The National Art Gallery

Spoliarium

After some years of undergoing a major renovation plan, the Philippine National Museum has opened once again transforming seven rooms of the former legislative building into a showcase of rich Philippine art. One, but largest, of the three building that comprise the National Museum Complex, I decided to visit the National Art Gallery.

I can't help but already appreciate the richness of Philippine art when two imposing sculptures greeted me as soon as I stood at the entrance of the building. Metal casts of former Presidents Manuel Quezon and Sergio Osmena were both perfectly made by national artist Guillermo Tolentino. And at the lobby were two wooden reliefs by another National artist napoleon Abueva, portraying Spanish explorer Legaspi and the founding of Manila, and Rajah Sulayman and his court.

Juan Luna's "My Mother"

The first room is the grand Hall of Masters which is dedicated to 19th century Filipino painters Juan Luna and Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo who were famous in the 1884 Madrid Exposition. It was Juan Luna's "Spoliarium" who received the First Gold Medal, while Hidalgo's Christianas Expuetas al Populacho won the 14 silver medals. Luna's supreme painting depicts vanguished Roman gladiators who were stripped of their armour. His work was so enchanting that I just liked to stare at it for the whole hour.

The hall also showcases other works of the two masters such as La Bulaquena and Portrait of a Lady. There's a main text in the hall written by national hero Jose Rizal as his tribute to the two artists to honor their triumph.

Stone formation of Tau tao

Beyond the Hall of Masters is another oom dedicated to Juan Arellano, one of the architects of the building. He was an exponent of Philippine neo-classic and art deco archotecture and a painter. In the room are some of his rare works including a portrait of his mentor Melecio Figuerroa.

The next room is called "Bayang Magiliw" (Beloved Land) which is also the opening phrase of the Philippine National Anthem.  The scripts on the walls will walked me through the history of art in the Philippines, and made me appreciate how Filipino art has developed through the decades. But the highlight, and center of this room is Robero Feleo's Tau-Tao, an installation that evokes the Bagogo myth of the afterlife.

There is also a room called Mga Daluyan ng Pananampalataya (Vessels of Faith) which displays various works that express Filipinos spirituality.

First Mass (Carlos Francisco, 1965)

There are two retablos or altarpieces, a contemporary installation of a cathedral-in-the-cart made my artist Jose Terence Ruiz, and national artist Vicente Manansala's I Belive In God painting that shows farmers in prayer.

*Forgive me for low quality pics. These were all taken from my Nokia N70 cam phone.