A self-taught artist won first place at the National Sculpture Competition led by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cavite City Government on Monday, Sept. 25.&nbsp;
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The winning piece titled &ldquo;We The Fire&rdquo; was sculpted by Patrick M. Agluba, commonly known through his artist name, Miranda Patrick.
According to Agluba, it was inspired by the bible verse 1 Peter, which states, 'Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire.&rsquo;
&ldquo;Ginawan ko po ng sariling kong story na related po sa verse na [...] tayo ay parang apoy na kumalat sa lupa na may dalang pagkasira ngunit tayo din naman ay maaaring pagmulan ng liwanag o pag-asa,&rdquo; Agluba said in an interview with DZRH on Wednesday, Sept. 27.&nbsp;
He added that the artwork was also related to every problem an individual faces, &ldquo;[Sa] hindi sinasadyang pagkakataon, tayo po ay nauupos at napapagod. Ngunit hanggat tayo ay may baga, maaaring mag-alab muli ang [ating] puso na bumangong muli.&rdquo;
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Humble beginning
Agluba shared that he began sculpting as a hobby five years ago.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Nag-try po ako mag-sculpt [noong] 2018 [as a] hobby lang dahil gusto ko magkaroon ng action figure na hindi ko mabili kaya sinubukan ko pong mag-aral,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
The 27-year-old sculptor, however, conceded that he did not focus on sculpting since he was preoccupied with work. But during the height of the pandemic, Agluba spent his free time binge-watching online tutorials.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Dahil nasa bahay lang, mas marami po akong time para makapag-aral. Nagtanong [ako] sa mga ibang sculptors about materials at nanood ng mga online tutorials,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
Facing challenges
Prior to the sculpting competition, Agluba noted his challenge: planning to woo the judges into inspiring them with his artwork. But he also expressed his worries over the piece&rsquo;s process since the epoxy clay and resin materials proved to be a daunting medium.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Ang pangunahin challenge lang po siguro yung medium mismo mahirap siyang gamitin. Kailangan siyang bantayan para hindi mawala sa porma,&rdquo; the sculptor said.&nbsp;
Agluba recognized that challenges were part of an artist&rsquo;s journey, but perseverance comes a long way. Since 2021, Agluba has been joining exhibits using his own concepts.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Tiwala lang sa sariling gawa at maging masaya sa kung anung kaya nating gawin sa ngayon. Pero [dapat] laging bukas sa mga bagong posibilidad ng pagkatuto at hindi mawalan ng pag-asa,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;

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Self-taught artist wins National Sculpture Competition