Award-winning visual artist Carlito Camahalan Amalla, a member of the Agusan Manobo tribe, brought the rich heritage of the Manobo community to the 2023 Silk Roads Artists’ Rendezvous – China Tour for Foreign Artists. It was a residency program that aimed to promote cultural exchange and mutual learning through art.
Amalla, the founder and leader of the Agusan Artists Association in Butuan City and the Balangay Artists Association in Manila, was invited by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government.
He joined outstanding artists from 22 countries in an extensive cultural immersion in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the home of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Amalla was given the opportunity to visit the most historical cities in the region. Included in the tour was Hangzhou, the center of the fertile rice-growing area and the site of the most important silk industries in the country. He likewise had an immersion at the prefecture-level Shaoxing and Huzhou. The former is famous for its traditional bridges, architecture, yellow wine, and textile factories while the latter is where silk, Chinese calligraphy brush pens, tea, porcelain, and wine originated.
During his stay, he produced three acrylic paintings donated to the China International Cultural Association. His works also joined those of 70 contemporary painters in an exhibit at the Chinese Art Academy Museum.
He likewise conducted a lecture on suyam, an Agusan Manobo embroidery characterized by various geometrical designs, during the program’s series of seminars and discussions.
The multifaceted artist and educator, has showcased his diverse talents globally. As a performer, puppeteer, dancer, chanter, musician, ceramist, and researcher, he has exhibited in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the USA.
Currently serving as an assistant professor at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Amalla holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and a master’s degree in Art History from the University of the Philippines.
Amalla’s contributions extend to indigenous communities’ tangible and intangible heritage, featuring in exhibitions such as Mindanao: Cartography of History, Identity and Representation at the University of London. Recognized for his outstanding leadership in culture and the arts, he received the 2020 honor in New York City and was named a Promising Young Artist by the International Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Additionally, NEDA acknowledged him as the Most Outstanding Volunteer in the Caraga Region. The NCCA and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines support his impactful work.