Visiting museums and art galleries is an activity that the majority of people engage in during their school years. My earliest memory of visiting a museum dates back to my elementary school days when the Ayala Museum was part of our itinerary.
What remains vivid in my mind from that visit are the famous dioramas that portrayed the pre-colonial and colonial lives of Filipinos, spanning from ancient times to the present.
During my college years, our Humanities professor took us to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Museum. If my memory serves me right, the exhibits at that time featured reproductions of masterpieces from the Renaissance period. I distinctly recall marveling at works by artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Caravaggio.
Later on, as a Project Development Officer at the National Commission of the Arts, I was introduced to the Museum of Fine Arts by two visual artist colleagues, the late Fernando Torres and Elvert Banares. Additionally, I had the privilege of attending art exhibitions by Cesar Montano, Ian Veneracion, Xian Lim, Richard Gomez, and director Louie Ignacio during my tenure as an entertainment writer.
This is why the celebration of Museums and Galleries Month this October, spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in collaboration with the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), is not just a pleasant surprise but a welcomed treat for all visual arts enthusiasts and fans.
Under the theme “Exhibits and Reflections: Crafting Opportunities for the New World,” this celebration underscores the crucial role played by museums and galleries as institutions preserving rich Filipino cultural heritage, history, and social conditions. They act as catalysts for human beings, offering opportunities for reflection, renewal, and redirection toward a brighter future.
Museums and Galleries Month is observed every October, as per Presidential Proclamation No. 798, s. 1991. It emphasizes the importance of fostering national consciousness and pride in our rich Filipino culture and heritage, which are expressed through various forms of art as well as historical and religious artifacts. This observance recognizes that these cultural and artistic expressions are vital for nation-building and shaping our national destiny.
So far, the opening ceremony of MGM 2023 took place at the Old Senate Session Hall, National Museum of Fine Arts. There are online programs open to the public, including “Within the Walls,” a three-episode series airing every Monday.
The second program, “MGMKNB Interactive Game Show,” encourages public participation in celebrating MGM by posting weekly prompts via the NCCA Facebook page every Wednesday. A winner for each prompt will be chosen via lottery and awarded P1,000, tax-free. The MGM Museums AVP Competition showcases participants’ outputs every Friday in October via the NCCA Facebook page.
Visiting the NCCA Gallery is even more enjoyable and exciting this October, with “BULDA: Contemporary Itneg Weaves” by Normandino Mina Sr. & Family, which showcases the weaves and embroidery of the Agaid-Mina clan.
The 79-year-old Norma Agaid-Mina is renowned for her Am-amma (Heirloom) works, and “INUBON a DAYAW (Strings of Hope): The Life and Works of Manlilikha ng Bayan Magdalena Gamayo” features her Inabel masterpieces displayed in clear acrylic sheets and an upright loom by MB Magdalena Gamayo.
These month-long exhibitions can be visited at the NCCA Building in Manila.
Of course, there’s more for everyone! Institutional activities like ManilART ‘23 will feature approximately thirty galleries and two special project areas, covering over 1,500 square meters of space from October 11 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura, Taguig.
The Luzon Art Fair takes center stage in the Province of Tarlac, aiming to rejuvenate the island’s art scene by collaborating with various sectors, including artist-led groups, emerging artists, academia, and businesses.
Moreover, the Mindanao Art Fair will spotlight how Mindanao artists are adapting to the “new normal.”
Indeed, participating in various MGM activities, both online and onsite, brings a more human touch, connection, and emotional experience to our museums and art galleries.