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Pinto Art Museum

Through the Rabbit-Hole of Filipino Contemporary Art

By Danica Eliana Ferino

May 24^th, 2016

Grecian rustic spaces amid a lush garden bedecked with cherubims, seraphim, and otherworldly sculptures. If I am Alice, then this is my rabbit-hole. Anyway, you’ll feel like in Wonderland with all the surreal, the political and the religious themes of the art pieces displayed in the galleries of Pinto Art Museum. The name is aptly chosen, what with the numerous doors or pinto in Filipino, you’ll see inside this 1.2-hectare private property of Dr. Joven Cuanang, neurologist and art collector. You might be nicely surprised with every door you’ll enter. You might see a car parked inside a gallery or you may find yourself in a dark forest. My fellow adventurists for the day, though - previous high school classmates - want to rename the place to Bed Art Museum because of the many four-poster beds scattered across the property.

The thing with this museum is that you don’t have to be an art aficionado to appreciate the place. I won’t even pretend to understand all the pieces and art installations I’ve seen. But, I guess, it’s more than enough to think and ponder on these things.

With this beautiful landscape, it is not hard to realize how much we need to preserve the environment. Architecture and nature work together.

It’s interesting to note also that most works featured here are made by local artists. Filipino prowess is displayed in almost all the galleries. One gallery focuses on the indigenous art of the country. There is even one nook, just near the entrance, that’s dedicated to the love of Jose Rizal and Leonor Rivera. It’s a bit melancholic, though. You may write a letter using the stationery on the desk and just leave it there. Much the same as what happened with Leonor - her mother hid the letters intended for her. It’s refreshing to see this kind of perspective aside from the textbook stories we have about our national hero.

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Most of the artworks displayed in Gallery 3 are by Mark Justiniani - oil paintings on wood, depicting mesmerizing and dreamy visions. They resemble tarot cards. I’ve always been fascinated by his art. Then comes the realization that he is also the one who did the Infinity series at the recent Art Fair Philippines 2016. I’m simply awe-struck!

The wire pieces look lovely - other guests enjoy taking photos with these displays. But this might be a reflection of what these pieces are trying to depict, never bothering to think deeply on things. How frivolous the affection some people have! How empty the mind is, though one looks as if thinking! Pretty deep stuff, huh? Anyways…

While I have various opinions as I walk along Gallery 2, I admit I don’t understand most of the art pieces here.

A painting of a wedding photo. But there's someone else on the bride's heart.

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Gallery 1 focuses more on the socioeconomic, political and religious aspect of the country.

One big mural hanging along the aisle connecting Galleries 1 and 2 started the collection of Dr. Cuanang. Karnabal is a 12‘x40‘ collective effort of 16 artists. All the individual paintings around the room relate to this massive piece. Mr. Andy Orencio was nice enough to explain to us some of the meanings behind the paintings. He is one of the artists who contributed on the paintings.

There were several issues discussed on the painting. One is religion, tackling hypocrisy of individuals that are only “holy” on Sundays. One painting shows Mary blatantly disregarded by people. On Karnabal, there is a harlequin doing a confession. A mad dog watches the events, a symbol of loyalty that has become confused on which master (moral) is to be followed. As Mr. Andy questions, “Are we only Christians during Sundays?” On another gallery, there is an installation of a church sinking on the ground - pretty much how the moral of the people is.

There’s also the magicians or the magi. As the levitating magi do not follow the laws of physics, so are there individuals who seem to be above the law of the land - even the simplest instruction of crossing through the pedestrian lane seem too mundane for them so they do it some other way. Then the justice system works, a blindfolded man playing a roulette to determine the penalty.

So many things to ponder on just one painting alone.

In relation to another painting where a group of children by themselves watching television, here are the moms gossiping with each other.

Karnabal (Carnival) - A snippet only because prime lens. :(

Some other parts of the museum are still being completed - no art pieces yet. Before you enter this part of the museum, you’ll see a metal sculpture of Daniel Dela Cruz. He’s one of the artists I look forward to every Art Fair Philippines.

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I could go on and on and post more pictures (even though I’ve already posted many). But photos are just photos. You get a different feel once you experience the art installations yourself. Take, for example, Leano’s Forest. The dimly lit room, the bamboo maze, the floating boulders, and the sound of water droplets on the pool of water - all these emit a mysterious effect which you can’t experience on the screen of a phone or the monitor. There’s also the Usapang Babae installation on one room where you’ll hear many things at once.