Pumapapel Art in Paper at the Yuchengco Museum

A recent visit to the Yuchengco Museum at the RCBC Tower along Ayala Avenue yielded a special treat to lovers of minimalist art.

 The Pumapapel Art of Paper exhibit had mainly white and off-white artworks made of paper.   On the walls clung frames resembling a series of calendar months, each framed sheet with a unique charm of its own.

 Part of the paper exhibit was a collection of paper maché chairs, hanging from the ceiling, joined by paper cuttings creating a gigantic flower—or feathers—depending on one’s perspective.  The lighting is the trick, carefully done, contributing to the ethereal effect.

A set of Honeycomb paper cuttings also hung next to a huge frame of web-like paper, wisps of paper generating a wistful sight. 

 The delicate imposition of ink on most of the paper artworks was interesting, almost a seamless combination. 

Aptly titled, Pumapapel has multi-level meanings.  One meaning is literal, that is ‘turning into paper’, while the other is figurative, that is ‘putting one’s self forward, or presenting one’s self. 

Either way, it is about time that is said of paper.

Yuchengco Museum: Origins & Translations

The exhibit Origins & Translations: Philippine Textile Patterns & Motifs at the Yuchengco Museum displayed a fine sampling of traditional, local and indigenous pieces sourced from collections of the country’s top-of-mind, as well as budding, designers and artists.   

Tradition has always been the wellspring of inspiration for present day creative minds.  For fashion designers and artists, art motifs and patterns from local tribes and ethnic groups are rich with color and texture, as well as a story of people and their culture.  

Costume sketches by Gino Gonzales

A belief system of tribal groups emerges in these patterns and motifs.  When applied through textile and adornments, furniture and furnishings, these belief system is strengthened and handed down to the next generations.   In this case, it provides concepts to the modern artist.

Detail of silk barong created by Jeannie Goulbourn's Silk Cocoon

Origins & Translations is a collection of original textiles and clothing, and a selection of inspired contemporary creations, retranslations, and reinterpretations from contemporary artists that continue to celebrate, explore, and reflect the country’s rich indigenous culture thought its use of fabric and such material.

Ivi Avellana-Cosio at Origins & Translations

Taking part in the Origins &Translations exhibit is Philippine artist Ivi Avellana-Cosio.   As painter, printmaker and photographer, the artist started dabbling in indigenous forms in the mid-1980s. 

Describing her works as contemporary paintings based on tribal art, Avellana-Cosio bridges past, present and future to create them.  “The works are inspired heavily by the tribes: their patterns, tattoos, colors, breastwork, jewelry, weapons, shoes, etc., but, because I live in contemporary times, when I use them, they become contemporary,” says the artist. 

Of the country’s local history, she says, “The material is rich. This exhibit barely skims the surface of Filipino ethnic art.”  Asked how the country can develop global interest in local art, Avellana-Cosio replies, “I don’t know what the stand of government is.  I think they prefer bringing people in to the beaches, or do medical tourism. I don’t seem to read anything about culture.”

Locus Redux at the Yuchengco Museum

This begins a series of thoughts on the last 2 weeks at the Yuchengco Museum. The other weekend, I was part of Locus Redux: Speaking Across Contexts, Learnings and Negotiations in Writing and Teaching Art. Three meaty days of discussions with speakers from Hong Kong, China, Korea, 2 from Japan, Singapore, Morocco, The West Indies, and Indonesia.

Representatives from teachers, museum curators, deans and artists from across the Philippines, including Feliz Perez of Cafe by the Ruins (my favorite Baguio spot) joined in. Lovely!

Thank you May Ann Pernia, for inviting me to take part in this. I thought i was going to be so out of place, but i tried to feel my way through. Met the very intelligent Ina Cosio, daughter of Ivi Avellana-Cosio and Allan.

Dr. Brenda Fajardo: artist, painter, art educator, university professor, the CV list is long, opened Locus Redux with a comprehensive history of teaching art in the Philippines. Naturally, Dr. Fajardo started off with Damian Domingo, Filipino artist who opened the first art school in the country in the 19th century.

 For those who don't know Dr. Fajardo was essential in the initiatives in developing an art curriculum in the country's educational system. Tapped by renowned painter Araceli Dans in the 1960s, Dr. Fajardo has pioneer, first-hand experience with art, and the teaching of. Dr. Fajardo expounded in detail the arduous process in the creation, the drafting, and the implementation of an art curriculum.

The vast difference between the running of public schools, directly under the DECS, and the private schools, which have more freedom in their teaching formats, truly matter in the cultivation of a comprehensive, successful, and relevant art curriculum.

In its early days, the teaching of art has been very basic: drawing, lines, color, and cutting paper. All based on U.S. curriculum.

Then, there is the problem of qualified art teachers. From its inception, art teachers have not been qualified to teach art. Rarely do artists have the DECS qualifications, license, what-not, necessary to teach. The teachers assigned to art are those who have artistic inclinations, and lack the proper exposure, terminology and expertise on the subject.

There's a whole lot of learning experienced from Dr. Fajardo's talk. The meat of the matter is sustainable development of teaching art. The lady Emeritus of the University of the Philippines Department of Art Studies named various cross-disciplines and multi-venues as crucial int he development of art studies and art appreciation in the country.

Among those are the PETA,the Philippine High School for the Arts in Makiling, the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Of course, the opening of museums serves to expose the community to art forms and movements.

Accessibility, interest, inspiration, these venues and movements in the spread of art interest and art studies truly matter.

Next up, some learning from the speakers.

too much to say: part 1 museum exhibits

too much tv. too much activity. too much to do. too little time. where have all the family and friends gone. left with a handful (those that matter). left with workmates. not all too bad.

stuff that has happened since:


ayala museum: tabuena retro. fernando zobel 1950s collection. a beautiful place. the zobel retro is ongoing. check it out! the zobel image is not allowed. i took it before i was politely told not to. i will take it down when i am told to. the tabuena images are legit.


pete jimenez's if the shoe fits. pete jimenez is humble. never would have thought of him as an artist. optima head honcho! sculptor extraordinaire. exhibit ongoing at yuchengco museum at the rcbc. it's gonna get your heels tapping. i wrote a piece on it. check out link:http://www.adobomagazine.com/global/module.php?LM=news.level1&id=1243931107304