Museums and Art in Public Spaces (2 of 3)

And so, our visit to the Ayala Museum was a rich experience of Philippine art, culture and history. The affordable fees allowed me and my daughter to view permanent exhibits with new additions in multi-media format and current ones that are relevant and accessible to visitors of all ages. An ongoing exhibit is Revolutionary, showcasing the talents and masterpieces of Julio Nakpil and Nick Joaquin. Don't miss it if you are in the neighborhood. Entrance is free for this exhibit in the Ayala Museum.

And now, we go to Quezon City.

Our visit to the Ateneo Art Gallety was accidental. We went to the Rizal Library in the Ateneo de Manila University campus (ADMU) for a different reason all together. Our walk to Gonzaga Hall at lunch time led us to the Gallery. That day, Manga Hokusai was on display! Zoe reads manga and watches anime. How can we resist this opportunity? 

Katsushika Hokusai created manga using block prints and the pages were stitched together by hand. His prints of the wave over Mt. Fuji is already an iconic image not only in Japanese manga but also in pop culture. Known as The Great Wave, it is a piece of work that is both magnetic and kinetic. The wave has a character of its own, like a water monster with claws ready to seize anyone and anything on its path. 

Before leaving ADMU, Zoe and I took pictures of the installation art in the campus. She particularly liked the cluster of bamboo poles. It looked perfect for a game of hide and seek. I liked the animal sculptures and the bench in between them. It seemed to invite me to sit down, to play with my imagination and to wonder. But, I didn't. 

Looking back, I think that is the whole point of the art works. I have been to the ADMU campus many times and I always get that feeling of youthful abandon each time I see these art pieces. Pause. Sit down. Breathe. Imagine. Wonder. Live.

Plet Bolipata Borlongan, thank you!

When I visit the ADMU campus again, I will take the artist's invitation to simply be. 

Museums and Art in Public Spaces (1 of 3)

In three weeks, Zoe and I will be back at school. She begins year 10 in the Academy and I carry on as teacher librarian. We are ticking the list of to do's one at a time and counting the days till the first day of school begins.

One of the activities we have ticked off our list is to visit museums. We have been to the Vargas Museum in UP Diliman, the Ateneo Art Gallery in Ateneo de Manila University and the Ayala Museum in Makati. All three museums are accessible to us with affordable entrance fees. As a matter of fact, I only paid Php 125 for Zoe and I went in for free in the Ayala Museum. 

Teachers only need to present their school IDs for free entrance to the Museum. So, if you are a teacher or a librarian with a faculty status, just make sure your ID says so, bookmark Ayala Museum's web page and follow the Museum's Twitter, Instagram or Facebook accounts for updates on workshops and new exhibits. The permanent displays never fail to mesmerize. The current ones are just as amazing. 

I have seen the Gold of Ancestors three times and this recent experience of looking and viewing at the artifacts made me more proud of my history, my heritage and my place in the world. Pre-colonial Filipinos (is there a better word or a term that is historically appropriate?) were already trading with the rest of the world and making art! The exhibit on textiles and indigenous weaving touched me so because the Gaddang people were part of it. One of my cousins in my father's side medntioned to me ages ago that we trace our lineage to the Gaddang. I will definitely go back and spend more time in that part of the Museum. Something about weaving, the meeting of the warp and weft, and the idea that man is a bridge between heaven and earth appealed to me. I find it strange how pieces of woven cloth moved me in ways I can't fully explain yet. I will keep this feeling on tab and park it in memory. In time, I will be able to connect the dots.

Another permanent display that engaged us was the Diorama Experience. I don't know about Zoe, but this exhibit is perfect for amplifying concepts in history like timelines and cause and effect, as well as human nature and the changing thought processes of each age and era. We missed the virtual reality on Rizal, but Arturo Luz's paintings and sculptures delighted us. It was simple but elegant. Unpretentious but classy. Less is more, indeed!

We went in at 11AM and came out at 1PM. Our minds and hearts were full. Our spirits lighter. We were hungry at the end of the visit that's why we had a heavy snack right after. That's the good thing about Makati. It makes everything accessible for everyone. 

Next post is about the exhibits in Vargas Museum and the manga exhibit in the Ateneo Art Gallery.

Before the Japayuki: Japan in Philippine History

A Treat for Teachers