MANILA, Philippines - As part of the ongoing celebration of the 100th birth anniversary of National Artist Vicente Manansala, mallgoers will have the chance to view the master’s works showcased until Aug. 12 at SM Megamall, and Aug. 23 at SM City North-EDSA.
The exhibit highlights the ongoing collaboration of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and SM to bring art closer to people.
The works featured in the exhibit, along with the artist’s bust by National Artist Napoleon Abueva, are reproductions of Manansala’s original works from first-hand collectors. These have been selected more for being testaments of warm encounters and personal friendships with the artist rather than highlights and representations of his artistic development.
The aim of the exhibit is to present an additional angle from which to view and appreciate Manansala, the artist and his works. Some of the works on display are from the collections of Jesus and Maritess Pineda, Floy Arguenza, Randy and Trickie Lopa, Tony and Cora Lopa, Gretchen Cojuangco, Mita Rufino, Bobby and Ronna Macasaet, Archit and Nenne Bartolome, Melinda de Leon, and Anton Mendoza.
Vicente Manansala is one of the most important figures in the history and development of Filipino modern art. He belongs to the roster of great Filipino painters whose artistry continues to be a source of cultural pride.
Manansala created artworks with prolificacy and displayed artistic excellence in a broad variety of mediums, themes, and techniques. From oils to watercolors to charcoal drawings to stained glass to large-scale murals; from genre paintings to nudes to landscapes to still-life expressions to portraits; from realistic to abstract and cubistic renditions, Manansala created artwork after artwork with confidence and brilliance.