‘Master: Eduardo Castrillo’ at Galerie Joaquin

MANILA, Philippines - Having built up an impressive practice that is known for monuments, Eduardo Castrillo is the one artist working today who embodies the spirit and approach of the pioneers of public monuments — the likes of National Artists Guillermo Tolentino and Napoleon Abueva.

“The Master: Eduardo Castrillo” is on view at Galerie Joaquin, 371 P. Guevarra Street, Addition Hills, San Juan.

His three decades as the quintessential “Monument Man” has seen him become one of the most respected artists in his field. Castrillo says, “I never compromise my idea by conforming to the limitations of metal — despite the high technology involved in sculpture, I often have to innovate. The problem of making high sculptures is often in the area of engineering which could indeed by quite restricting. So I see to it that my aesthetics is not hampered by any technicality in metalcraft or in the construction of the metal structures.”

Eduardo Castrillo was born in 1942 in Sta. Ana in Manila. It was Castrillo’s father, Santiago, who first exposed him to the possibilities of visual art, particularly sculpture. Eduardo was a rambunctious youth, and he was in no rush to start his artistic career. Even after he graduated, he still worked in a variety of jobs before settling down and establishing the foundation of what turned into a serious and highly-regarded career in commissioned sculpture.

In San Juan, for instance, stands the Spirit of Pinaglabanan which commemorates the first battle of the Philippine revolution, the Battle of San Juan del Monte, in 1896. Completed in 1974 and featuring three figures in brass, the  monument is classical Castrillo. Using brass sheets that was cut in his studio and assembled on site, the work is structurally durable. Aesthetically, it is a definitive of allegory, with the figures representing freedom after immense struggle. It is a fascinating and unique approach to sculpture, even more so with monument-making.

What is surprising is that Castrillo also crafts smaller works, albeit with the same techniques he applies to his monuments. What is different about his small-scale works is that he the direction is more inclined towards geometric and organic abstraction, thus lending pure aesthetic gravitas to his works. The effect is a translation of his monuments to a portable scale — currently on view at Galerie Joaquin.

For information, call 723-9418, or visit www.galeriejoaquin.com. This exhibit is co-presented by EC Art Management Corporation.