Seven of the most prominent museums in the Philippines is paying homage to the National Artist for Visual Arts, Fernando Amorsolo. These museums are the National Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Lopez Museum, Yuchengco Museum, The Ayala Museum, GSIS Museum and The UP Vargas Museum.
Last Saturday, me and my friend, Herlene went to my first stop at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila patroned by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines). MET as it is fondly called, is showcasing what Amorsolo is best known for - tranquil paintings and sketches of the nostalgic farm and rural life in the Philippines. The exhibit is appropriately called BayaANInanding, "Ani" which means harvest in Tagalog. It shows the overflowing reap sowed by an extraordinary filipino talent that is Amorsolo.
Fernando Amorsolo was raised in Camarines Norte but was born in Manila on May 30, 1892. He was named a National Artist in 1972 and died two years after in 1974. He graduated in the College of Fine Arts in University of the Philippines. But even before that, when he was thirteen, his family moved to Manila to reside on the house of a painter and his maternal uncle, Don Fabian Dela Rosa.He first discovered his talent for painting under the tutelage of the Don.
The central theme of Amorsolo's paintings are the sceneries and everyday life in a farm. He painted farmers planting rice, women harvesting fruits and cooking on mud pots (palayok) or just walking on a beaten track on the side of the mountain - essentially finding beauty in the most simple chores. He even have paintings on farm past times like cockfighting and sleeping on afternoon siesta breaks under a mango tree. He shows these scenes from the valleys of the Tagalog region, the heavenly scene of the Baguio mountains and the rugged terrains of Muslim south. Truly, he is a sensual and romantic painter. His paintings are endearing for its unassuming simpleness and appreciation of what we find our lives as ordinary. He does them in various medium - pen or ink in paper, oil on canvas, oil on wood and board.
Amorsolo was also an avid traveler. He takes time with his friends to visit places where he gets inspiration for his paintings. But what's the romance did Amorsolo found in such back-breaking work like farming and land tilling? A simple reason - Farming is the representation of the cycle of life itself and what can be more fascinating than life? You know the similarities are uncanny - you have to make sure that the land is properly turned over and irrigated,carefully nurturing it.You protect the crops from damaging elements. And there maybe times when crops are lost but most of the times the land is going to be bounty. Like life, you celebrate the generosity of God and earth that nurtures you back with good harvest.
As I was standing in the gallery with my friend, I wondered how many Filipinos know about Fernando Amorsolo's works. Seeing that me and my friend are only two of the six visitors that day, I would say not much. Filipinos are made to believe that art and museums are for the elite when in truth, it is mostly about the majority's experience that the artist conveys. It is the truth-seeking on the nature of a person and a heritage of a nation.It is my hope that the educators of the young today would see past beyond the stereotyping and open the eyes of the young generation to the richness of these heritage.
Unfortunately, taking of exhibit photos are not allowed inside the museum but if you want to personally see his works, you can visit MET which is just beside the Bangko Sentral in Roxas Boulevard. The exhibits will run at the seven museums until early of 2009.For more information on the date of the exhibits, click here.
My next stop is at the Ayala Museum, where Amorsolo's work about women are being exhibited. It is entitled Amorsolo’s Maidens Concealed and Revealed.
A nice trivia you might not know, Amorsolo painted the Ginebra San Miguel bottle logo that depicts Archangel Michael defeating the devil not known as Marca Demonio, he used the money to finance his studies abroad.
Last Saturday, me and my friend, Herlene went to my first stop at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila patroned by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines). MET as it is fondly called, is showcasing what Amorsolo is best known for - tranquil paintings and sketches of the nostalgic farm and rural life in the Philippines. The exhibit is appropriately called BayaANInanding, "Ani" which means harvest in Tagalog. It shows the overflowing reap sowed by an extraordinary filipino talent that is Amorsolo.
Fernando Amorsolo was raised in Camarines Norte but was born in Manila on May 30, 1892. He was named a National Artist in 1972 and died two years after in 1974. He graduated in the College of Fine Arts in University of the Philippines. But even before that, when he was thirteen, his family moved to Manila to reside on the house of a painter and his maternal uncle, Don Fabian Dela Rosa.He first discovered his talent for painting under the tutelage of the Don.
The central theme of Amorsolo's paintings are the sceneries and everyday life in a farm. He painted farmers planting rice, women harvesting fruits and cooking on mud pots (palayok) or just walking on a beaten track on the side of the mountain - essentially finding beauty in the most simple chores. He even have paintings on farm past times like cockfighting and sleeping on afternoon siesta breaks under a mango tree. He shows these scenes from the valleys of the Tagalog region, the heavenly scene of the Baguio mountains and the rugged terrains of Muslim south. Truly, he is a sensual and romantic painter. His paintings are endearing for its unassuming simpleness and appreciation of what we find our lives as ordinary. He does them in various medium - pen or ink in paper, oil on canvas, oil on wood and board.
Amorsolo was also an avid traveler. He takes time with his friends to visit places where he gets inspiration for his paintings. But what's the romance did Amorsolo found in such back-breaking work like farming and land tilling? A simple reason - Farming is the representation of the cycle of life itself and what can be more fascinating than life? You know the similarities are uncanny - you have to make sure that the land is properly turned over and irrigated,carefully nurturing it.You protect the crops from damaging elements. And there maybe times when crops are lost but most of the times the land is going to be bounty. Like life, you celebrate the generosity of God and earth that nurtures you back with good harvest.
As I was standing in the gallery with my friend, I wondered how many Filipinos know about Fernando Amorsolo's works. Seeing that me and my friend are only two of the six visitors that day, I would say not much. Filipinos are made to believe that art and museums are for the elite when in truth, it is mostly about the majority's experience that the artist conveys. It is the truth-seeking on the nature of a person and a heritage of a nation.It is my hope that the educators of the young today would see past beyond the stereotyping and open the eyes of the young generation to the richness of these heritage.
Unfortunately, taking of exhibit photos are not allowed inside the museum but if you want to personally see his works, you can visit MET which is just beside the Bangko Sentral in Roxas Boulevard. The exhibits will run at the seven museums until early of 2009.For more information on the date of the exhibits, click here.
My next stop is at the Ayala Museum, where Amorsolo's work about women are being exhibited. It is entitled Amorsolo’s Maidens Concealed and Revealed.
A nice trivia you might not know, Amorsolo painted the Ginebra San Miguel bottle logo that depicts Archangel Michael defeating the devil not known as Marca Demonio, he used the money to finance his studies abroad.
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