MANILA, Philippines - The Film Artist Group mounted an art show billed “Artists as Artists Part 3,” an all-star painting exhibit, and as the title implies, it features an all-star cast.

At the usually quiet rear side of the Gateway Mall cineplexes last Wednesday, the Sining Kamalig Gallery was teeming with people from show business who came with their friends from all walks of life to see the heralded artworks of celebrities.

Former entertainment reporter and film scriptwriter and now tarp artist Glen Marcelo was impressed by the posthumous display of paintings of actor Vic Vargas, the original hunk of the celluloid screen. Two of them were lent by his love partner erstwhile runway model Rosanna Zamora.

Was Marcelo not impressed by the other artworks?

“Vargas was exceptional,” he said wryly.

Action and drama star Cesar Montano was a participant with his neo-realist painting but he had to French exit immediately after some photo-ops. Even a phone call from a dear friend at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office lotto draw on TV wasn’t answered as he was dragged away by his eldest daughter with Sunshine Cruz and a grown-up, fair-skinned male teenager who looks exactly him.

“We’re supposed to watch ‘Toy Story’,” Montano explained, the animation being shown at a nearby movie house.

One of the early birds at the venue, Cesar met Cannes Best Director Brillante "Dante" Mendoza, congratulated him and asked for a brainstorming session with him. “Mag-uusap daw kami tungkol sa isang project,” intimated Mendoza who came to see Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Maria Isabel Lopez’s artistic interpretation of the director’s award-winning film “Kinatay (The Execution of P)” on canvas.

Actress Maria Isabel Lopez explains to Director Brillante Mendoza the meaning of her artwork exhibited at "Artists as Artists Part 3." Credit: ABS-CBN News

Lopez was one of the lead stars of the bleak film. She played a Manila prostitute whose body was dismembered because of an absconded drug deal with an unscrupulous faction of the military.

Maribel’s opus is splattered with red paint to connote blood and gore, a reminder of the butchery done by executioners on sinners and dissenters of the underworld.

Brillante had just arrived from a two-week globe trotting trip from Australia to Israel where his films were given homage and competed with other noteworthy international films. One such film is that of 82nd Oscar Best Director Kathryn Bigelow at the recent Sydney International Film Festival in Sydney, Australia.

“It was an overwhelming treatment from Sydney. Grabe ang mga kababayan natin do’n. This is the first time na naranasan ko ‘yon sa isang Filipino community abroad. Very proud na ang mga Filipino sa mga pelikula ko. Many Filipinos watched ‘Lola’ and I was very happy.

“I was in a hurry. Hindi ko na nakita si Ewan McGregor at si Lucy Walker sa Sydney,” Mendoza said disappointingly.

What made Dante Mendoza’s foreign stint more memorable was his almost weeklong stay in Israel.

“Nakakatuwa sa Tel Aviv. I was given a tribute at the South Asian International Film Festival at nakaka-touch. First time ko rin ‘yon na naranasan sa lahat ng mga international film festival na pinuntahan ko.

“I was accorded honors by the Israel government. Imagine, ‘yong prime minister nila at mga sheik, pumunta sa event na ibinigay nila sa akin. Ipinasyal pa nila ako sa lahat ng mga royal offices nila. Ipinakita nila sa akin ‘yong mga bahay sa Gaza strip. Makikita mo ‘yong mga bahay ro’n, may mga underground passage at ang mga bahay, may bullet-proof na design. At hindi lang ‘yon, may naka-hang na malalapad na mortar-proof na material para pag may bomba, ligtas ang mga nasa loob,” informed Mendoza.

One-eyed soprano Josephine Gomez was intently listening at Dante’s anecdotes and was so engrossed she straightforwardly asked him afterward, “Kung kukunin mo ako Direk na artista, ano ang ibig sabihin no’n?” queried the singer.

“Siyempre, kung bagay sa ’yo ang role,” Mendoza chuckled.

Gomez then went inside the gallery to sing for the guests. Actor-painter Ernie Garcia also sang earlier, followed by painting exhibit participant Victor Wood who dished out his all-time popular ditty “Sweet Caroline.”

Actor Ernie Garcia with his painting behind him. Credit: ABS-CBN News

Wood was wearing his eternal fuchsia long-sleeved shirt on his seemingly thinning body and he was surprisingly quiet in one corner.

Enfant terrible of Philippine cinema Celso Ad Castillo has also grown thinner but the maverick in him hasn’t diminished in terms of artistic expression whether using a brush and easel or a movie camera.

Meanwhile, still voluptuous Carmi Martin breezed in quietly in a casual dress.

She was all smiles when she saw us.

“’Asan ang paintings mo?” we asked her.

“Wala pa. Ilalagay ko pa,” Carmi clarified.

Carmi finished an Interior Design course at the Philippine School of Interior Design where she learned the rigors of art making.

Miss World First Runner-up for 1973 Evangeline Pascual emceed the show with Maribel. The former was stunning in her simple embroidered shirt and skirt.

Pascual’s art pieces are as womanly as her, their daintiness magnified.

Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino member Mario A. Hernando observed that Ruby Rodriguez’s paintings speak of her mischief. “Kuwela rin ang kanyang mga design,” said Hernando, an outgoing member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

Is it true Mary Grace Poe is supposed to replace Ma. Consoliza Laguardia, the current chair of the board?

“Ewan ko nga ba kung bakit may ganyang mga balita. Pero I doubt it,” Mario quipped.

Chavit Singson, who won again as Ilocos Sur governor, came in with a dazzling young lady in tow. Everybody was talking about the duo.

Actor Mike Austria, son of popular artist Tam Austria, was with a beautiful date, too.

The showbiz press community seemed all present at the event with practically all television shows and print media covering it.

The art show will run until the third of July.