Dimasalang III International Artist Group exhibition, Kalayaan (freedom), is on until July 4 at the Surrey Arts Centre. Dimasalang founder Sofronio Ylanan Mendoza, known by Sym, leads the display.

Sandie Gillis, author of Sym – The Power of Life and Struggle, volunteers for the Dimasalang International Artists Group and organized the event.

An inspirational history

The original Dimasalang International Artists Group.| Photo courtesy of Sandie Gillis.

In 1968 in Manilla, Sym founded the first Dimasalang group.

“He was a student at the time, and he lived on a street called Dimasalang,” Gillis explains. “Our national hero was Jose Rizal. He was a doctor, but he was also a writer and a freedom fighter who wrote books inciting change in the Philippines while occupied by the Spaniards.”

Using the pen name Dimasalang on occasion, Jose, who died in 1896, helped to inspire Sym for what would become the Dimasalang International Artists Group.

The Dimasalang I was the first rendition of the group, made up of Sym, Abe Cruz, Andy Cristobal Cruz, Ibarra de la Rosa and Romulo Galicano. It was a group of Sym’s students who then formed Dimasalang II.

In 1981, Sym moved his wife and seven children to Vancouver. “Here he taught art, and he continued to form Dimasalang III, which is what is here in Vancouver today,” says Gillis.

Made up of Filipino-Canadian artists, Dimasalang III now is referred to as the Canadian Dimasalang.

International success

Edgardo Lantin, an accomplished artist and a contributing member of the Dimasalang group, is a proud student of Sym’s, and considers Sym his mentor. Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Federation of Canadian Artists, Lantin claims his artwork has greatly benefited from his involvement in the Dimasalang, and that their group discussions about significant master artists have influenced him.

“As a professional artist, I have now emulated the works of the great masters and am drawn to pursue a standard in line with the great ones,” says Lantin.

Living up to the name

“All of the Dimasalang artists are very proud to be called Dimasalang,” says Gillis. “They know the history, and they know what the group in the Philippines started. And they want to continue to be a part of that brand name.”

The Dimasalang group is not only making an impact in the world of art, but also in Canada’s overall diversity and multiculturalism.

“With this, we would like to be an inspiration to the population of Filipinos. If we do good work and make good art, it makes them proud,” says Gillis, “And I think that’s one of the goals that our group is looking to achieve.”

As a proud member of the Dimasalang, Edgardo Lantin shares this goal with the group.

“I believe that the highest culture in our society is art, seen through various forms. With the diversity of the people who live in Vancouver, we hope and intend to showcase and share our traditions and culture through arts. I believe that by sharing knowledge, success will follow.”

Kalayaan will not only expose the group’s artwork to the public, but also continue to strengthen art culture and diversity in Vancouver.

“One of our mandates is to increase the exposure of modern art in Vancouver,” Gillis adds. “We just want the public to enjoy art, because we believe that art is life.”

The Kalayaan is being held at the Surrey Arts Centre until July 4.
For more information visit:
www.dimasalang.org and www.edgardolantin.com