Feature: ‘Ciano Umok’: Bringing Arts to the Mainstream

In a quiet village in this town lies an umok, an Ilokano word which means a bird’s nest. But for one local artist here, it is where paintings and works are beautifully nestled.

“I have always wished that galleries should be open to all including the common people,” visual artist Cesar Dumo shared.

Named after his popular name Ciano, Dumo called his art gallery café ‘Ciano Umok,’ the first of its kind in the province of La Union. The gallery is easily located as it is in the heart of a small upland village of Palugsi-Limmansangan of Bauang town.

“When I was young, I did not have access to galleries despite my eagerness, mostly because these were only found in the cities, malls, and exclusive venues like museums and I had the notion that these only cater to the elite and upper classes of the society,” he quipped, adding that this has become his inspiration in putting up his gallery.

Since the gallery’s opening in April last year, visitors from La Union and nearby provinces have come to check on his works of arts to have a taste of a few must-try homemade refreshments.

“I feel good that we also cater to walk-ins from here and neighboring villages, achieving my commitment to bring arts closer to the people,” Dumo said.

He is also elated that with the influx of tourists visiting his place, additional income for the tricycle drivers and micro-small entrepreneurs within their locality are created, a little contribution he shares to his community.

In celebration of the National Arts Month celebration this February, active arts group in the province namely GUHIT Pinas – La Union chapter, KARATULA, and Arts Guild of La Union (AGLAUN) initiated an “Ani ng Sining, Alab ng Sining” exhibit at Ciano Umok recently.

Some fellow artists also display a few works for exhibit at the ‘umok.’

“It feels great to host activities of fellow artists and be with art enthusiasts,” said Dumo.

He furthered likened artists like himself to a pagwanawanan, an Ilokano term for a watchtower “which lights or guides fishermen or those who are lost at the sea, so we must lead in guiding the people towards advocating and preserving culture and arts”.

With so much optimism of the arts industry in the province, he shared his high hopes that “like Bauang, more local government units will support local artists especially that La Union is a haven of artists, by providing them exposure.”

When asked why most of his subjects are about the environment, Dumo, a boy who lived all his life in a rural area, said it is because of his deep concern on issues like mining, illegal logging, development at the expense of environment, among others.

“I find the paintings very vivid and the messages meaningful,” Shine Bautista, a Grade 11 student said after viewing the artworks in the gallery.

She added: “It also feels good that there is a place like this near our place. I will definitely recommend to my friends to come and visit.”

Later, Dumo intends to expand his arts hub with the construction of an additional gallery, a small function hall, and a mini museum wherein farm and fishing tools will be exhibited.

In April, he will be conducting arts workshops for the youth.

Like the ‘siwsiw-it’, a small bird with good, shiny feathers, cheerfully tweeting on its nest, Dumo will continue to promote and advance arts appreciation in the mainstream and there is no better way to start it than through his own Ciano Umok.