‘Ukkil and Sutla’ exhibit hopes to rekindle interest in Mindanao art

Clothweaving, metal crafts, decorative woodworking, jewelry making and painting are all part of Mindanao's rich cultural history.

For writer and director Floy Quintos, traditional Mindanao textile-making is among the best in the world, with clothweavers in the 19th and early 20th centuries producing such fine and exquisite work that it is almost impossible to believe these were handwoven because of their precision.

Quintos is one of several art collectors who have lent their unique pieces to the University of the Philippines' Vargas Museum for its exhibit celebrating the Eid’l Fitr festival, which marked the end of Ramadan, the Muslim season of fasting.

Quintos likewise curated the exhibit along with UP Vargas Museum director Patrick Flores.

The exhibit, “Ukkil and Sutla,” is on display until August 30. It was organized by the museum together with the Magbassa Kita Foundation.

Quintos explained that the term “ukkil” or “okil” refers to two things: the art of sculpting or carving, or “ukkilan,” and a curvilinear design similar to foliage. “Sutla” refers to the silk used weaving.

Some of the pieces on loan are from the collections of National Artist for the Visual Arts Abdulmari Asia Imao, the family of the late National Artist for Dance Ramon Obusan, the Rasul family, and the Quintos family, as well as pieces from the Vargas Museum collection.

The exhibit features intricately designed traditional Muslim house posts, delicate fabrics that are over a hundred years old, royal paraphernalia, and paintings and sculptures of great Muslim artists.

It also includes a section in the museum library containing publications that deal with Muslim history, arts, and politics.

Among the pieces Quintos lent to the exhibit are traditional Mindanao fabrics that took him years to gather: weaves from the Maranao, Maguindanao, Yakan, and Tausug peoples, each with a distinct design, technique, and purpose.

For instance, said Quintos, Maguindanao people are fond of plaid designs, adding that “each family is supposed to have a specific design of plaid.”

On the other hand, the Maranaos are fond of brightly colored designs, he said.

Quintos said even though he is a longtime collector of Muslim fabrics, he is still learning new information about these traditions, such as how pieces of clothing are worn, what dyes are used, and the types of weaving employed. — BM, GMA News

"Ukkil and Sutla" is on exhibit at UP Vargas Museum until August 30.