The Mayon Volcano. Photo by Mr. Carlos Esguerra.
The natural beauty and rustic charm of the Philippines is being showcased in a special photo exhibit at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin by award-winning Filipino photographer, Mr. Carlos Esguerra.
The exhibit dubbed, “Philippine Contemplative Landscape,” was opened last October 10 with a simple ceremony attended by members of the diplomatic corps and other Berlin-based expatriates, as well as members of the Filipino community.
“We invited Mr. Carlos Esguerra to hold his exhibit here at the Embassy to share his unique digital photography style with the public. They give our German and foreign friends a snapshot of the beautiful places in the Philippines that they have yet to discover and also see his creative perspective. For our fellow Filipinos, I hope these photos will not only bring back good memories of the country that they still consider home, but at the same time elicit greater appreciation of the art of photography,” Ambassador Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek said.
Mr. Esguerra described his zen-inspired photographs as “clean and uncluttered images of serene contemplative landscapes, or architecture, captured with the least number of elements, framed, and composed in simple, austere view.”
His images of the country’s most iconic places like, the Mayon Volcano, Coron, and the Banaue Rice Terraces, as well as daily life in rural areas presented a unique dreamlike appearance in colored, and black and white photographs.
Mr. Esguerra has received awards from photography competitions in the Philippines and other countries, including Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United States, where he is currently based.
He is also received the “Pamana ng Pilipino” award from the Office of the President; the “Ani ng Dangal” award in 2011 from the National Commission on Culture and the Arts; the “Dr. Jose Rizal” award from Knights of Rizal (New York chapter); and the “Distinguished Alumni” award from his alma mater, the University of the Philippines.
The exhibit is open for public viewing until October 24, Mondays to Fridays (0900H-1100H and 1300H-1600H). Interested individuals are requested to set an appointment by sending an email to culture@philippine-embassy.de.END
