Keny Pareja of Barangay Singcang-Airport was the grand champion of the inaugural MassKara Mask-Making Competition at SM City Bacolod North Wing on Saturday, October 4, leading a showcase of Bacolod’s grassroots artistic creativity and cultural pride.
Pareja’s winning piece, titled “The Crown of Legacy”, which reflected the rich history and resilient spirit of the MassKara Festival, was crafted entirely from denim scraps, a press release from Gugma Foundation said Sunday, Oct. 5.
He won a P20,000 cash prize from the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc., after spending only P4,500 on his materials.
The competition saw twenty contestants from 14 barangays transform blank MassKara mask bases into unique artworks inspired by the theme “One Smile, One City, One Heart,” utilizing paint, fabric, and recycled or indigenous materials.
The other winners were Ruben Susvilla Jr. of Barangay Estefania, who took first runner-up and a P10,000 prize, and Aldrin Pasuelme of Barangay Bata, who placed second runner-up, receiving P7,000.
Consolation prizes were also awarded to Stephen Efundo (Tangub), Vincent Samperoy (Barangay 29), Christopher John Puerta (Tangub), Marven Galea (Sum-ag), and John Ric Realizo (Barangay 11) for their outstanding work.
The event, co-presented by the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros (AAB-N) and Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc., celebrated the festival’s origin as a grassroots movement.
AAB-N President Tey Sevilleno, said it wasn’t just a contest, “It’s a tribute to the original artists who helped create MassKara 46 years ago. What we’re seeing today is a continuation of that legacy”.*
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