Seamo Innotech, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for ICT in Education, unveiled its own art space, the White Room Gallery, with an inaugural exhibit entitled “Ugma: Ugnayan ng Sining at Teknolohiya” (Art and Technology: A Convergence). The exhibit features works of an artist collective called the Innotech 13 Artists. The White Room Gallery, as Innotech Centre Director and former Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones emphasized, aims to bring to the fore the rich and productive relationship between Art and Technology. The accord between ‘arete’ and ‘techne’ goes back a long way to Greece-Roman Classicism where the overriding concern of the relationship is to bring out the best for humankind. Innotech Centre Director Leonor Briones, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and White Room Gallery Artistic Curator Professor Rubén Defeo during the ribbon cutting ceremony
In her message, Director Briones said, “One of the very important thrusts of Seamo Innotech is that technology, science, and the humanities cannot be separated. Even as there are so many wondrous things happening and evolving in technology, we must not forget that we are Filipinos, we must not forget our culture, we must not forget that we are humans.” As the guest of Honor, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte praised the initiative of Innotech to open its own art gallery. “I was very excited to come here today because for a very long time, I have not been invited to any openings of cultural and artistic exhibitions. Pero ngayon natutuwa ako na dumarami na ang exhibitions na nagbubukas sa ating lungsod (But now, I am happy that exhibitions are now opening up in our city),” Belmonte said. The “Ugma: Ugnayan ng Sining at Teknolohiya” opening show was packed with guests and art connoisseurs.
Among the other guests who graced the launch were Tingog Partylist Rep. Jude Acidre, Department of Education Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban, Former Philippine Ambassador to Germany Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek and advertising executive Vincent Pozon. Innotech Centre Director Leonor Briones, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, other guests and the “INNOTECH 13 Artists.”
The Innotech 13, composed of emerging artists are Ramon Arsenio Acevedo, Hoche Magtolis Briones, Ryan Alison Cua, Denes Dasco, Joy Dasco, Jes Evangelista, Karen Fabie-Concepcion, Reymar Gacutan, Carmela Geisart, Jay Lozada, Nesty Angeles Ortiz, Byron Valenzuela, and Jefferson Villacruz headed by its Artistic Curator Professor Ruben Defeo of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts. Most of them are members of ArtVocacy, an organization committed to uplift the quality of life of the underprivileged, especially the differently-abled and underserved indigenous children across the Philippines. The White Room Gallery is open to public viewing every Tuesday to Friday at 9 to 5 p.m. It is located at the International House of SEAMEO INNOTECH in Diliman, Quezon City. The current exhibit “Ugma” will be on display until Sept. 4, 2023.