NCCA pays tribute to National Artists in 'Kaarawan'

By CARMELA G. LAPEÑA, GMA News

Published January 4, 2012 2:26pm

In its birth centennial tribute to four National Artists, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts presents "Kaarawan,” an exhibit of books, photographs and memorabilia of four significant personas in Philippine art history.

National Artists featured in 'Kaarawan' exhibit Vicente Manansala (b. 22 January 1910, d. 22 August 1981) was born in Macabebe, Pampanga. He moved to Intramuros, Manila in 1914 where he worked as newsboy, caddy and bootblack at an early age to help the family. It was in Intramuros where he honed his basic artistic skills through kite-making and drawing insects. His first mentor was the painter Ramon Peralta, and later he entered the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts in 1926. He then worked as an illustrator for the Philippines Herald and Liwayway and as layout artist for Photonews and Saturday Evening News Magazine. Victorio Edades included Manansala to his list of the Thirteen Moderns, but Manansala associated himself more to the Neo-realist group headed by Hernando Ocampo. In 1945, he studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Canada through the UNESCO art fellowship, where he met Joe Plaskett who taught him the basic principles of Cubism. His training in painting was further influenced with the Cubist style at Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris by the French Cubist Fernand Ledger. He returned to the Philippines in 1951 and held his first solo exhibition. Manansala experimented in various styles throughout his career though some art historians coined the term “transparent cubism” to describe and label his prominent style. Nevertheless, his works consistently focused on the theme of poverty and other facets of Philippine culture and society. Manansala was proclaimed National Artist for Painting in 1981. Click here to know more about the National Artists.

Born in the years 1910 and 1911, Levi Celerio, Vicente Manansala, Hernando Ocampo and Carlos Quirino were geniuses whose works would become timeless.

Carlos Quirino's Remington Noiseless typewriter is on display in the Kaarawan exhibit.

The exhibit pays tribute to these artists and features books, photographs and memorabilia of Celerio, Manansala, Ocampo and Quirino. Among them is Carlos Quirino's Remington Noiseless typewriter and Manansala's easel, which embraced the canvases where his masterpieces were formed. Here, too, are objects of creative inspiration, like Ocampo's books and Celerio's violin, which is now being used by his son Cornelio. Also in the exhibit are literary works by Ocampo from the University of the Philippines Main Library, various photos of Carlos Quirino from Ricardo Quirino's collection, Manansala's painting and palette knives, watercolor mixing plates, paper clips, charcoal and Grumbacher oil from the collection of Ronna Manansala, who also uses her grandfather's original easel. The exhibit is not very large, but there is much to see and think about in the few minutes spent looking at the various bits and pieces of our National Artists' lives. Visitors may get a rare glimpse into the past through the photos, including Manansala with his mentor Joe Plaskett, Carlos Quirino receiving his National Artist Award, winning first place in the National Rifle Competition, interviewing Dr. Pio Valenzuela, and the staff of the Filipino Heritage 10 Volume Series. "These personal effects bear witness to the outset of their artistic career until the pinnacle of creating masterpieces," reads the exhibit notes. "These articles of the four National Artists are not then mere objects but the conduit of musical, literary and artistic excellence."

A photo reproduction of one of Manansala's "candle vendors."

"Without a doubt ‘yung pinaparangalan natin ngayon, they were geniuses in their fields. It is but fitting to celebrate as early as now the life passion and works of these National Artists," said NCCA director Felipe De Leon, Jr. during the exhibit opening on December 12, 2011. "Talagang kailangan malinaw sa atin ano ba ang naging contribution ng bawat isa," he said, noting that Manansala pioneered transparent cubism, and Ocampo's style is distinctly Filipino. He recounted the story of how Celerio wrote the lyrics for "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan" in a chance encounter with composer Lucio San Pedro, who had arranged the music based on a lullaby. "It had been in existence for many years without lyrics. Right then and there, sa barkong ‘yun, within the hour meron ng lyrics. Ganyan kabilis," said De Leon. "'Di tayo nagkakamali sa pagbigay ng award na ito," he said. "More important than the works itself that they produced will be the legacy and inspiration they have given us. Unfortunately ang ating kababayan ay hindi pa rin sila kilala," said Cultural Center of the Philippines President Raul Sunico. "It is good that the exhibit opening today will enable us to know these artists better. We hope that the legacy and inspiration of these National Artists will continue for all of us," he said. The pieces featured in the exhibit were lent from the artists' family archives as well as private collectors. –KG, GMA News Kaarawan runs until January 6, 2012. For more information, contact Frances Alincastre of NCCA at (632) 527-22 14 or 527-2192 loc 503 or email ncca_gallery@yahoo.com. The NCCA Gallery is located at the ground floor of NCCA Building, 633 General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila, and is open to the public on Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..

Tags: ncca, nationalartists, artexhibit