Last week before going to the DFA in Megamall for my passport renewal, Jim and I went to Ayala Museum to check out Carlos "Botong" Francisco's "A Nation Imagined" Exhibit. The last time I went to Ayala Museum, their Third Floor Gallery was closed, so I contented myself with the Diorama Experience and the Crossroads of Civilizations gallery on the second and fourth floors respectively. It was Jim's first time to go to Ayala Museum so he enthusiastically visited all the galleries starting at the top floor.
Botong's Pista sa Nayon, image from thegridcrosser
The stunning Crossroad to Civilizations Collection showcased archaeological artifacts from pre-colonial times. It's a 3 part exhibition of textiles, ceramics and gold pieces that made us want to go back in time and see how our ancestors wore and used these items before the Spanish arrived. I especially enjoyed looking at the treasures from the Gold of Ancestors Exhibition which displayed more than 1000 pieces of excavated gold from several parts of the country such as Surigao and Butuan from the 10th to 13th Centuries. It gives the audience a clue of how Filipinos expressed social prestige, spirituality and aesthetic preferences and it makes one wonder (and generally accept) how humans have this innate desire to create and express no matter what the culture or era we live in.
The highlight of our visit was the showcase of National Artist Botong Francisco's artworks. The exhibit was a collection of 40 artworks including large scale paintings and sketches and studies that were never before displayed in public. His works usually depicted Filipino folk traditions like Pista sa Nayon, Harana and Bayanihan sa Bukid and important historical events such as the famous Martyrdom of Rizal, First Mass at Limasawa and Blood Compact. You're probably familiar with his more famous murals in Intramuros, National Museum and UST but it was surreal to be seeing his sketches and studies up-close. It somehow shows you a glimpse of the artist's creative process and allow you to connect the dots on how the he was able to conceptualize the image from his head down to a small scale study, then to a larger scale painting. While the massive oil paintings were spectacular, I was more enamored by his smaller watercolor artworks. The precise lines and the technique of his washes is nothing I have ever seen! Mukhang vector art sa sobrang linis! I was really itching to take photos, but as an obedient spectator, I kept myself from using my Lumix inside the premises and respect the rules of the museum. Here's a photo from outside instead.
Nakaka OC lang yung second "O", tagilid!
The Botong Francisco's A Nation Imagined Exhibit runs until March 31 at the Ayala Museum, located at Makati Avenue corner Dela Rosa St, Makati City.
Entrance fee: 225 Php
0 comments:
Post a Comment