArtsEquator in Singapore in 2019 and of the Critical Ecologies | Critical Anomalies collective, an online residency hosted by Centre 42. In 2020, she was the recipient of the Emerging Writers Fellowship organized by Southeast of Now: Directions in Contemporary and Modern Art in Asia, which published her research on public art and collaboration.

Who can apply

  • Emerging art writers based in the Philippines who have published fewer than 3 essays in the past 5 years.
  • Must be able to attend the workshop in person at PKL Center, Makati.

What to submit

Interested applicants must submit the following requirements through the Google Form https://bit.ly/klfi-acww-apply

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Letter of Intent addressed to Ms. Anne Marie Ozaeta, KLFI President
  • Topic and angles/points of discussion of your planned art review
    • State your chosen exhibition that was on view from February to July 2024 that you will be writing about during the workshop. Any medium or genre within the visual arts is accessible.
    • For a fair and enriching experience for all participants, if the workshop applicant also submitted an entry for the 2024 AAA – PKL Prizes in Art Criticism, their entry cannot be used as the workshop output.

Participation

  • A selection committee, including the facilitator, will go through the applications.
  • To ensure a focused learning environment and personalized feedback, only seven (7) participants will be chosen for this workshop.
  • Accepted applicants will pay a workshop fee of ₱3,500 upon confirmation of their slot. Payment can be made via cash or bank transfer.
  • Workshop fee is fully refundable if the accepted participant cancels before September 1, 2024. After that deadline, no refund will be given unless the vacated slot can be filled up by a waitlisted applicant.
  • Workshop fee is inclusive of the following:
    • Workshop kit, including relevant essays and materials
    • Snacks and water for Sept 14, 2024 (half-day session)
    • Lunch and water for Sept 28, 2024 (full-day session)

Workshop structure

The workshop will be delivered over a three-week period, following this structure:

Week 1

  • Sept 14, 2024, 1:00-5:00 pm (Saturday): In-person lecture at the PKL Center led by Pristine de Leon.

Week 2

  • Sept 15-21, 2024: Writing period. Participants will have dedicated time to work on their art reviews (maximum of 2000 words). 
  • Sept 17, 2024 (Tuesday): Optional online consultation with Pristine de Leon.
  • Sept 21, 2024, 11:59 PM (Saturday): Deadline of writing output. Participants should submit their art review in a Word document (DOC/DOCX).

Week 3

  • Sept 22-27, 2024: Review period. Facilitator and participants will review the submitted outputs in preparation for the feedback session.
  • Sept 28, 2024, 10:00am-4:00pm (Saturday): In-person feedback session at the PKL Center. Participants will receive feedback from the facilitator. Participants will also be divided into small groups for peer review.

For inquiries, kindly email us at klfi.pklcenter@gmail.com.