FEATURED ARTIST: Fernando Zobel de Ayala y Montojo , Painter and Businessman

Fernando Zobel de Ayala y Montojo (1924–1984) was a Hispano-Filipino businessman, patron of the arts and one of the greatest Filipino painters. he was a member of the prominent Zobel de Ayala family of the Philippines.

Zobel was born on August 27, 1924. He was the youngest child of Enrique Zobel de Ayala and Fermina Montojo de Torrontegui. His siblings were Matilden, Gloria, and Consuelo. His half siblings were Jacobo, Alfonso and Mercedes.

After early studies in Madrid and Switzerland, he attended the Brent International School in Baguio between 1936 and 1941. He started medical studies at the University of Santo Tomas but his education was interrupted by the eruption of World War II. Because of health problems he spent a year recuperating in bed. At 18 young Zobel started to sketch caricatures, landscapes and doodles of his own fancy. He would sometimes sketch postcards which he sent by mail to his friends and family. After the war his family encouraged him to pursue studies in business management, although he inclined more to the humanities.

He continued his undergraduate studies at Harvard University, where he majored in history and literature, graduating magna cum laude in 1949. During his Harvard sojourn he was greatly impressed by the art of calligraphy. He also studies the works of Reed Champion, James Pfeufer, and Hyman Bloom. He began experimenting with all kinds of techniques, including oils, watercolors and serigraphy. His artistic inclinations were influenced by both his mother and father who were both amateur painters. His father Don Enrique was a lover of art and culture and was the benefactor and patron of young Fernando Amorsolo, sending him to Spain to study at the Academia de San Fernando de Bellas Artes. In gratitude Amorsolo taught young Zobel the basics of painting.

When Zobel came back to the Philippine in the 1950s, he befriended fellow artists who were interested in the then emergent field of modern art, helping set the stage for the Philippine modernist movement. He not only experimented painting that way, he also collected modernist art.


Artistic Career

He held his first solo exhibition at the Philippine Art Gallery in 1952. His first works were characterized by lush colors and quick energetic lines depicting Philippine landscapes and folklore. His entrance in the Philippine art world stimulated the scene. While pursuing his artistic concerns he actively participated in the family's business for 10 years, working at the personnel department of Ayala Corporation.

In 1953 he started shifting to abstraction. It was a period of crisis for him, as he was trying to satisfy the demands of business life while seeking out new artistic avenues. In 1954 he left Manila and entered the prestigious American art school, Rhode Island School of Design. There he discovered the works of Mark Rothko which was to illuminate his artistic enterprise.

When he returned to Manila he followed up his abstract direction with studies on Chinese and Japanese art. In 1960 he decided to move to Spain and resigned from Ayala y Cia.

His first major series was called "Saetas". "Subtle, subdued, and understated" were the words used to describe his paintings. His Saeta paintings which was described as "brief, acidic and highly emotional" (Reyes 1989). His "Serie Negra" experimented with using black as its only color. He wrote: "After almost two years, I realized that use of color was quite arbitrary, not to say merely decorative. Any combination of two colors, provided that it had certain vibration to it, could be useful to me. I think that, in a work of art, anything that fails to prove necessary is superfluous and can even distract, weaken and hinder. Little by little, I eliminated color to work like black strokes on a white background."

In 1963 he ventured back into color, but this time not to use it to depict descriptive details but only for its emotional depiction of the most essential element of the subject. His last major project was called "Dialogos" in which he visited museums all over Europe to look at classic paintings which he would later transform into its abstract qualities.

In 1963 he also published his landmark book, Philippine Religious Imagery and many articles on Philippine colonial art in journals like Philippine Studies. He also reviewed books on numismatics and religious images. Scholar Bentio Legarda, Jr writes that these studies of "churches and Philippine religious imagery was part of Zobel's search for the elusive 'Filipino artistic expression.'"

He became the director of the Ateneo Art Gallery. He was its true patron and advocate. He donated his personal art collection to his alma mater, thus establishing the first and finest modern art gallery of the Philippines. In recognition of his role as a arts advocate, he was conferred a doctorate in humanites by the Ateneo de Manila Univeristy. Art critic Purita Kalaw-Ledesma observed that Zobel "lifted the vision [of Filipino artists] from the purely parochial to the international level."

He became a lifelong friend of fellow modernist painters Lee Aguinaldo and Arturo Luz. He was fabled for his generosity, donation scholarships, books, art materials and gifts to encourage the abstract and modernist movement. He found artistic inspiration in the town of Cuenca, Spain, in a house set high on a cliff, which he would fill with modernist art. Eventually this would become the first museum of abstract art in all of Spain. Such was its renown that Alfred Barr, the first director of New York's fabled Museum of Modern Art would describe it as the most beautiful museum that he had ever seen. In 1983 in recognition of his promotion of Spanish contemporary art, King Juan Carlos I conferred on him the Medalla de Oro al Merito en las Bellas Artes. He was later elected to the elite Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid.

He died in Rome on June 2, 1984 and was buried in his beloved town of Cuenca, on its highest point with a view of Jucar River.


Awards from the Art Association of the PHilippines:
first prize for Carroza in 1953
second prize for Number 344 in 1960
first prize for Painting in 1962


Fernando Zobel de Ayala y Montojo , Painter and Businessman
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FEATURED ARTIST: Fil Dela Cruz, Filipino Painter and Printmaker

Fil dela Cruz (22 November 1950- ) is a Philippine painter and printmaker known for his finely detailed works showing indigenous peoples in mezzotint, a printing technique in which different gradations of black tones are shown.

He majored in Advertising Arts at the University of Santo Tomas College of Architecture and Fine Arts. He went to the Art Students' League in New York for further studies, finishing in 1983. He studied printmaking techniques at a 1992 lithography workshop in Paris, France.

Some of his Achievements:
First Prize, Graphic Arts Category, National Commission for Culture and the ArtsThird Biennial Arts Competition (1998)
President, Philippine Association of Printmakers (1995)
Senior Lecturer, College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1992-95
Philippine Representative to the Republic of Namibia, Global Print Portfolio (1992)
Thirteen Artists Awardee, Cultural Center of the Philippines (1992)
Best Entry - Light Foundation Art Competition (1989, 1990)
Second Prize - Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) - Rotary Open Art Competition (1986)
Honorable Mention - Art Association of the Philippines - Rotary Open Art Competition Graphic Art Experimental Category (1986)
Outstanding Bulakeño in the Field of Arts (1985)
Grand Prize - 36th Annual Art Competition - Art Association of the Philippines (1983)
Finalist, First International Biennial for Print, Republic of China (1982)
Grand Prize - 35th Annual Art Competition - Art Association of the Philippines (1981)
Gold Medal - 34th Annual Art Competition - Art Association of the Philippines (1980)
Grand Prize - Bancom Graphic Arts Competition1975
Honorable Mention - Rotary Club On-the-Spot Watercolor Painting Contest (1974)
Benavidez Awardee - University of Santo Tomas, College of Architecture and Fine Arts 1973
First Prize - Graphic Arts Competition, UST, Annual Students' Art Competition (1973)
First Honorable Mention - Photography Contest, UST, Annual Students' Art Competition (1973)
First Prize - YMCA 19th Annual Students' Art Competition of the Philippines (1971)


Some of his Exhibits
Tribute kay Inang, Casa Victoria, Newark Ave., New Jersey, U.S.A (1998)
Larawaginip, Lopez Memorial Museum (1992)
Oil on Wood and Mezzotint, Galerie Lafayette , Paris, France (1992)
Paintings and Prints, Jupiter Art House (1991)
Painting: Mezzotint, Museo Iloilo (1991)
Wood Nymph, Ayala Museum (1988)
Painted Dreams I, Ayala Museum (1987)
Painted Dreams II, Lopez Museum (1987)
Goddess of the South and Other Painted Dreams, Cultural Center of the Philippines (1986)
Mezzotint, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (1983)
Pasimula, Philippine Consulate, New York, U.S.A. (1983)
Mezzotint, Hiraya Gallery, Manila, Philippines (1982)
Mga Pinakabagong Likha, City Gallery, Manila (1981)


Fil Dela Cruz - Filipino Painter and Printmaker
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Directory of Museums in the Philippines - 2010 project of The National Committee on Museums

The National Committee on Museums (NCOM) initiated a project for 2010 titled: “Directory of Museums in the Philippines."

The West Visayas Museum Association was assigned by the Committee to facilitate the collection of data and production of the directory. The directory will be launched in mid-May 2010 during the International Museum Day celebration in Cebu.

In order to make this project possible, the NCOM is requesting all museums to please submit on or before February 15, 2010 the following information:

NAME OF MUSEUM:
Local Name (Optional):
Year Established:
Type of Museum:

ADDRESSES:
City/ Municipal address:
Mailing address:
Email address:
Website:

PHONES:
Landline / Landlines:
Fax Number:
Mobile:

CURATOR/ DIRECTOR/ CONTACT PERSON:

PICTURES:
Facade
A picture of your choice collection or a picture of your choice

Please send to:

Clemente del Castillo - West Visayas Museum Association
Telefax - 034 - 732- 4194
Email - mentoydc@yahoo.com
Mobile 0905 280 66 33

Devriz De Aro - NCOM, NCCA
Telefax - 02 - 527 - 2212
Email - devrizdearo@yahoo.com

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“Ani ng Sining,” the Philippine International Arts Festival (PIAF) on February 2010

The artsphere is gearing up for yet another festive and fruitful month as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) launches “Ani ng Sining,” the Philippine International Arts Festival (PIAF) in celebration of National Arts Month per Presidential Proclamation No. 683 in 1991.

Now on its 19th year, PIAF will bring together thousands of artists from all over the country to cultivate love for the arts and preserve culture. It promises to be grand on visuals and enriching in the mind as well. As arts goes to key cities nationwide, the festival aims to instill the richness of Philippine tradition among all Filipinos. In touring the seven different art forms, it not only raises awareness but also discovers artists whose talents are left untapped due to lack of venues.

The preparations for this month-long activity, which happens in February 2010, are already underway with the various committee heads lining up seminars, workshops, exhibits, and performances.

Aptly themed “Ani ng Sining,” PIAF will assemble the best of the best as well as the raw talents with the hope of nurturing arts and culture for future generations. The seasoned artists may learn new ideas from the kids of the digital age and may see arts in a different perspective. The youth, in turn, learn from the experiences of their esteemed counterparts.

“Aquatecture” of the Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts is set to hold a multimedia and installation exhibition exploring the many uses and images of water in relation to architecture. Renowned architect Henry Yap leads the committee. Major exhibitions and seminars will tour Manila and the Visayas.

Shirley Halili-Cruz, chair of the Committee on Dance, pursues yet another program to bring dance in all its diversity to grassroots. “Sayaw Pinoy 2010: Creating Venues of Creative Interaction through Dance” links mainstream and traditional dances and provides opportunity for the dance artists to exchange ideas and expertise.

Film enthusiasts will have to block of the dates for Cinema Rehiyon by the Committee on Cinema led by Dr. Miguel Rapatan, together with Vice-Head, Teddy Co. For this PIAF, Cinema Rehiyon goes yearlong to reach out to more regions in the country. These efforts may help revitalize the film industry. Recent awards from international film festivals are proof that Philippine cinema is alive and kicking. The committee will also hold dialogues and workshops with the aim of deepening the understanding and treatment of cinema.

Taboan 2010: 2nd Philippine Writers Festival of the Committee on Literary Arts headed by Commissioner Ricardo de Ungria, PIAF Festival Director who is also the head of the Subcommission on the Arts, is probably the busiest with a long lineup of talks and fora by renowned writers. Topics range from writing critical reviews to eco literature to historical writing. The committee decides to recognize prolific writers from the Visayas region. This year, there will also be interaction with other writers from different parts of the world.

The Committee on Visual Arts led by Egai Fernandez goes to Boracay for the Philippine Visual Arts Festival (PIVAF). Sand sculpture is just one of the highlights of the festival, which also include printmaking, photography, and body painting competition. The festival looks at opening more doors to new talents and exhibiting the works of seasoned and award-winning Filipino visual artists.

Musician Joey Ayala leads the Committee on Music in staging Organik Muzik 2: Palay Bigas Kanin. Ayala and company are set to bring together traditional and contemporary music with young artists like Radioactive Sago Project and the likes of Cynthia Alexander. The committee hopes to invite 300 artists for performances and to participate in fora and talks.

Tanghal: 4th National University and College Theater by the Committee on Dramatic Arts headed by Dr. Glecy Cruz Atienza will recognize the efforts of school theater groups in nurturing theater arts among the youth. There will be theater performances, conferences, and interactions with invited international artists.

With the prospect of a surpassing the success of previous years arts festival, PIAF 2010 is set to capture one’s imagination and bring the arts to the consciousness of all Filipinos.

Also, the NCCA, headed by Chairman and DepEd Undersecretary, Dr. Vilma Labrador, and NCCA Executive Director Cecile Guidote Alvarez, has been bringing the “Ani ng Sining” celebrations to various agencies and institutions around the Philippines since 2005.

Should you need more details or have any concerns, please contact Mr. Rene Napeñas, PIAF Media Director and Head of the NCCA-Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO) at 09285081057/ 09275582656 and 527-5529, or Ms. Vanessa Marquez, PIAF Deputy Festival Manager, at 527-2209 or 09186380412. You could also call us at 527-2192 loc. 612-615 or email us at ncca.paio@gmail.com

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The MET Collection of Philippine Art

Met Museum offers a rare chance to view its outstanding Philippine art collection in the ongoing exhibit, Recollect: Revisiting the Metropolitan of Manila Collection. The show features 96 paintings, sculptures, and mixed media works that resulted in the efforts of the Museum to collect in the 1990s. Except for the two artworks that are currently on loan to other museums, the exhibit features the collection in its entirety.

The Metropolitan Museum was initially established in 1976 as a venue for temporary international art exhibitions. With the change of government in 1986, the Museum also reviewed its policies and began to place equal emphasis on the promotion of Philippine art. Two decades after its existence, and with a firm grasp of its mandate as a Philippine museum of contemporary visual arts, the Museum began building its permanent collection, relying solely on the generosity and support of Filipino artists.

Recollect shows the Met Collection as a product of its milieu, providing interesting points of reacquaintance with the issues and concerns addressed by the leading and up-and-coming contemporary Filipino artists in the last decade of the previous millenium. Whether figurative or abstract in expression, and whether preoccupied with social, personal and purely aesthetic concerns, all the works actively participated in the art discourse of their time, and because of the standard of excellence they espoused, found permanent home in the Met Museum.

Among the highlights of the Met Collection are the controversial 1995 Flor Contemplacion Portrait by Bencab (now a National Artist); the 1990 Debt by Charlie Co, a commentary on the IMF-World Bank debt situation of the country; the color-soaked Bali-inspired paintings of J. Elizalde Navarro (also subsequently declared National Artist); the original plaster cast of Three Buddha Mothers by Agnes Arellano, Pasyong Bayan by Imelda Cajipe Endaya, India at Ilustrada by Ana Fer, Yellow Exploration Lor Calma, and many more.

RECOLLECT: Revisiting the Metropolitan Museum of Manila Collection is ongoing at the Tall Galleries and Catwalk of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila until April 24, 2010.

The Met Museum is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Museum hours are from Monday to Saturday, 9am – 6pm.
For inquiries, call 523-7855 or email info@metmuseum.ph.


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Bakás: Fifty Years of Printmaking, November 26, 2009 to January 30, 2010

The Philippine Association of Printmakers (PAP) celebrates its 40th Anniversary with Bakás: Limampung Taon ng Malikhaing Paglilimbag (Fifty Years of Printmaking) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The exhibit opens on 26 November, Thursday, 5 pm at the Bulwagang Juan Luna (Main Gallery), 3/F Main Theater Building of CCP.

The art of fine printmaking has drawn the interest of local artists since the 1950s. But it was not until the 1960s that training was made available to young artists through the efforts of Manuel Rodriguez Sr.. In 1969, the PAP was formed with most of his students and himself as founding members.

Printmaking may not attract as many followers as the art of painting but it continues to sustain a constant group of committed practitioners and advocates who have established their reputation in this fine art medium. Through workshops and lectures, PAP members have encouraged veteran and young artists to explore printmaking using traditional and experimental methods. Current PAP officers conceived of this anniversary event to give recognition to artists within and outside the PAP who have supported and promoted its cause.

The exhibit begins with a brief historical overview marking highlights in printmaking practice and the growth of the PAP. The main part focuses on the different printmaking techniques done in the four basic printing methods namely serigraphy, relief, intaglio, and planographic process. In each section works by artists across decades will reveal the range of styles and creativity that can be achieved through technical variations and experimentations.

Selected works from the CCP print collection serves as the core of the exhibition. By itself, it is already a significant gathering of works. Other works are loaned from artists, institutional and private collections. Featured works include those by national artists Vicente Manansala, Cesar Legaspi, Jerry Elizalde Navarro, Arturo Luz and Bencab, and past PAP officials Adiel Arevalo, Ivy Avellana-Cosio, Brenda Fajardo, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Romulo Olazo, Pandy Aviado, Fil dela Cruz, and Raul Isidro. The exhibit will also feature artists who are not strictly practitioners in this art form but have incorporated printmaking techniques and concepts with different mediums, e.g., painting and sculpture, thus creating hybrid and mixed media works. These include Roberto Chabet, Gerry Tan, Raymundo Albano, and Fernando Modesto. Altogether, the exhibit will feature over eighty artists representing different periods, generations, and styles.

The opening will be preceded by the book launch of Manuel Rodiguez, Sr.: Into the Threshold at 4 pm in the same venue. Mr. Rodriguez will be among the honored guests during the opening event. This exhibit is organized in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Bakás: Fifty Years of Printmaking will be on view until 30 January 2010.


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Metropolitan Museum of Manila opens the exhibit SIGLA AND SIKAP: Exulting the Filipino Industry

In celebration of the Filipino’s enterprising spirit, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila opens the exhibit Sigla at Sikap: Exulting the Filipino Industry which features more than thirty Bangko Sentral artworks that capture the Filipino at work.

Sigla at Sikap celebrates the resilience of the Filipino worker –the mat weaver, the food peddler, the farmer, the vegetable seller - who have made the country’s regional economy vibrant throughout the different stages of Philippine history. As it displays works of artists, from different time periods and different persuasions, that extol the varied forms of Filipino industry, the exhibition captures the Filipino worker at his finest --diligent, patient, honest, creative, and optimistic.

Sigla at Sikap also touches on the great role that micro enterprises serve in answering unemployment in the country. The informal sector, or the unregistered businesses that operate at a low level of technology, employ about 10.5 million Filipinos, or a little more than 10% of the 92 million Filipinos. Small and medium sized enterprises, through the aid of loan-giving institutions like rural and government banks, propel a dynamic business environment in places such as remote barrios and depressed inner cities; creating occupational opportunities to communities and individuals that include housewives, out-of-school youths, and even the elderly.

In these small enterprises, women play non-traditional yet vital roles. They often multitask as owners, managers, administrators, accountants, salesmen, and/or marketers. Through the exhibit, women are publicly recognized for the challenging and pivotal roles they undertake as entrepreneurs, and for the transformative, positive, and multiplier effect they bring to their community. This recognition has been bestowed by Filipino artists to these hardworking women, silently yet powerfully, through their art. This can be seen, for example, in Jose Blanco’s magnificent Puto Bungbong or Norma Belleza’s colorful Magpuprutas, two of the artworks from the BSP Collection featured in the exhibit.

The exhibit opened on July 3 and will run until January 30, 2010 at the Galeriya Bangko Sentral of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.

As a collateral to the exhibit, the Museum will offer a bag-making workshop slated on the first half of the month of October. The workshop will employ used paper like old newspaper and magazines as the main material in the production of bags. It will run for 12 sessions with each intensive session lasting for 3 hours. The Bag-Making Workshop will be held at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila on October 6, 8, 10, 13, 15 and 17, and will be facilitated by bag expert Ms. Lulu Ocampo. The morning session is at 9-12 noon while the afternoon session will take place at 1-4 pm.

The fee for the bag-making workshop is P5,000.00 per head which is inclusive of materials. A group discount of 10% is given to groups of 5 people and also to those who register for the program on or before September 22, Tuesday. Registration entails full payment or a 50% down payment. For inquiries and enrollment to the workshop, please call the Museum’s Marketing Department at 523-0613 or 521-1517.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila. It is open from Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm.

For details about the exhibit and its collateral activities, the Museum can be reached at 523-7855 or 536-1566 through the Exhibitions and Education Programs Department. Online inquiries can be directed to info@metmuseum.ph. The Museum can be reached online at http://www.metmuseum.ph.

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Architect Lor Calma Paintings and Sculptures in exhibit form November 10, 2009 to January 10, 2010 at the Ground Floor Gallery of the Ayala Museum

After decades in the fields of architecture, and interior and furniture design, Lor Calma returns to the visual arts by exploring the limits and possibilities of metal as a medium in his new exhibition, Architect Lor Calma: Paintings & Sculptures at Ayala Museum and Greenbelt ArtPark which will open to the public on November 10, 2009.

A vanguard of Philippine architecture and interior design since the 1960s, Calma's presents a vision for stark and simple interior spaces, an integral element in the rise of modernism in Philippine art in the mid-twentieth century as seen in the works of a pure and minimalist outlook persists in the works on display. All done in 2009, the metal reliefs and sculptures are made of mild steel, black iron, and bronze using primary colors of black, white, red, and yellow. At turns hard-edged and playful, the works of Lor Calma will endure in our changing landscape.

Greenbelt ArtPark has played host to various centerpiece events celebrating world-class artistry. Architect Lor Calma: Paintings & Sculptures is part of a series of public art exhibitions organized by Greenbelt which aims to make art more accessible to the public and to generate more awareness of the works of renowned Filipino artists.

In connection to the exhibition, renowned art critic Cid Reyes will conducting a lecture on the development of Mr. Calma’s works on December 5 at 3:00PM at the Ayala Museum.

Ayala Museum is located at the corner of Makati Avenue and De la Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City. For details and inquiries on this exhibition, please call 757-7117 to 21 local 28 or 29.

Architect Lor Calma: Paintings & Sculptures runs until 10 January 2010 at the Ayala Museum and June 2010 at Greenbelt ArtPark.

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MODERN MASTERS OF FIGURATIVE INDIAN PAINTINGS AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM from November 6, 2009 to January 30, 2010

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila closes a dynamic year of international art shows with a November exhibition of Indian contemporary art, currently one of Asia’s most active. Entitled Kalpana, Sanskrit for imagination, the exhibit presents the figurative form in Indian art as seen in the last one hundred years through the works of fourteen of its best known painters, all prominent members of the art community in their country and abroad. These artists are the who’s who of Indian art: Jamini Roy, Amrita Shergil, MF Husain, KG Subramanyan, FN Souza, Krishen Khanna, Tyeb Mehta, Bhupen Khakhar, A. Ramachandran, Arpita Singh, Jogen Chowdhury, Anjolie Ela Menon, Manjit Bawa, and Arpana Caur.

The touring exhibit presents excellent quality digital reproductions of original artworks, each approved by the respective artist and/or collector and authorized to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for presentation in different international venues.

Kalpana gives a glimpse of different influences that have shaped Indian contemporary art—from local painting traditions of rural and folk art, miniaturism, mural painting, to Hindu-inspired illustrations. The exhibit also presents artworks that resulted in the synergy of Indian artistic expressions with Western art that loudly emerged in the Indian art scene during the 1950s, spurred by the seminal Progressive Artists Group of Souza, Khana and Husain.

For the Philippine leg of the Kalpana tour, the Indian works are placed in conversation with works by an equally distinguished selection of Filipino painters such as National Artists Bencab, Cesar Legaspi, Vicente Manansala, J. Elizalde Navarro and Ang Kiukok, as well as Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Nena Saguil, Malang, Galo Ocampo, Prudencio Lamarroza, Antipas Delotavo and Onib Olmedo, to reveal confluences and divergences in the modern figurative painting tradition between the two cultures. The Philippine works in the exhibit have been loaned from the excellent painting collections of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

KALPANA: 14 Figurative Painters of India in Conversation with Filipino Artists will be on view to the public beginning November 6 until January 30 at the Upper Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. It is co-presented by the Embassy of India with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the

Arts and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and India.

The Met Museum is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Museum hours are from Monday to Saturday, 9am – 6pm.
For inquiries, call 523-7855 or email info@metmuseum.ph

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FEATURED ARTIST: Ang Kiukok, Painter

Ang Kiukok was a leading Filipino painter and a National Artist for Visual Arts.

He first attained prominence in the Philippine arts scene in the 1960s with a distinct style that fused influences from cubism, surrealism and expressionism. Some classified his style as "figurative expressionism", others merely called it ugly. What could not be doubted was the violence in his imagery, a factor that slighted the commercial viability of his works until the 1980s. He favored such subjects as fighting cocks, rabid dogs, and people enraptured by rage or bound in chains. He painted multiple depictions of the crucified Christ that did not shirk from portraying the agonies normally associated with the crucifixion. When asked why he was so angry, he replied, "Why not? Open your eyes. Look around you. So much anger, sorrow, ugliness. And also madness." The intensity of his works stood in contrast to his own personality, described as "placid and affable".

It did not escape attention that many of Ang Kiukok's most violent or gruesome imagery was painted during the martial law rule of Ferdinand Marcos, though he did not build a reputation for himself as a prominent critic of the Marcos regime. In 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo named him a National Artist for Visual Arts.

He was born in Davao City, Philippines to Chinese-Filipino parents who had emigrated from Fukien on 1 March 1931. He pursued Art Studies at the University of Santo Tomas, where he was taught by Filipino art masters, most notably Vicente Manansala who was to become a lifelong friend and mentor. Upon his death from cancer on 9 May 2005, it was reported that he and fellow National Artist Fernando Amorsolo were the most widely bidded after Filipino painters in auctions. In the end, Ang Kiukok emerged not only as a critical favorite, but a commercially popular artist as well.


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So you want your painting to last forever?

by Ricky Francisco

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever" so says the poet John Keats. But permit us to disagree for a moment when it comes to paintings. More often, a painting is a joy for only a few years, maybe not even a lifetime. Paintings will crack. Their colors will fade. Their varnish will darken. And your painting, wonderful as it is, will at some point be a shadow of the beauty that it is now. The artist’s claim to immortality is, unfortunately, imperilled from the very start. Paintings are terribly fragile things. A dent here, a thumbmark there, a scratch or worse, a tear, while it is being moved can often destroy a wonderful work in a matter of seconds. And there are other factors at play, some so imperceptible that it takes years before one can see their effects. Drastic changes in relative humidity, too much light, and pollution can make your paintings crack, fade or darken. So, what can you do if you think your artwork is your bid for immortality? How can you make your paintings last to almost forever?


Here are a few practical pointers to prolong the life of your paintings:


Do prime your canvases, boards, wooden panels or other supports before you make your art on them with a coat of gesso or white latex paint
The canvas, board or wooden panel that you are painting on is a hygroscopic surface. That means that it absorbs moisture from the air. Depending on the amount of moisture in the air, it would expand or contract accordingly. The ground and paint layers are also hygroscopic. But the amount of contraction or expansion is often different from that of the canvas, board or wooden panel. The differences in the rate of expansion and contraction between the different layers cause your paintings to crack. Cracks sometimes become so severe that they form networks of cracks and cause the painting to flake and lose the paint layer over time. Some other studies point that chemical aging is accelerated by high humidity. Mold growth which damages the artwork is also spurred by high humidity. The Philippines has a very humid environment. It is of utmost importance for artists to protect their paintings against high humidity and humidity fluctuations. You will not know where they will end up. The best way for your paintings to be preserved is for you to give them a better chance from the moment you make them.

If you are using boards or wooden panels, it is best to coat at least two times the front, sides and back for better protection. Be sure to have each layer dry first before applying the succeeding layer. Each layer takes about three days at least to really dry out. If you are anticipating that you will make a lot of paintings, better start priming in order to have a good supply of good boards and panels.

If you are using canvas, the gesso is actually what makes the paint stick to the canvas as well as protect the paint from humidity seeping through the canvas. Applying several layers of gesso is like laying the foundation for your art. Be sure your foundations are stable. Apply several layers of gesso to ensure that you have a smooth and stable surface. Apply each layer only after the previous layer has dried. Apply the gesso or the primer when the artwork is already stretched over your board, wooden panel, stretcher or strainer. The gesso or primer might crack if you apply it to the canvas before you stretch it. This might cause cracks on your painting as well.


Do use a rigid support
The oldest paintings in the world are simple cave paintings – pictures made from mineral pigments on rock walls. Some of these are estimated to be at least 10,000 years old! Recent studies show that the more stable the support, the better the paintings will keep. Again this has to do with the contraction and expansion of materials due to humidity. If you are going to use a stretcher or a strainer, make sure to put a backing board behind the exposed back. This serves as a way to keep the canvas from absorbing too much moisture from behind as well as protecting your work from impact from this side when it is being moved from place to place. Remember, the more protection you put from behind – the backing board, the gesso or priming – the safer it will be for your painting. One good idea that many artists who make big works use to ensure that their canvases remain taut and do not sag is by stretching their canvas over a strainer covered with plywood or panel. This really offers good structural protection. Just remember to prime it all over with latex at least two times to ensure that the acids and aldehydes from the wood do not creep into the canvas and your painting. These substances which are in the wood and the coatings that are present in them are harmful to your paintings as well. Priming keeps them away from your works.

Some techniques are also unsuitable to flexible supports like canvas. When using heavy impastos (thick paint) or when using tempera or other brittle paints like casein paint, it is better to use wood panels, boards or masonite – just remember to prime them!


Do observe your paints and materials
Different colors of paint react differently to the environment. This is mainly because of the pigments and binders used in making them. Paint is actually pigment in a binder. For oil paints, the binder is oil. For acrylic paint, the binder is an acrylic emulsion. For watercolours and gouaches, the binder is a gum – like gum arabic. For tempera, it is often egg yolk but it could also be honey or animal glue. Most organic binders such as egg in tempera or casein in casein paint can grow molds if it does not dry fast or has absorbed too much moisture from the air. Some pigments made from organic materials like soot also can be suitable for mold growth. This is why some colors tend to grow molds than other paints.

Some pigments need a lot more oil than others. Cadmium yellows and reds have more oil in them and usually dry within five days while titanium white and ultramarine dry within a day because of their lesser oil content. The advice "fat over lean" – which means using the faster drying oils as underlayers and putting the slower drying oils has to do with the drying properties of oil paints. Using faster drying oils on top of slower drying oils will cause the paint layers to crack over time. Too much oil in the paint will lead to wrinkling or yellowing. Sometimes, an artist will put sand, sawdust, metallic objects or other things that would make the artwork convey his or her vision. Some of these materials might rust, degrade or cause the artwork to sag or tear. A good artist is as much a creator as well as technician. The artist should really take note of how his or her materials react with each other and use these observations to his or her advantage.


Do varnish your work
Varnishes aren’t just to make your paintings pretty. They are important layers that protect your painting from the damaging effects of too much light, dust, dirt, molds, high humidity and pollution. Many 18th century church paintings have darkened varnish which had protected the underlying paint over the centuries. The darkened image is really just on the varnish. The varnish can be removed to show the underlying paint layers still in good condition, and the artwork can be revarnished again. There are lots of varnish finishes now. Varnished artworks need not be glossy. They can be matte or in satin finish. Without the varnish, the paint layers will be easily damaged by the elements.


Do have it framed well
The frame is not just to highlight the beauty of your painting. If it is made properly, it serves an equally important function of providing protection to your artwork. If it is done improperly, it could spell the untimely destruction of your work. A lot of paintings and drawings have been damaged prematurely because framers have adhered them to boards with rubber cement or rugby. The intention of preventing the artwork from sagging by adhering them to a rigid support is a good intention but the method is undeniably harmful to the artwork. Rugby is very acidic. In less than a decade, the acids from the rugby would migrate to the canvas or paper and appear on the surface of the painting causing disfiguring brown spots. Over time, the brown spots will degrade the canvas or the paper and "eat through" the artwork. A good frame will provide a secure support to hang your artwork to a wall. The frame should also protect against sudden impacts and bumps. Hence it should be secure and well made. The joints should be secure. The frame should not be nailed on to the artwork. It should also have a backing that will seal off the back of the artwork to prevent too much humidity and protect against impact from behind. It should also not be directly in contact with the artwork’s surface. A spacer or barrier like a lining of felt or foam board should be provided between the artwork’s surface and the frame’s inner edges to protect the painting from being abraded when the painting is moved and carried around. The frame would also encase your artwork and protect it from direct handling, dirt, insects and pollution. Some frames could even protect against too much harmful ultraviolet light and from rapid fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity. Frames with glass offer more protection than those without, but it might cost more or it could affect the way the artwork is viewed and make the frame heavy. If you intend to transport the artwork, the glass could also break and harm your artwork. These things should also be considered. The frame is an important part of the artwork and the artist should spend time considering what frame his painting or drawing should have.


These are just a few tips which you, as an artist, could do to prolong your artwork’s lifespan. The artwork is a composite object made from many different parts that react to the environment in their own way. Collectively, how they react to the environment determines the longetivity of the work. Understanding these reactions could help one to think of ways to prolong the lifespan of the painting. Who knows, maybe with a little foresight and planning, your thing of beauty may just be your ticket to immortality. Who knows, with the right preparation, your thing of beauty might actually last to almost forever.

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Ricky Francisco is a museum worker for a private art museum and an advocate of Preventive Conservation. His interests lie on material conservation research and the documentation of artworks. He has attended trainings locally and abroad to study about what can be done to protect works of art and other cultural heritage.

Source: Philippine Art Awards website

Philippine Art Awards

Learn more about the Philippine Art Awards...

First held in 1994, the Philippine Art Awards has evolved through the years. It was initially conceived as part of the ASEAN Art Awards, where the Philippine winners competed with their counterparts from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

In 2005, after 10 years, as the ASEAN Finals bade goodbye from the regional arena, Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc., (PMPMI) decided to support and continue the Philippine competition and the Philippine Art Awards (PAA) provided the much needed arena for emerging visual artists nationwide to showcase their talents.

In 2007, PMPMI expanded the scope of the Philippine Art Awards by making it a two-tiered, bi-annual event involving four Philippine regional competitions – Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Ten equal winners were selected from each of the regional-level competition. All of the 40 regional winners moved on to compete in the national-level competition the following year.

Beginning 2009, The PAA ushers the 14th season for the competition with the inclusion of the National Museum and Asian Tigers Lane Moving & Storage as presenters together with Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. More importantly, the competition is expanded to include multi-dimensional works, more members in the pool of judges, and the conduct of art clinics during the regional launch of the competition.

After 14 seasons, almost fifteen thousand competition entries and ten ASEAN wins, Philippine Art Awards has maintained its stature as the Philippines’ most preeminent contemporary art competition and exhibition today.

Souce: Philippine Art Awards website

Philippine Art Awards - Mindanao Winners

The 10 Mindanao regional winners of the Philippine Art Awards (PAA) are:

> Michael Bauzon, Davao City, "Bombings: Man's Cruelty Again Man"
> Bryan Cabrera, Davao City, "Consumerd"
> Soliman Poonon, Bukidnon, "Cultural Identity"
> Michael Bacol, Cagayan de Oro, "A Story of Lola Basyang"
> Edgar Carreon, Davao City, "Katawan at Kaluluwa"
> Rodney Yap, Davao City, "Generations of Women: Adapting the Attempts to Proliferate"
> Jericho Vamenta, Cagayan de Oro, "Ang Paglalakbay ni Ino"
> Marcelino Necosia, Bukidnon, "Relasyon"
> Nicolas Aca, Cagayan de Oro, "People's Flower"
> Oscar Floirendo, Cagayan de Oro, "Self-Portrait, Too"

Their works will be available for viewin until December 18, 2009 at the Exhibition Gallery, 3/F in the Provincial Capitol of Misamis Oriental in Cagayan De Oro.

The 10 Mindanao winners received Php 40,000 each and will compete with 20 other winners from Metro Manila, Luzon and the Visayas region in the National Competition slated next year. All the regional works will be exhibited at the National Museum during the National Competition.