The exhibition features 10 new bronze sculptures by National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, together with works on loan from the BenCab Museum, all of which trace the artist’s fascination with the human figure across mediums.
Best known for his portrayals of Filipino life and identity, National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera is set to present another dimension of his artistic practice through In Honor of Form, an exhibition at Gajah Gallery Manila running from October 18 to November 22, 2026. Curated by Dannie R. Alvarez, it marks the first major presentation of BenCab’s sculptural practice, centering on 10 bronze sculptures realized in collaboration with Yogya Art Lab (YAL), the gallery’s foundry and production arm.
Developed over three years (from 2023 to 2026), the sculptures revisit some of BenCab’s most recognizable figures, giving familiar subjects a different physical presence. The linearity that characterizes his paintings is still evident in these three-dimensional figures, flowing drapery and rhythmic folds lending the bronze forms a palpable sense of movement. This time, his subjects are freed from the confines of the two-dimensional plane, occupying space in ways that incite viewers to see their contours, gestures, and expressions in a new light.
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BenCab Showcases His Sculptural Practice
BenCab’s movement between mediums has always been integral to his practice. Across his career, he has returned to familiar subjects through different materials, scales, and configurations, allowing recurring images to evolve with each iteration. His sculptural work continues this exploration of the human figure, translating the qualities of his two-dimensional works into a more tangible, spatial experience.
His engagement with sculpture also has roots in his years at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, where he studied under sculptor Anastacio Caedo. In Honor of Form offers a closer look at this facet of his practice, placing the new bronzes within the broader trajectory of an artistic career defined by a sustained curiosity about form, material, and the people who inhabit his work.
How In Honor Of Form Revisits Familiar Figures
Alongside the 10 bronze sculptures, the exhibition features a selection of works from different periods of BenCab’s career, generously loaned by the BenCab Museum. Cumulatively, these pieces offer a glimpse into the evolution of his recurring subjects, and how they’ve developed across materials and time.
With a longstanding practice of capturing Filipino identity through art, BenCab has created figures that have embedded themselves into the national consciousness. His tender portrayals of people and lived experiences continue to resonate, their intimacy and humanity finding expression in the everyday moments he chooses to preserve.
“In Honor of Form” runs from October 18 to November 22, 2026 at Gajah Gallery Manila, Unit 1B-1E, NBS Park, 125 Pioneer Street, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong.
All photos courtesy of Gajah Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
In Honor of Form is an exhibition at Gajah Gallery Manila featuring 10 bronze sculptures by National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera. Curated by Dannie R. Alvarez, it marks the first major presentation of BenCab’s sculptural practice and explores his longstanding fascination with the human figure.
In Honor of Form runs from October 18 to November 22, 2026, at Gajah Gallery Manila, Unit 1B-1E, NBS Park, 125 Pioneer Street, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong.
The exhibition features 10 bronze sculptures developed between 2023 and 2026 in collaboration with Yogya Art Lab (YAL), Gajah Gallery’s foundry and production arm. It also includes selected works from different periods of BenCab’s career, loaned by the BenCab Museum, offering a glimpse into the evolution of his recurring subjects across materials and time.
The exhibition translates the qualities of BenCab’s two-dimensional works into three-dimensional sculptures. His recognizable figures retain the linearity of his paintings, while flowing drapery and rhythmic folds lend the bronze forms a sense of movement. The sculptures allow viewers to experience familiar subjects through their contours, gestures, and expressions in a new way.
BenCab’s engagement with sculpture has roots in his years at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, where he studied under sculptor Anastacio Caedo. Throughout his career, he has revisited familiar subjects through different materials, scales, and configurations, exploring the human figure and capturing Filipino life and identity through art.
