September 2024 saw a number of new and exciting exhibitions that highlighted the very best in Philippine art.
With September 2024 coming to an end, it’s time to look back at some of the latest art events that highlighted the vibrancy and breadth of Filipino creativity, including an exhibition that launched a new line-up of products with gorgeous designs by a National Artist of the Philippines.
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Sibol: Celebrating 40 Years Of Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE)
The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) —along with the guests of honor Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Hon. Eli Remolona Jr. and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States H.E. Marykay Carlson—welcomed the public to a month-long sensorial exhibition to celebrate 40 years of Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) program and welcome the competition’s exciting new chapter starting in 2025.
With the theme “Sibol” (a Filipino word for “growth”), the exhibition showcases a curated selection of winning artworks throughout the years that MBFI has conducted its MADE recognition program. As demonstrated by the growth of both the artists and the community, the MBFI believes that when art grows, we all grow.
Sibol is located on the second floor North and third floor South Galleries of The M (formerly Metropolitan Museum of Manila) in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and will run until October 19, 2024.
Filipino Artistic Growth
The second floor of the exhibition is dedicated to showing 40 MADE-winning works of various artists from previous editions of the awards, while the third floor showcased their artistic evolution through newer works. The entire exhibition is a testament to their growth, and a fascinating illustration of their ever-transforming artistic philosophies.
A stunning example was Mark Justiniani, who moved from 2D oil painting (see “Last Trip” pictured above) to sculptures—more specifically, intricate works that utilize mirrors to cast an infinite illusion, furthering the concepts they explore (such as the chilling and bleak “Online” pictured above).
“Looking back to the launch poster we released in 1984 with the tagline, ‘Artists of Today, Art Masters of Tomorrow,’ we’re thrilled to see how many of our MADE artists, from diverse generations and artistic backgrounds, have flourished and become respected figures in contemporary art,” expressed MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepeña in his speech during the launch.
“We realized that our commitment to nurturing young Filipino artists and promoting Philippine culture has borne fruit and now is the time to move towards sustainable artistic development for our young artists,” he added.
Through its annual competition, workshops, artistic development program, partnerships, and community outreach programs, MADE has consistently provided a platform for Filipino artists to express creativity, nurture artistic development, connect with peers, and contribute to the nation’s rich cultural heritage. To date, more than 200 artists have been recognized by the program.
An Immersive Look At Art
The Sibol exhibition goes beyond the traditional museum experience. With the help of its partners Samsung and the Foundation University in Dumaguete, led by Fine Arts department head and curator Ms. Sandra Palomar, the Sibol exhibition presents a curated selection of artworks within the MADE collection that is a feast for the senses.
The exhibition featured little booths or displays that engaged with one of the five senses, allowing audiences to smell, hear, and even feel them in unique ways. For instance, the piece “Last Trip” by Mark Justiniani was accompanied by an old cassette player where viewers could select from and play three experimental sound tapes that tie into the jeepney riding experience—either conceptually, aurally, or both—taking them on a more immersive journey through the streets of Manila. In another booth, guests got the chance to re-paint a Yeo Kaa artwork using a digital touch screen monitor.
Visit the Sibol Exhibition
The Sibol exhibition is open and free to the public until October 19, 2024. The galleries are open from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Tuesdays to Fridays, and 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekends.
As part of the anniversary celebration, the MBFI will also host a series of exclusive exhibit tours for MADE artists and partners, media, Metrobank employees, as well as teachers, in support of the National Teachers’ Month. Additionally, a public workshop featuring artists and creative industry leaders will be held to discuss relevant topics about Philippine art and design, in partnership with Kathâ Pilipinas.
For more information, follow facebook.com/metrobankartanddesign.
Countryside Chronicles by Bernard Vista
Pastoral snapshots of golden-hued, rural Filipino experiences abound in Bernard Vista’s latest exhibition (which also marks his return to the Manila art scene), “Countryside Chronicles.”
Born in 1968, Vista has gained widespread recognition for his warm and stylistic paintings that capture the beauty of provincial life in the Philippines, showcasing quiet, quotidian moments and magnifying them to remind viewers that there’s joy to be found in simplicity. A product of the fine arts program at the University of Santo Tomas, Vista was a member of the famous Saturday Group of artists, helmed by H.R. Ocampo—who chose him as a sponsored scholar of the group. Vista then enjoyed a long and fruitful career as a children’s book illustrator and art director of a publishing company before he went into painting full time, with successful shows at a number of prestigious galleries.
Bucolic Scenes and Memories with Dad
The pieces in Vista’s latest exhibition utilize what he calls a newer, more realistic technique, evoking a softer, painterly style that’s different from the bolder lines in his older work. Golden rice fields, quiet afternoons spent with family, and loving gestures are at the heart of Countryside Chronicles, showcasing that quintessentially Filipino warmth and hardworking spirit. Yet there’s also an edge to his pieces, with two in particular standing out as darker illustrations (“Minumurang Sibuyas” and “Minamahal na Bigas“)—ones he made to express his frustrations with the skyrocketing prices of onions and rice.
Still, love remains the centerpiece of the entire collection, tying it together with images of a father and son sharing pandesal and coffee, or going to the river to fish.
“My family is the inspiration behind this exhibit, though I also added my friends and surroundings,” explains Vista,a proud resident of Pakil, Laguna, explains in an interview with Lifestyle Asia [translated from Tagalog]. “But the biggest inspiration of this exhibition is my father. I remember him from when I was a child, when we would spend time in the rice fields [palayan], mountains [bundok], just all the times we were together. So this entire exhibit is dedicated to him.”
“Countryside Chronicles” runs until October 6, 2024 at Galerie Joaquin BGC, Upper Ground floor of One Bonifacio High Street Mall, 5th Ave. Corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For inquiries, contact +63 915 739 1549 or email [email protected].
Improvisations: National Artist Arturo Luz Proves His Art Is For All In A Rustan’s For The Arts Exhibit
Seeing the arts as a shaper of national identity, Rustan’s for the Arts offers a platform for local artists to showcase their works, be it in the visual, music, dance, or theater arts. Recently, it gathered guests to celebrate the legacy of a National Artist and key figure in Filipino neo-realism, Arturo Luz, in an exhibit titled “Improvisations by Arturo Luz.”
Arturo Luz, who received recognition as a National Artist for the Visual Arts in 1997, was a painter, sculptor, photographer, printmaker, designer. Today, he’s considered one of the most influential voices in the neo-realist movement in the local art scene. His 60-year career also included museum directing (Metropolitan Museum of Manila and Museum of Philippine Art), art directing (Design Center of the Philippines), and founding a museum (The Luz Gallery, known for featuring works of acclaimed local modernist artists like Joya, Sanso, Bencab, and himself).
Improvisations presents some of the master’s most iconic works on the fourth floor of Rustan’s Makati, and launched on September 19. His art continues to offer a screenshot of the zeitgeist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a cultural, intellectual, and artistic desire to deviate from realist and classical conventions.
Members of his family, including his granddaughter and artist Paulina Luz-Sotto, were also at the launch to speak about the collection on his behalf.
A Lasting Legacy
Staying true to Luz’s famous quote, “Art is for all,” Rustan’s and his family have breathed new life into his works, transforming them into sophisticated home pieces and merchandise that can be displayed or used by everyone.
“That’s also the reason why we came up with this exhibit,” explained Luisa Luz-Lansigan, one of the artist’s daughters, in a statement.“We wanted the people who want smaller items, more affordable ones, like the young people—to also have a piece of my dad’s work. […] I’m sure my dad is here in spirit, and is very proud of what we’ve done.”
The collection includes works from his “The Cyclist” series, which features abstracted representations of cyclists in motion; “Carnival Forms”, which shows geometric depictions of performers and scenes of celebration; and the “Anito” series, minimalist sculptures representing traditional Filipino ancestral figures.
For more updates on Rustan’s for the Arts exhibit, head to @rustansph on Facebook and Instagram or visit https://rustans.com/
Photos courtesy of the Metrobank Foundation, Inc., Galerie Joaquin, and Rustan’s (unless specified). Banner photo by Pilar Gonzalez (Pictured: “Cradle” by Jan Leeroy New, 2005).
