Works of the Dimasalang group on exhibit at National Museum

In a dilapidated apartment in Sampaloc, Manila in the 1960s, a group of diverse artists came together, named themselves after one of Rizal's pseudonyms and turned a painterly eye on Manila, creating Impressionist landscapes of the city.

The Dimasalang group's style of painting captured life in downtown Manila, particularly Binondo. “Much of the old architecture, the character of the city was fast disappearing, so we decided to focus on them as part of a reminder of what it looked like,” said Sofronio Y. Mendoza and Romulo Galicano, two of the group's surviving members.

The group also included the late Emilio “Abe” Aguilar Cruz, Ibarra de la Rosa and Andres “Andy” Cristobal Cruz. The fact that the group included writers distinguished Dimasalang from other artists’ groups, as the members told stories, debated, painted, drank and ate together.

The artists captured Manila after the Second World War, when the city enjoyed an era of relative peace and affluence. The paintings will give older Manilans a nostalgic journey into the past, and give younger Filipinos a glimpse into what life was like in the city decades ago. The exhibit will also feature the artists’ paint boxes, palettes, and other tools they used for al fresco painting.

The exhibit is a joint effort of the National Museum and the LJC Group of Restaurants, which was founded by Abe Cruz's son. The exhibit is on view until July. — BM, GMA News