Trophies often symbolize excellence, perseverance, and triumph—but beyond accolades, they are also works of art, vessels of memory, meaning, and identity.
In a special program titled “The Art of the Trophy: A Dialogue Between the Artists,” organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Visual Arts and Museum Division, artists Juan Alcazaren, Gary-Ross Pastrana, and Eric Zamuco redefined the trophy—not merely as an object of victory, but as a powerful expression of personal, cultural, and historical narratives.
Held as part of the Creative Continuum: Thirteen Artists Awards 1970–2024 exhibition, the public talk was moderated by designer Stanley Ruiz, and explored the artistic, conceptual, and socio-political dimensions behind the trophies crafted for previous editions of the CCP Thirteen Artists Awards (TAA).
🏆 The Trophy as Memory, Protest, and Personal Archive
Juan Alcazaren took a deeply personal route in designing the 2015 TAA trophy, drawing inspiration from his own 2000 TAA award by Dan Raralio. He kept the iconic nameplate slicing through the form—a signature element—while adding a personalized touch to each piece, reflecting the individuality of every awardee. “Each trophy should be as distinct as the artist it’s given to,” he shared.
For Gary-Ross Pastrana, his 2012 design was born from a simple object: a pocket survival kit. Observed being sold on the street, it sparked the idea of a trophy as an artist’s survival kit—a symbol of tools needed to persist, adapt, and create. His industrial approach transformed the award into a metaphor for resilience.
Meanwhile, Eric Zamuco’s 2018 trophy responded to darker times. Shaped like a book being forcibly bound, it referenced the rising tide of historical distortion and the brutal realities of the drug war. “It was a statement on how narratives are controlled—how truth can be suppressed,” Zamuco explained.
🎨 The Artists Behind the Forms
- Juan Alcazaren is known for his eclectic use of materials—from industrial scrap to plastic chairs—and for exploring the intersection of design, architecture, and personal memory. A former student of National Artist Napoleon Abueva, Alcazaren sees steel as a material that “writes its own shape.”
- Gary-Ross Pastrana merges poetry and process in a practice that spans sculpture, installation, performance, and writing. He examines memory and transformation through everyday objects.
- Eric Zamuco creates deeply introspective and politically charged works across sculpture, photography, and installation, often dealing with identity, dislocation, colonialism, and reclamation of space.
✨ Looking Ahead: The 2024 TAA Trophy and Awardees
This year’s 2024 CCP Thirteen Artists Awards trophy will be designed by Patricia Perez Eustaquio, a 2009 TAA awardee and multidisciplinary artist celebrated for exploring materiality, vanity, and perception through a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, drawing, and fashion.
The TAA 2024 awardees are:
Catalina Africa, Denver Garza, Russ Ligtas, Ella Mendoza, Henrielle Baltazar Pagkaliwangan, Issay Rodriguez, Luis Antonio Santos, Joshua Serafin, Jel Suarez, Tekla Tamoria, Derek Tumala, Vien Valencia, and Liv Vinluan.
📍 Experience the Legacy
“The Art of the Trophy” is part of CCP’s ongoing mission to honor artistic innovation and trace the evolving history of Philippine contemporary art through the lens of the Thirteen Artists Awards, the country’s most prestigious recognition for emerging visual artists.
While the Creative Continuum: Thirteen Artists Awards 1970–2024 exhibit concluded last May 18, 2025 at the Bulwagang Roberto Chabet, Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, its insights into art, symbolism, and legacy continue to resonate.
🔗 For more information, visit:
🌐 thirteenartists.culturalcenter.gov.ph
🌐 culturalcenter.gov.ph
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