Russ Ligtas is a visual artist exploring possibilities in painting, installation, performance art and Butoh. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines in Cebu with a major in Painting. He is a member of Cebu’s only performance art group XO? while individually practicing performance art and Butoh in Cebu and around the country. His performances involve character design, found poetry, costuming, film, experimental sound, and improvised movement. He is a member of the international art association The Academy of Everything is Possible based in Dublin, Ireland, an association that promotes art for spiritual illumination. He is also a member of the open organization of Visual Artists PUSOD INC. as well as the PINTOR KULAPOL Art Group. Russ is also a writer of Cebuano and English poetry as well as other forms of the written word and is a member of BATHALAD INC. He is also a contributing editor and illustrator to ZEE Lifestyle Magazine. Russ is a direct action volunteer for GreenPeace International and is an advocate for the environment. He currently resides in the island of Cebu, the Philippines.
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Selected Workshops:
Iligan National Writers Workshop, 2009
CPSPO DOST & UPVCC Design Process Workshop, 2005
Cornelio Faigao Memorial Annual Writing Workshop, 2005, 2007
University of the Philippines Vis-Min Creative Writing Workshop, 2004
8th Visayas Islands Visual Artists Exhibit and Conference, 2004
The Philippine Center of the International PEN (Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists, Fellow, University of the Philippines Mugna Creative Writing Workshop, 2010
Selected Exhibitions:
8th Visayas Islands Visual Arts Exhibition, Novemeber 2004
CAUTION (solo exhibition)Crossroads, March 2007
Intersecting Here (with Patricia Mendoza and Ariel Yamba), UPVCC Gallery, March 2006
RED (with Patricia Mendoza), Mooon Gallery, February 2006
Kabakaba ba ka (group exhibit), Kahayag Cafe, October 2005
Lachryma (performance), Crossroads, May 2007
La Puta Libertad (performance), Crossroads, June 2007
Today Today Today, Now Now Now, the luxury of everything is possible-
and the price of knowledge (solo exhibition), Gamayng Gallery, September 2008
A Thousand and One Tongues (with Bambi Beltran), Gallery Q, May 2009
Appendices (with Patricia Mendoza), Gamayng Gallery, October 2009
One Visayas, Capiz, Iloilo, March 2010
Russ/Raz (performance show with Razcel Salvarita), Luce Auditorium, July 2010
Rocking the Mouth’s Cradle (solo exhibition), 856 G Gallery, August 2010
Come Together (group exhibit), Lab-as Gallery, September 2010
Alampat-Искусство (Iskusstvo): Art in 2 Languages (Russia – Cebu Exhibit) Cebu International Convention Center CICC, October 2010
Pintor Kulapol (group exhibit), Gamayng Gallery, November 2010
Agi (Visayas Biennale), Museo Sugbo, November 2010
Agi-anan (Visayas Biennale), Museo Sugbo, November 2010
Art Traviata (group exhibit), Alternative Contemporary Art Studio, November 2010
Am, but and other uncertainties (Butoh show), December 2010
Rocking the Mouth’s Cradle (solo exhibition), Alternative Contemporary Art Studio, December 2010
CEB-MNL: An Exhibition, Ateneo de Manila University, March 2011
Contemporary Cebu, Picasso Boutique Hotel, June 2011
