The #NationalMuseumPH celebrates World Art Day and joins Roman Catholics in the observance of Good Friday #OnThisDay, with an exhibition of the two sets of Via Crucis studies by National Artist (NA) for Visual Arts Jeremias Elizalde-Navarro (1924–1999) in the Museum Foundation of the Philippines Hall (Gallery X) of the National Museum of Fine Arts. 

These two sets of studies—one on pen and ink, and the other, graphite and ink wash on illustration board, were completed in 1973, the same year that Navarro was appointed Director of Graphics of the Design Center of  the Philippines. These significant additions to the National Fine Arts Collection were made by the National Museum of the Philippines through acquisition in 2020 from the late Emma Villanueva Navarro. The Via Crucis or the Stations of the Cross depict the events of the Passion of Christ, from his condemnation to his entombment. 

In 2019, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), during its 40^th session, proclaimed April 15 of every year as World Art Day. This is to “promote the development, diffusion, and enjoyment of art.” Art continues to unite us and connects to us even in the most difficult circumstances—most especially in this time of the pandemic.  

Born in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, Jeremias “Jerry” Elizalde Navarro graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) with a degree in fine arts in 1951. He pursued his graduate studies in New York City, returned to teach at the University of Santo Tomas, and later on taught at the Randwick University in Australia. Navarro experimented with various media and techniques. He also represented the Philippines in numerous art competitions abroad. Navarro was proclaimed National Artist for Visual Arts in 1999. 

In observance of Holy Week, the National Museum complex in Rizal Park will be closed from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday. You may view National Artist Navarro’s Via Crucis starting Easter Sunday, as we resume our regular museum hours. Admission is free and walk-in visitors are accepted. 

#WorldArtDay
#GoodFriday
#MuseumFromHome

Text and photos by NMP-FAD

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

The #NationalMuseumPH is one with the Filipino Catholic community in remembering Christ’s sacrifice through his crucifixion this Good Friday. For our #MuseumFromHome feature this Holy Week, we highlight one of the Lenten traditions that have evolved throughout the centuries since it has been first performed—the Senakulo. 

The Senakulo (or cenaculo) is the staged re-enactment of Christ’s passion and death. It is also known as pasyon y muerte, passion play (Rizal, Bulacan, Bataan, and Pampanga); centurion or hudyuhan (Laguna); tanggal (Bicol region); and pamalandong (Leyte). The performance of the Senakulo is traced to the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries when the first Pasyon text was written. Unlike the Pasyon which is chanted in a mournful tone called tagulaylay, the Senakulo aims to dramatize scenes while also deriving from the contents of the Pasyon.

Drawing from the text of the newer Pasyong Henesis or Pasyong Pilapil, which became popular among the folk community in the early 19^th century, has caused the Senakulo to be lengthier. In some provinces, the traditional performance of a Senakulo may last from 7 to 8 days. Shortened versions however have been staged during Good Friday, beginning only from the agony of Christ, particularly in the urban areas.  

The town or church plaza, as well as the streets, serve as the venue of most Senakulo performances. In some instances, during the early 20^th century, it has also been performed in sabungan (cockpits) in areas near Manila. As with other Holy Week traditions marked by community participation, the staging of the Senakulo is no different. Senakulo actors would prepare the props and sew their own costumes in anticipation of the Holy Week while the stage is built in the plaza using scaffolding and wooden boards, which are painted to serve as the backdrop. While the stage is central to the performance of main scenes such as the crucifixion, many episodes of the Senakulo are performed while going around the town streets. After which, they circle back to the plaza where the stage is located. As the plaza is usually located in front of the church, the end of the Senakulo will serve as a transition for the viewers to attend the succeeding activities such as the Seven Last Words or the procession of the Santo Entierro (image of the dead Jesus Christ) around the town. 

#MahalNaAraw2022
#BiyernesSanto
#Senakulo

Text and poster by the NMP Ethnology Division
Photo courtesy of Michael Dalogdog (2018). 

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

Special Artillery Projectiles | San Diego Shipwreck

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  Main Poster, Special artillery projectiles including bar shots (bs), and chain shots (cs) from the San Diego shipwreck.

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  Speculative 3D assembly of bar shots from the San Diego shipwreck. Image Source: © 2022 NMP-MUCHD

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  Speculative 3D assembly of chain shots from the San Diego shipwreck. Image Source: © 2022 NMP-MUCHD

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  Double-barreled cannon in Athens, Georgia, USA, invented by John Gilleland in 1862. Image Source: Kaushik Patorwary 2017 from https://bit.ly/3JOMRol, © J. Stephen Conn/Flickr.

Today, the #NationalMuseumPH celebrates the life of Manlilikha ng Bayan Masino Intaray, an outstanding storyteller and musical genius well-acquainted with the traditional instruments of the Pala’wan people. 

The Pala’wan, along with the Batak and Tagbanwa, is one of the indigenous communities living in southern Palawan. They are known to be an egalitarian society, firmly believing that no one owns the land, sea, sky, and other natural elements. They value harmony with their natural environment and among themselves that sharing is an inherent part of their community. One of their most important rituals, the tambilaw – a collective cooking and sharing of rice and ritual offering to Ampo’t Paray (god of rice) – is a testament to this. 

Born in Brooke’s Point, Palawan, MB Masino Intaray embodies the characteristics of a Pala’wan whose life is deeply entwined with nature and his community. Aside from mastering the basal (gong ensemble) and kulilal (lyrical poem with lute and zither accompaniment) and bagit (instrumental music depicting the rhythms, movements and sounds of nature), he also plays the aroding (mouth harp) and the babarak (ring flute). 

MB Masino Intaray was also a prolific poet, well-versed in oral traditions such as tultul (epics), sudsungit (narratives), and tuturan (myths of origin and teachings of ancestors). His being attuned to nature, sense of spiritual purpose, and creative memory allowed him to chant for longer hours on successive nights. 

Along with the basal and kulilal ensemble, MB Masino Intaray was conferred the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan in 1993 for his significant contribution to literature and performing arts. He passed away in his hometown at the age of 70 after succumbing to a series of strokes compounded by his diabetes. He left behind his wife and 4 children. His legacy, however, remains in his community, along with his enduring contributions to the rich cultural heritage of the Filipino nation.

#MBMasinoIntaray
#ManlilikhaNgBayan
#GAMABA
#Palawan

Text and poster by the NMP Ethnology Division

Photo courtesy of the NCCA GAMABA Executive Council

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

Today, as we celebrate the 80th birth anniversary of National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto Reyes Cabrera, born #OnThisDay in 1942, we feature the artist himself in his painting, “Self” from the National Fine Arts Collection (NFAC).

Completed in 1965, this acrylic painting is a self-portrait and an early work of the artist. It represents himself as a young man painted in an impasto of earth tone colors in brown and greenish-gray. This portrait is far from the usual thematic works and familiar images he had later launched. BenCab is a painter and printmaker.  

Benedicto Cabrera was born in Malabon, Manila to Democrito Cabrera and Isabel Reyes, on April 10, 1942.  At six months old, his family moved to Santa Cruz, and later to the district of Tondo, Manila.  At a young age, BenCab’s older brother Salvador, an established artist, has influenced and exposed him to the arts. He won his first award when he joined a poster-making contest with a theme of human rights when he was in sixth grade at Balagtas Elementary School in Bambang. He enrolled at UP College of Fine Arts in 1959 but had to leave school and worked as an illustrator for magazines Liwayway and The Sunday Times before going full-time in painting.  His early works depict scavengers, barung-barong, and Sabel, the woman scavenger in his area.  Later his works reflect social commentaries on the American and Spanish influences.  He held his first solo exhibition at the Indigo Gallery in Ermita, Manila in 1966.  From the 1970s to the 80s, he held solo exhibitions and joined group shows here in the Philippines and abroad. Among these are the Six Artistes Contemporains Philippins en Europe in Paris; Philippine Printmakers at the Royal Festival Hall in London; Philippine Graphic Art exhibit in Munich; and the 8^th Biennale Internationale de Arts in Valparaiso, Chile.  

He has exhibited widely and has won awards. He received the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining in 1992.  He was conferred with the Order of National Artist for Visual Arts in 2006.

This painting is on exhibition at Gallery XIX, Third Floor, National Museum of Fine Arts.

Follow this page for more features from the National Fine Arts Collection.  The #NationalMuseumPH is now open to the public.  View the link for the 360 degrees virtual tour of the nine select galleries at the National Museum of Fine Arts:  http://pamana.ph/ncr/manila/NMFA360.html

#OnThisDay
#BenCab
#BenedictoCabrera
#MuseumFromHome

Text by NMP-FAD

Photo by Bengy Toda

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

Palm Sunday (Linggo ng Palaspas or Domingo de Ramos) marks the beginning of Holy Week (Mahal na Araw or Semana Santa), which narrates Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem. On this day, devotees bring plain or ornate palm fronds (locally referred to as palaspas, palapa, langkay, lukay, or ramos) to church to re-enact the arrival of Jesus in Gethsemane where people welcomed Him while waving palm leaves. 

Palms are blessed during the Mass and brought home to be placed on home altars, doors and windows with the belief that these ward off evil spirits. According to Mr. Elmer Nocheseda, author of “Palaspas: An Appreciation of Palm Leaf Art in the Philippines” published in 2009, early Christians considered the palm as a symbol of victory of the faithful over the enemies of the soul and thus used symbolically for those who died as martyrs of the faith like San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod. 

The palaspas is primarily made from coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.), but other plant species such as the century plant (Agave americana L.; A. cantala Roxb.), buri (Corypha utan Lam.), and oliva (Cycas revoluta Thunb.) can also be used. Traditionally, the head of the family or the male members of each household would gather and make the palm a day or two before Palm Sunday. Nowadays, palaspas can be bought outside the church. Some palaspas are plain, while there are also those that are decorated with colorful plastic ribbons, paper flowers, and images of saints, Mary, and Jesus, among others. 

After a year, these are gathered and burned by the church wherein the collected ashes are used during Ash Wednesday, the start of the 40-day Lenten Season. Among agricultural communities in the provinces of Bohol and Batangas, ashes gathered from burnt palaspas are mixed with commercial or organic fertilizer with the belief that when scattered in the cultivated areas, these will increase their harvest. 

To further commemorate the Lenten season, the #NationalMuseumPH presents a lecture and demonstration on palaspas by Mr. Nocheseda accessible through these links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeSFTtr6DGc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlRuExzglLk. 

#MahalNaAraw2022
#HolyWeek2022
#Palaspas
#PalmSunday

Text and video by the NMP Ethnology Division and Exhibition, Editorial and Media Production Services Division

The lecture and demonstration were shown during the Laga, Tunos ken Pammati Story-Sharing and Demonstration of the NMP Ilocos on 22 March 2021

© (2022) National Museum of the Philippines