Homegrown artist RJ Lacson will unveil an art installation depicting 40 years of the world-renowned MassKara Festival on the night of October 6 at the fountain area of the Bacolod Government Center.

Dubbed “The Ruby Edition: Looking back and moving forward”, the installation will be “a series of statements in the 40 years of the festival that has tried to define what MassKara is.”

This year’s festivity, themed “Bacolod, City of Smiles”, will run from October 7 – 27.

Lacson described the masterpiece as “an anniversary-themed tableau presented as a zeitgeist of the moment in creativity and aesthetics inspired from 40 years of the MassKara Festival seen from the native of the city’s point of view”.

The Bacoleño photographer, filmmaker, and production designer shared that he worked on the idea to meet the challenge of coming up with a fountain installation that would “best showcase a celebration of history and today”.

The artwork will feature three dancers in different actions, wearing costumes that are a mix of haute couture and seasoned patterns and designs. They represent the street dance, which is one of the highlights of the festival.

“It will give a glimpse on how the festival, for the past 40 years, has showcased different artists and choreographers that gave the festival its sensibilities and uniqueness,” Lacson said.

One of the most anticipated events of the festival, this year’s street and arena dance competitions will be held on October 26 & 27.

A total of 11 schools, including seven in the elementary category and four in high school, will compete on the first day, which is a Saturday.

On Sunday, the barangay competition will feature 14 villages, including defending champion Barangay Tangub.

The MassKara organizing team is headed by festival director Eli Francis Tajanlangit, with Councilor Israel Salanga, assistant festival director for festival sites; and Rudy Reveche, chair of the street and arena dance competition.

Aside from Lacson, the young creative team is comprised of Ryan Saez, director of Electric MassKara; Sonny Cabahug, pageant director of the Search for the Ruby MassKara Queen; digital artist Mark Lester Jarmin, who created the 2019 festival logo; and filmmaker Claudia Diaz-Cojuangco, who is doing a documentary on the MassKara dancers. (PNA)