Manlilikha ng Bayan Eduardo Mutuc 73rd Birth Anniversary
How does one become a master of his art? For Manlilikha ng Bayan Eduardo Mutuc, it takes practice and sheer hard work that entails committing mistakes and honing one’s skills. We give tribute to MB Eduardo Mutuc on his 73rd birth anniversary #OnThisDay, for his exceptional mastery of metalwork on religious and secular art pieces.
Conferred as Manlilikha ng Bayan in 2004, MB Mutuc dedicated his life to creating religious and secular art in silver, bronze, and wood. He took inspiration from traditional religious designs and infused them with his ideas, which are seen in the intricacy of his retablos, mirrors, altars, and carosas found in churches and private collections. One of his first commissions was a tabernacle for Monsignor Fidelis Limcauco for a parish in Fairview in Quezon City.
Some of his works are large, exceeding 12.19 meters, while others are tiny and feature very fine and delicate craftsmanship. Most of the time, his creation demands large and expansive designs to make them stand out from afar. Careful detailing is done, requiring close observation before the design becomes evident.
In metalsmithing, mistakes are costly as brass and silver are expensive. For this reason, MB Mutuc believes that craftsmanship begins with respect to one’s tool and medium. The first lesson he teaches his students is the proper handling of chisel and hammer for ease of use and prevention of mistakes. More importantly, he cautions against working with an eye toward easy money. For him, the improvement of one’s skill is through the immersion of oneself, learning the technique, and practice—only in the perfection of one’s craft can there be a real reward.
To know more about MB Eduardo Mutuc and see his silver-plated artwork with a calado design, visit the Manlilikha ng Bayan Hall at the 3/F of the National Museum of Anthropology once it reopens this October in time for the #MuseumsandGalleriesMonth.
#ManlilikhangBayan
#GAMABA
#EduardoMutuc
Text and poster by the NMP Ethnology Division and GAMABA Executive Council
© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines
