Exploring San Fernando, Pampanga: Arts, Food and Faith (1st of 3 Parts)

We went on a road trip to San Fernando, Pampanga last month, and it was both a memorable and enriching experience.   It took us almost two hours to reach the city, and our day trip gave us a glimpse of the many facets of Pampanga’s heritage, including paintings and religious artifacts, Kapampangan food, and historic churches.

Our morning started with a visit to the Museum of Philippine Arts and Culture, where we explored an impressive collection of works by some of the country's most celebrated artists, including Juvenal Sansó, Ang Kiukok, H.R. Ocampo, Malang, and Magsaysay-Ho.

The museum's collection, divided into two sections, included works by artists who received the Presidential Merit Award and those who were honored as National Artists of the Philippines. While each gallery showcased a different artistic perspective, together they painted a compelling portrait of Filipino life, history, and identity.

One fascinating detail we learned from our guide, Seb, was that artists such as Ang Kiukok and Juvenal Sansó often included a small dot or distinctive mark in their paintings to help identify the work as an original. Some visitors might overlook that detail, but it added another layer of appreciation for the artist's personality.

 

The art pieces are part of the personal collection of former Commissioner Andrea Domingo, and I noticed that many of the paintings celebrated Filipino women. Although expressed and painted in different styles,  they all seemed to capture the grace, strength, beauty, and femininity of the Filipina. The women portrayed in these works were not merely subjects; they were central figures in the story of Filipino life and culture.

 

Another recurring theme in the collection was Philippine rural life. Many of the paintings featured scenes such as farmers planting rice in lush fields, fishermen bringing in their catch, women weaving baskets by hand, and others gathering fruit from trees or carrying the day's harvest. Seb explained that many of the artists drew inspiration from the places where they lived, and it was easy to see how their communities, landscapes, and everyday experiences found their way onto canvas.

 After viewing the paintings, we went to another building in the complex that houses a collection of historical and religious artifacts. Among the most notable pieces were the many images and statues of the Virgin Mary and the Santo Niño. The images reflect the deep Catholic faith that has shaped Filipino’s belief and culture for centuries. 

The collection also included old pots, earthenware, and other ceremonial objects that offered a glimpse into how the earlier generations lived.

While I found the artifacts fascinating, I could not help feeling a little sad as I looked at some of them. Many of the religious images were clearly very old, and several appeared worn, faded, or in need of restoration. Their appearance may give them character and authenticity, but it also raises the need for their preservation.

Nevertheless, these artifacts, along with the artworks of Filipino masters, would someday help us better understand and remember the cultural, artistic, and spiritual foundations of our society.

Original images taken during our trip. No copyright infringement intended.

Revisiting the National Museum

I had the chance to see the National Museum again a few weeks ago, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they are allowing photography inside.  We were told that like in other similar places, they do not allow flash photography.  Since it was sunny that day, I knew I wouldn't have any problem with the light.

The National Museum houses the award-winning mural of Juan Luna called, "Spoliarium".  It is the first piece that will greet you upon entering the gallery.  It shows the bodies of dead and defeated gladiators being dragged in the dark undergrounds of the colosseum.  It won the gold medal at the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1884. The art piece is a metaphor for the colonial rule of Spain in the Philippines and was used as propaganda material by the revolutionaries.

I love this painting and it never fails to impress me every time I see it.  You must see it for yourself to truly appreciate its beauty.  

Inside this hall are other works of Luna as well as those of Hidalgo and other great masters.  Most depict important events in our country's history.

On the other floors of the museum are pieces of sculpture and paintings from the 20th-century Filipino masters.  

On our way out, we passed by the floor where the Philippine Senate used to hold office.  It's there where we realized that the building of the National Museum is itself a work of art. Built during the American Colonial Regime, the hall gives us a glimpse of that time. The ceiling, flooring and even the friezes adorning the walls were real national treasures.

This section of the building is still being repaired and renovated.  I am not sure if it will be open to the public once the repairs are done.

In another gallery, mostly showing more contemporary works of art, I was reprimanded by a security officer for taking pictures.  When I told him that we were informed by the people at the front desk that we could take pictures he said that we are allowed only if we include ourselves in the photograph.  I was dumbfounded actually but I just followed and let it be.

I will still go back to the National Museum in spite that,  It is indeed a repository of our nation's soul.

Taal Heritage Town: Villavicencio Ancestral Home

There are other things to see in Taal, Batangas.  These are the old colonial houses that are still standing in the municipality.  Most of these houses, in fact, were witnesses to the many events of our country's history. We were lucky to get inside some of this former enclaves of the elite.

Our first stop was the Villavicencio House.  The house is an imposing bahay na bato built on a slope overlooking Balayan Bay.  It has a lush garden beside it surrounded by an iron-wrought fence.

We were lucky to meet the descendants of the original owner of the house, Gliceria Villavicencio, who personally toured us around the house.  We were informed that the house is still functional and is still being used by the family when they come to Taal.

As most houses built during the Spanish colonial period, the ground floor is a space reserved for the carriage of the owner.  It has now been converted to an office space. 

One thing's for sure, they don't make like this anymore.  The stairs, and the floors and walls of the second floor of the house are all made of wood.  Not just any wood but really hard, solid wood.

Our gracious hosts also explained that the walls of the house were covered by canvass, hand painted in Paris, France.  The tin ceiling, which is unique to the Villavicencio house among the heritage houses in Taal, was also imported from Europe.

Another feature of the house are the hallways or alleys surrounding the rooms. Our hosts explained that these halls have two purposes: one is that when there are many occupants in the house, some male members of the family would sleep there since there were only two rooms which were occupied by the female members; second purpose of these alleys was for members of the family to avoid being seen by guests they don't want to meet.

The main sala of the house is adorned by portraits of the original Villavicencio couple painted by Juan Luna no less.  Of course the ones hanging there are just copies with the original portraits stashed somewhere for security reasons.  From here, one has a great view of Balayan Bay.  Our host explained that Gliceria, who was a merchant, would look out of these windows to check whether any of her goods have arrived.

The Villavicencio home also played an important role in the Philippine revolution against Spain.  It was the meeting place of many clandestine meetings between Andres Bonifacio and members of Katipunan.  In fact, we were shown a trap door located under the wedding portrait of the couple at the far end of the dining hall.  This trap door was used by Bonifacio and his men to escape detection whenever the Spanish guards came to check on the family.  It led the Katipuneros to a tunnel that ends in a river nearby.

I am glad that Gliceria's descendants opted to preserve their ancestral home and open it to the public to give us a glimpse of our country's rich heritage.

An Afternoon at the Ayala Museum

We were at the Ayala Museum last Sunday, my first visit after my last one decades ago.  I was pleasantly surprised to see the many changes since the last time I was there.  The building for one looks more modern and blended in its surroundings, which is sad to say a mall.

We began our tour at the fourth floor, as advised by the staff at the front desk.  The current exhibit there is called Crossroads of Civilizations featuring Philippine treasures from the past that prove the country's contact with other cultures from Asia and Europe even before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores.  

My favorite is the one called "Gold of Ancestors"  which includes more than a thousand gold objects from pre-colonial time.  Ladies who love this precious metal should see this one but must also be forewarned that it might cause a mild case of envy. The objects include ear decorations, necklaces, bracelets and other various body adornments used by the elite of that period.  One of the more interesting pieces is a "body belt" worn by a male member of the elite.  It is a rope like object made purely of gold where one end is worn on the wrist.  By the way, before proceeding to the displays, one has to watch a video presentation that gives background information to the exhibit.  It's a short presentation but it's well made and worth watching.

The "Embroidered Multiples" exhibit features rare Filipino garments from the 18th to 19th century.  These include silk trousers worn by elite Filipinos and delicate looking woven blouses with intricate embroidery.  Most of the pieces came from Leiden National Museum of Ethnology in Netherlands, which got it from a French diplomat who worked in the Philippines in the 19th century.  Here's where the story got interesting.  According to the video presentation in the exhibit, the collection stayed in the vaults of the Leiden museum for more than a century until a Filipina doing a doctorate thesis got interested in them.  The curator of the museum believed that the Dutch did not get interested with the pieces because they are "Western" and they prefer the more exotic costumes worn by natives.

The "Millenium of Contact" serves as a proof of trade between the Philippines and its neighbors in Asia. It showcases ceramic trade items like plates, bowls, and small ornamental figures from China and Southeast Asia that were found in the Philippines.  Most of the articles were from private collection of the Grau sisters who came from Davao.

The Museum's third floor features the art collection of  Purita Kalaw-Ledesma who was a patron of the arts and founder of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP).  The collection includes paintings, sculpture, and mixed media works of Philippine art masters such as Vicente Manansala, Carlos "Botong" Francisco, Ang Kiukok, Onib Olmedo and Cesar Legaspi, among others.  There was also a special exhibit of Claude Tayag's interpretation of the Stations of the Cross where the artists used poles to represent Christ and other human figures.

Our next stop was the second floor and the first thing to see there is the Maritime Vessels exhibit which showcases models of the different sea crafts that plied the Philippine seas in the past.  

But the main attraction on this floor are the Dioramas depicting 60 important events of Philippine history.   I was still in grade school when I saw this dioramas for the first time and I was very impressed with it.  It's still impressive not only because of its theme but also now, I could appreciate the craftsmanship that went in the creation of the figures.  For 100 pesos, museum guests can rent an audio device that can be used while viewing the dioramas.    The exhibit ends with a multimedia presentation of events leading to the People Power Revolution of 1986.  

During our visit, there's an exhibit at the museum's ground floor called "El Prado Project: Dialogue with the Masters".  The project asked contemporary local artist to re-interpret works of Spanish masters that are part of the collection of the El Prado Museum.  It was already the last day of the exhibit last Sunday.

I truly enjoyed our visit to the museum but I realized that one afternoon is not enough to immerse in the rich heritage of our country.  The museum deserves another visit from me.

Hopefully, more Filipinos would enjoy the museum.  There were several families when we were there but there were more foreign visitors.  Tickets are more almost as affordable as movie tickets.  Adults pay 225 pesos each while kids and senior citizens pay 125 pesos only.  This already gives access to all the exhibits.

The Ayala Museum is open from Tuesday to Friday, 9a.m. to 6p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10a.m. to 7p.m..