On 14 June, the National Museum of the Philippines received its latest Gift to the Nation, a burial jar lid from Brooke’s Point, Palawan, repatriated by the Madison County Historical Society (MCHS) in Winterset, Iowa, USA.
The limestone burial jar lid, which features an anthropomorphic figure, traces its provenance to Brooke’s Point, Palawan, where donor Donald Thomas acquired the piece as a gift in the 1960s. Later, in 1992, Thomas donated the lid to the MCHS. On 29 May, the burial jar lid was transferred to the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, who has been assisting the MCHS and the NMP in the repatriation process.
This repatriation comes just months after the return of the much-larger Sally A. von dem Hagen Collection of Limestone Burial Jars to the country.
The National Museum of the Philippines would like to extend its deepest appreciation to the Madison County Historical Society for this important repatriation and to the Philippine Consulate in Chicago for their tireless assistance in bringing the object home.
Last Wednesday, 5 June, the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) and the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) unveiled the taxidermy mount of renowned Philippine eagle Geothermica in celebration of Philippine Eagle Week!
Geothermica, and his partner Sambisig, were the pioneering pair chosen for the 2019 International Wildlife Loan Program between the Philippines and Singapore. Geothermica, affectionately known as Geo, was born on 7 January 2004 to parents Kahayag and Junior. The Energy Development Corporation later adopted Geo.
Meanwhile, Sambisig, also known as Sam, was born on 17 November 2002 to parents Diamante and Sam and was adopted by the material science company Dow Chemical Philippines.
Four years into the loan agreement program, Geo passed away on 7 September 2023 due to a severe lung infection. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) turned over Geo’s taxidermy mount to the NMP, which is now part of the Philippine Zoological Reference Collections.
Geo’s story is a testament to the power of collective action. Reflecting the conservation strategies of the government, experts, and scientists, Geo’s legacy calls for every Filipino to take an active role in helping conserve and preserve this critically endangered raptor.
Further, in partnership with the NMP, the PEF launched a photo exhibition to emphasize the urgent need to protect the critically endangered Philippine eagle. The “Geothermica & Philippine Eagle Conservation” special photo exhibition aims to raise awareness on the culture-based conservation of the Haring Ibon. It serves as a reminder to help protect and conserve our forests, the natural habitat of the Philippine eagles. It also showcases how sustainable forest management, led by our communities and indigenous peoples, is crucial to saving our national bird.
The unveiling of Geothermica was graced by DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga and attended by partners from the PEF, DENR-BMB, Boeing SouthEast, EDC, Forest Foundation Philippines, and ASEAN Center for Biodiversity, among others, showcasing the power of collaboration in our conservation efforts.
The “Geothermica & Philippine Eagle Conservation” special photo exhibition is available for public viewing until 24 June at the Shell Philippines Centennial Courtyard at the National Museum of Natural History! The NMNH is open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9 AM to 6 PM. Admission is FREE!
Last 27 May, the National Museum of the Philippines accepted a generous donation of five LG Objet Posé 55-inch OLED television units from LG Global.
In a speech by NMP Director-General Jeremy Barns, he emphasized that this significant donation is a step forward in adapting our museums to a rapidly-digitizing world. “LG’s donation is really important to us, because not only does it help us see our artworks more clearly, but it also helps modernize our public programs and provide better services to our stakeholders,” DG Barns remarked.
Also present at the turnover event were LG Philippines Managing Director Mr. Nakhyun Seong and Product Director Mr. Yongwoo Park, as well as influencers Drew Arellano, Bianca Yao, and Mikee Reyes.
Back in 2018, LG Philippines also made a donation of three top-of-the-line televisions to the NMP, which aided in the conduct of the Museum’s public programs and educational activities in Manila and in the Regional Component Museums across the country.
These donations, as well as the support given to other cultural and artistic organizations nationwide, are a testament to LG Philippines’ longstanding commitment to empowering the creative industries and heritage preservation initiatives across the Philippines.
On behalf of the Filipino people, the National Museum of the Philippines looks forward to nurturing this valuable partnership and expresses its paramount gratitude to LG Philippines for these gifts to the nation.
The National Museum of the Philippines, in a formal turnover ceremony last 21 May 2024, received the latest Gift to the Nation—four sculptures by Joe Datuin.
The four sculptures, namely “Life”, “The Race”, “Dancing Rings Study No. 2”, and “Mother and Child Fusion Series ‘19”, were donated by the artist himself, and will soon be displayed at the “Lilok, Hulma, at Tipon” permanent exhibition at the Philippine Modern Sculpture Hall (Gallery XXIX) of the National Museum of Fine Arts.
On behalf of the Filipino people, we would like to extend our sincerest appreciation and gratitude to Joe Datuin for his generous donation and trust in the National Museum of the Philippines for the safekeeping and display of his magnificent works.
The National Museum of the Philippines announced the successful culmination of its extensive repatriation efforts that began several years ago. This paved the way for the safe return to the Philippines of the Sally A. von dem Hagen Collection of Limestone Burial Jars from the Kulaman Plateau. This significant donation was initiated by Peter, Stephanie, and Antoinette von dem Hagen in recognition of their late mother’s lifelong custodianship of these objects of Philippine antiquity, spanning over four decades.
The 52-piece collection was presented to the media through a turnover activity at the National Museum of Anthropology on 7 May 2024. Now integral to the National Archaeological Collection, their provenance traces back to when they were originally purchased in the early 1970s by Mrs. Sally A. von dem Hagen, an American businesswoman living in Manila. Known for her appreciation for antiquities, she was sought out by a group of Dulangan Manobo individuals who had come across these limestone ossuaries during a hunting expedition in Cotabato’s Kulaman Plateau. Mrs. von dem Hagen, recognizing the profound cultural significance of these objects, agreed to acquire as many as possible and, over time, established relationships among members of the Manobo community in the area of what is today part of the province of Sultan Kudarat. When she departed the Philippines for the United States in 1979, she brought her beloved collection with her.
Earlier this year, the NMP Office of the Director-General and the Fine Arts Division organized the shipment of the limestone objects from Los Angeles, California where they were under the temporary care of non-profit organization, the Filipino-American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) and Dr. Stephen B. Acabado and the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles. An exhibition held at the FASGI Bayanihan Center facilitated conversations among the Filipino-American community, highlighting the ethics of collecting material culture, issues of repatriation and empowerment, culture and history, and heritage engagement. Upon arriving in Manila on 25 March 2024, NMP’s Archaeology Division and Fine Arts Division supervised the collection’s unboxing, inspection, and curation. A team from the University of the Philippines-Manila led by anthropology professor Dr. Ma. Teresa G. de Guzman also conducted a brief blessing ritual to welcome these artifacts.
These burial jars were carved out from limestone abundant in the region. They were shaped in either a round or quadrangular fashion and decorated with vertical fluting or geometric designs. The lids, however, have diverse designs, ranging from simple gabled roofs to elaborate anthropomorphic features. These jars stored human bones as a secondary burial vessel.
Kulaman limestone jars remain the only movable limestone ossuary among mostly clay-fashioned burial jars. Despite differences in raw materials, the vessels nevertheless represent the widespread jar burial tradition in the Philippines and Southeast Asia during the Metal Age, approximately 2,800 to 1,000 years ago. Very little is presently known about the people who created the Kulaman Plateau limestone jars and who utilized them for their burial rites, as well as whether the Dulangan Manobo communities of the area are descended from or related to them, and this awaits further scientific research, which the NMP intends to facilitate in collaboration with the communities and key partners.
The NMP expresses its sincerest gratitude to the von dem Hagen family for their enthusiasm and dedication throughout the process of return, as well as to FASGI and Dr. Acabado for their unwavering support in making this collection more accessible to the Filipino people for generations to come.
The National Museum of the Philippines proudly presents the exhibition “Leaves, Lace, and Legacy: The Art of Lenore RS Lim” exhibition, in celebration of National Women’s Month. Opened on 22 March 2024 at Gallery XVII (Special Exhibition Hall dedicated to Women’s Art) of the National Museum of Fine Arts, the exhibition highlights the artistic journey of Lenore Raquel-Santos Lim, a Filipina visual artist renowned for her contributions to Philippine arts.
“Leaves, Lace, and Legacy” features Lim’s exploration of the intricate realm of printmaking, presenting the recurring motifs of decaying leaves, handmade laces, and wedding veils. It showcases her artworks that pay homage to nature conservation and Philippine maternal traditions while engaging in a meaningful discourse on womanhood and human rights.
Lim adeptly merges traditional techniques with contemporary technologies. The exhibition showcases some of her notable printmaking techniques such as chine collé, computer-aided design serigraphy, etching, giclée, lithography, and photo etching.
During the opening reception, NMP Director-General Jeremy Barns called the exhibition “a feature of Lim’s beautiful stories as told through her art” before thanking the artist for the generous donation of several Gifts to the Nation.
Afterwards, Deputy-Director General for Museums Jorell Legaspi gave a curatorial overview of the exhibition, before sharing a brief account of Ms. Lim’s life and works.
This was followed by an emotional message from Ms. Lim herself, recounting the days spent in the then Legislative Building waiting for her father to finish his work. “It feels like coming home after a long absence from a place so dear to me. And what a beautiful home it had become,” Lim said, describing the exhibition as a “full circle” moment for her. Lim later gave a guided tour of the exhibition to the attendees.
Born in 1946, Lim pursued a career as an art educator until she transitioned to a career as an artist in the 1990s. As a pioneer of computer-aided art in the Philippines, she has received various recognitions, including the Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant and the Pamana ng Pilipino Presidential Award. She also founded the Filipino Music and Art Foundation BC, which supports aspiring Filipino artists.
Celebrate National Women’s Month by visiting this new exhibition. We are open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. Admission is FREE!
