Adamson Belen 2021: Radiating hope amid despair
Date Posted: December 15, 2021 at 02:20 PM
The University annually stages a Belen during Christmas for it to serve as a reminder to the community about the true message of the season and, at the same time, speak out about persistent issues in the present society.
And this year’s Belen conceptualized by the College of Architecture and the Adamson University Student Government (AUSG) is no different.
In an interview with Arki Dean Sylvester Shaun Seno, he revealed that while the festive aesthetics of the Belen reflects the celebratory mood for Christmas, words adorned around its arch are not merely designs but statements – a recap of the year that has been and a show confidence and faith for the year to come.
“It is a collaboration between [Arki] and AUSG under the leadership of its president Jason Marfori, through its form concept artist Jimmaira Angel Almohasin, digital artist Kyle Espena under my artistic direction, and Architecture AUSG representative Kim Aldrin De Los Santos,” Ar. Seno said.
Discussing the concept of the piece, he described it as an enjoyable creative collaborative design process focusing on the festive spirit of Christmas celebration, as shown by its use of vibrant colors, which then evokes a sense of optimism and hope, amid the harsh realities of the pandemic for almost two years.
“If you observe closely, the background of the actual three-dimensional images of the Holy Family in the Belen's heart, the innermost front laye, is a dark backdrop with words which emerged during this health crisis.”
Ar. Seno further specified the intricate details of this year’s Belen, this time highlighting the middle and outer layers.
“The focal point of this Belen is the Holy Family, which is the real spirit of Christmas celebration. In the end, it's goodness which still prevails, as we have displayed Filipino words in the Belen's middle layer ring such as Damayan, Pamilya, Gabay and Dasal. It is the spirit of volunteerism and altruism which strengthened the Filipino society and kept it afloat amidst these challenges like the breakup of family due to quarantine restrictions, health afflictions and economic hardships.”
The Arki Dean further discussed that the outermost ring layer, meanwhile, is lined with pink, symbolizing love, over a purple hue, that is associated with politics, power, corruption and ambition.
“It is a triumph of good versus evil, of hope versus despair, of light versus darkness, of truth versus lies,” he said.
“Finally, at the topmost portion is the parol star, which radiates over all, representing the moral compass that reminds us that we should choose deserving government leaders who will steer the country out of this economic squalor and social disintegration.”
