How do you celebrate a person’s life?
You showcase his creative output in an exhibition, especially when he is National Artist for Theater Design who possesses a treasure of masterpieces that spans close to 40 years.
His name: Salvador Bernal.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines, in cooperation with the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, saw leading lights of the active Philippine theater community troop to the retrospective exhibit entitled Badong: Salvador Bernal Designs the Stage, on view at the School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus Gallery.
Among Bernal’s close friends in attendance were National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes, together with her sister-choreographer Denisa Reyes, and Benilde Board of Trustees Chairman and former CCP President Nestor Jardin.
Curated by Dr. Nicanor Tiongson and Gino Gonzales, it presents scale models, depicted costumes, and digital images for ballets, operas, theater performances and film by the renowned and revered maestro.
Inspired by the several characters from Bernal’s works, the creations of the College’s Costume Design students under the AB Production Design program of Eric Pineda—a former protégé of the respected late artist—were shown alongside the show.
Badong: Salvador Bernal Designs the Stage will be on view until Saturday, Dec. 17, at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde SDA Campus Gallery. The SDA Gallery is located at the 12th Floor, SDA Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.