A Philstar arts roundup highlights a retrospective of National Artist Larry Alcala’s works, a Hallyu festival, and a two-day Philippines-Vietnam puppetry celebration. The celebration culminated on August 8 with a public Vietnamese water puppetry performance at Plaza Moriones in Fort Santiago, Manila. These events give Quezon City and Metro Manila residents accessible ways to experience Philippine cartooning history, Korean pop culture, and Vietnam’s centuries-old water puppetry tradition. The Fort Santiago performance was open to the public, making it a family-friendly cultural outing. The water puppetry performance took place at Plaza Moriones, Fort Santiago, Manila, on August 8, as part of Vietnam Cultural Days in Manila. For the Larry Alcala retrospective and Hallyu festival, check the full Philstar article for venues, dates, and admission details.
Background
Lauro “Larry” Alcala (1926–2002) was a pioneering Filipino cartoonist posthumously named National Artist for Visual Arts in 2018, known for comic strips that captured everyday Filipino life. Vietnamese water puppetry, or Múa rối nước, originated in the Red River Delta and dates back to the 11th century, tied to wet-rice farming villages. The Philippines-Vietnam event, titled “Rhythms of the Land, Puppets of the Water,” marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and was organized by the NCCA and Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Source: Philippine Star