Category: Arts

“Parisian Life”, also known as “Interior d’un Cafe” was painted in c 1892 by Juan Luna. The oil on canvass painting, 22 inches long ~ and 31 inches in width, and now housed at the GSIS Museum of fA Art-Pasay City, features three Filipino patriots – Jose Rizal, Juan Luna, and Ariston Bautista Lin. It was given by Juan Luna to Ariston Bautista Lin who kept it in his Quiapo house, site of the Propaganda and Katipunan movements.

Last year, the town of San Nicolas in Ilocos Norte celebrated the centennial of its reconstitution through the Damili Festival slated from November 9 to December 31. Damili, an Ilocano word meaning pottery or pottery making, is a traditional livelihood of the San Nicolas folks. The two-month long celebration is in pursuant of Proclamation 1832 signed by President Gloria Arroyo on July 6, 2009 declaring 2009 as the Centennial Year of the Reconstitution of the Municipality of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. The proclamation also directs various agencies including the National Historical Institute (NHI) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to participate in the celebration.

Historically, San Nicolas was separated from Laoag and its territory was reconstituted on January 1, 1909 pursuant to Executive Order 101 dated October 22, 1908, issued by then-Gov. Gen. James Smith.

Lapu-lapu, by Francisco V. Coching. Coching was born on January 29, 1919. He left school at an early age to work for the magazine Liwayway, where his father was a novelist. He apprenticed with Tony Velasquez. In 1934, he created Bing Bigotilyo, and the year after, Marabini. After the war, he created Bulalakaw.

In response to the State of the Nation Address of Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the third session of the 12th Congress at Batasang Pambansa, the Philippine Postal Corporation launched the “Ang Batang Pinoy Laban Sa Droga” National Stamp Design Contest. As President Arroyo uhderscored the need for a collective effort in fighting the illegal drug trade in the country, this contest was designed to create awareness among the youth regarding their role in the anti-druq campaign of the government.

GERARDO DE LEON (B. September 12, 1913, D. July 21, 1981), Master Filmmaker. Gerry’s first job was as a piano player at Cine Moderno during the era of silent movies. After finishing high school, he decided to become a doctor and enrolled at the U.S.T. College of Medicine. For a few years he concentrated on his studies; but the spell of the movies lured him. He became a professional actor and scriptwriter. His first directorial job came in 1939 via the movie, Ama’t Anak. His biggest pre-war hit was Ang Maestra, starring Rogelio de la Rosa and Rosa del Rosario. De Leon went on to make over eighty movies from the 30’s to the 70’s. His last unfinished film was Juan de la Cruz starring Fernando Poe, Jr. in 1976. He was named National Artist in Film in 1982.

The range of subjects in Philippine contemporary painting can be as wide and varied as the artist's imagination. Even scenes that appear "typical" may be re-interpreted and given new treatment. How often have we encountered landscape paintings with churches, or images of jeepney's, women in groups. or sidewalk vendors? And yet.

Juan Novicio Luna was the Philippines' greatest painter during the 19th century. Born on October 24, 1857 in the town of Badoc, lIocos Norte, Luna studied under at the Ateneo de Manila and at the Escuela Nautica where he earned a mariner’s license before becoming a painter. At the encouragement of Lorenzo Guerrero he studied painting at the Academia Real de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid, Spain. With his professor Alejo Vera, Luna went to Italy where he did many of his paintings among them was the famous Spoliarium which won for him a gold medal at the 1883 Madrid Art Exposition.