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Winning works through the years get 2D and 3D treatment for show

FOR THE 40^th edition of Metrobank Foundation, Inc.’s (MBFI)Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) program, the theme of “Sibol,” meaning growth, highlights the evolution of its winning artists and the overall Filipino art landscape over the four decades of the competition’s existence.

“With a vision to provide hope and encouragement to Filipinos amid the challenges experienced in the 1980s, our late founder, Dr. George S.K. Ty, launched an annual painting competition which eventually evolved into a visual arts and design competition now known as MADE,” MBFI President Aniceto M. Sobrepeña said at the exhibit’s launch on Sept. 19.

Art is “a mirror that reflects the soul of a nation, allowing Filipinos to express their minds and hearts,” he added.

“Looking back to the launch poster we released in 1984 with the tagline, ‘Artists of Today, Art Masters of Tomorrow,’ we’re thrilled to see how many of our MADE artists have flourished and become respected figures in contemporary art,” he said.

Thus, instead of the usual competition this year, MBFI opened a month-long retrospective exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M), to showcase “the growth of Philippine art and culture.”

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE
The collection, curated by Sandra Palomar of the Foundation University in Dumaguete, presents winning artworks elevated by 2D and 3D experiences that engage the different senses. These are on the second-floor gallery.

Ms. Palomar said that art has the power to augment one’s faith and strength, especially because Filipinos are tactile by nature.

“I am glad that this exhibition will allow people to use other senses than just our sight to engage with the works in creative ways,” she told BusinessWorld. Arranged by decade, the interactive experiences are spread out among the winning works, which makes viewing the exhibit pleasantly surprising.

The first of these is Roberto Feleo’s August 6, which was among the top three works in MADE’s inaugural edition in 1984. Painted on polychromed wood, it’s title card is infused with the scent of old wood to give viewers a sense of the material used by the artist.

Meanwhile, Last Trip by Mark Justiniani, which won first prize in the Oil on Canvas category in 1990, is accompanied by a cassette tape and player. It allows visitors to play urban sounds as background music to the painting depicting fatigued jeepney passengers at night, brought to life with a distinct curvilinear perspective.

Mr. Justiniani was at the launch of the exhibit, where he echoed the importance of nurturing artists in a competition such as MADE. “I remember [that] with the prize money I bought my first easel,” he said.

Another memorable work is Jowee Aguinaldo’s Puro Kahig, Walang Matuka, which portrays farmers who labor yet are unable to provide for themselves. The surreal 2023 Oil on Canvas grand prize-winning piece shows a bare dinner table as families helplessly look on. Its interactive element is a tablet that allows one to digitally draw food on the table.

Augmented reality, holograms, virtual reality, and digital canvas experiences allow many of the artworks to come to life and even move, thanks to technology provided by Samsung Philippines.

MADE EVOLUTION
On the museum’s 3^rd floor gallery are artworks of awardees whose practices have developed beyond their usual craft.

Some of the artists showcased here are 2001 painting grand prize winner Maria Taniguchi, whose work Untitled (Celestial Motors) now represents her growth using video; and 2010 painting grand prize winner Yeo Kaa, whose work ys003 shows how she has delved into sculpture using fiberglass resin.

An awe-inspiring work is the 2022 installation piece MANAnahi, put together by 2008 painting grand prize winner Raffy Napay. There are also rare woodblock prints by Elmer Borlongan, who isn’t immediately associated with that particular medium, and a 2017 mixed-media piece by Leeroy New, whose works have become increasingly resourceful and elaborate over time.

“By taking a break from our usual competition to revisit and reaffirm the mission of MADE, we’ve realized that our commitment to nurturing young Filipino artists and promoting Philippine culture has truly borne fruit,” added Mr. Sobrepeña during the tour of the works.

He also announced that MBFI is future-proofing next year’s competition with a streamlined submission portal, which was briefly shown at the event. In the meantime, MADE’s 40^th anniversary exhibition aims to inspire young artists as they prepare for the 2025 program.

Sibol runs until Oct. 19 at The M in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It is open and free to the public. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

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IN 1968, Filipino artist Justin “Tiny” Nuyda, along with Alfredo Roces and other masters, founded the Saturday Group, an elite group of artists which included the likes of Cesar Legazpi, H.R. Ocampo, Vicente Manansala, and Jose Joya, who met every Saturday for discussions that centered on intellectual and artistic exchange.

Today at Hapag in Rockwell, Makati, guests can glimpse how this era of Philippine modern art played a key role in Mr. Nuyda’s early journey as an artist.

The exhibit Justin Nuyda: Origin Story, launched at Hapag early last week, will run until the end of September. The opening was marked by a 10-course dinner prepared by the restaurant’s creative culinary team, using the flavors of Bicol as an homage to the artist’s home province.

Search Mindscape Foundation, founded by Mr. Nuyda’s daughter Ayni Nuyda, orchestrated the engaging experience that paid tribute to the late master. Known for interactive art events, the foundation is channeling its efforts into celebrating his life and passions for what would have been his 80^th birthday.

“This is deeply personal for me. I wanted to pay tribute to his origins, highlighting what made him the person he was — both as an artist and as an individual. His personal experiences shaped his art, and that personal side of his journey is often overlooked,” Ms. Nuyda said at the Sept. 17 launch.

Since the exhibit is about her father’s origin story, it includes his early works from 1969 to 1971 as well as portrait sketches of him made at Saturday Group Sessions by his peers Alfredo Roces, Mars Galang, Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, Romulo Olazo, Solomon Saprid, Romulo Galicano, and Ang Kiukok, among others.

Curated by Stephanie Frondoso, the collection aims to “highlight the more personal nature of Justin Nuyda’s life and work.”

Part of his identity as an artist, albeit unknown to most, was his dedication to the scientific field. As a lepidopterist, Mr. Nuyda contributed to the study of butterflies by identifying and illustrating over 100 species.

“His butterfly paintings provide us a glimpse into his impassioned parallel practice as a lepidopterist,” Ms. Frondoso said.

THE ART OF DINING
Hapag chefs Thirdy Dolarte and Kevin Navo instilled Mr. Nuyda’s passions in the splashes of color and texture in the Bicolano dishes at the launch dinner.

The kinilaw comprised of blue marlin tossed in mango vinegar and spring onion oil along with fresh, in-season fruits, evoking the colorful landscapes of his paintings. Meanwhile, the sweet putok bread with pili nut butter and lacto-fermented jackfruit had a distinctly butterfly-shaped floral topping.

Another standout was the pinangat, a mix of shrimp, tinapa-stuffed kale, and laing (coconut-braised taro leaves).

“Growing up, we looked forward to his home-cooked meals,” Ms. Nuyda explained. “Cooking was something that he took great pride in. His friends remember him for his Bicolano dishes.”

Because Hapag prominently features Mr. Nuyda’s works on its walls, it was easy for guests to appreciate the inspiration behind the exclusive 10-course meal.

Unbeknownst to many, Mr. Nuyda’s culinary pursuits also birthed iconic concoctions, like the potent Weng-Weng cocktail, which cognac house Martell also prepared that night.

Ms. Nuyda said she found it vital that the tribute to her father was a sensorial experience, presented outside of the usual gallery setting.

“Throughout my father’s career, he had a willingness to explore different platforms for showcasing his work. I wanted this exhibit to be different, to challenge the way people engage with art by stimulating the five senses. At a time when art consumption has become increasingly transactional, I believe it’s important to offer something more experiential,” she said.

Other projects and initiatives honoring her father are in the pipeline for Search Mindscape Foundation, including a museum retrospective, the publication of a monograph chronicling his works, and a donation of his butterfly specimens to the Smithsonian Institute in the US.

Ms. Nuyda added: “By celebrating my father’s legacy, we hope to inspire a new generation of artists to explore their own creative freedom, to push boundaries, and to engage with others in meaningful ways.” — Brontë H. Lacsamana