In Memory: Sid Gomez Hildawa

"I tried to cross the river
but the current was so strong"

-This was Sid's last entry in his journal.
Sid died at 10:35 PM, March 30, 2008, Manila time.


This was part of the urgent messages I received since last night from my art community database. I was told of Sid's illness after a luncheon meeting last week and I frantically called up CCP and some friends to inquire about his condition but was told that he already left the hospital presumably to recuperate at home. Sadly, as Sid himself wrote in his journal, he could not fight the disease anymore. I was told that Sid died of complications from a rare virus that entered his body and destroyed his internal organs.

Sid Gómez Hildawa, (b. 1962) was poet, visual artist and professional architect. As an artist, he was among the recipients of the CCP Thirteen Artists Award and the British Council Fellowship for art and architecture in 1990. He participated in many group and solo exhibitions, among them the 2000 International Art Biennale of Havana Cuba, and the 2002 artist-in-residency program at Fujino, Japan. As an architect, he designed houses and offices on a freelance basis. As a writer, he was a poetry fellow to the UP National Writer's workshop in 1995 and the Iligan National Writer's workshop in 1997. He won 2nd place twice in the Philippines Free Press Literary Awards for poetry, in 2001 and 2004. Hildawa was pursuing a PhD Literature degree from the De La Salle University, after obtaining his Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing there in 2004. He was the director for the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Visual, Literary, and Media Arts Department.

Goodbye, Sid. Fly high and let go of the pain and burden of the physical world. Your creative field is now wider and your spirit will guide you to where your art will find its deepest meaning and fulfillment in the light of pure love.

Sid's body will be cremated and his wake will be at the Don Bosco Memorial Chapel in Makati City. My thanks to Angie, Noel, Chichi for some helpful information.

Sid's photograph above and his art reviews can be viewed at http://www.momahildawa.blogspot.com/