CCP art collection goes to BenCab Museum

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), in partnership with the BenCab Museum, presents two new exhibitions, Visions on Paper and Chronicles in Ink: Philippine Printmaking through the Decades, at the BenCab Museum in Tuba, Benguet, on view until September.

Both traveling exhibitions aim to showcase significant works of Filipino visual artists from the CCP 21st Century Art Museum (21AM) Collection. This exhibition program, organized by the CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division with support from the BenCab Museum, is a continuation of the CCP’s ongoing pursuit of making the collection accessible to a wider audience while the CCP Main Theater Building is undergoing rehabilitation.

Visions on Paper, at the Sepia Gallery, presents selected works by National Artists of the Philippines. Exploring quieter forms of abstraction, portraiture and even rhythmic composition, the exhibition aims to highlight the artist’s creative process through works on paper. Sketches reveal thoughts and ideas transferred onto paper, looking into the artist’s inner worlds with works such as a self-portrait by National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, and National Artist for Literature Amado Hernandez’s words inscribed on National Artist for Theater and Music Honorata “Atang” de la Rama’s wooden fan.

At the Gallery Indigo, Chronicles in Ink: Philippine Printmaking through the Decades presents a sampling of the art of contemporary printmaking in the Philippines. With works spanning from the 1950s to the 2010s, the exhibition visualizes the range of artistic expressions and practices of generations of Filipino artists that have made significant contributions to Philippine printmaking. The participating artists are National Artists BenCab, Felipe de Leon, Atang dela Rama, Victorio Edades, Amado Hernandez, Jose Joya, Arturo Luz, H.R. Ocampo and Guillermo Tolentino.

Works of various artists are also showcased including Jose Garcia Villa, Joseph Abando, Ambie Abaño, Raymundo Albano, Ivi Avellana-Cosio, Virgilio Aviado, Santiago Bose, Mars Bugaoan, Benjie Cabangis, Benjamin Torrado Cabrera, Jandy Carvajal, Florencio B. Concepcion, Evelyn David, Cian Dayrit, Fil Delacruz, Noell El Farol, Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Josefina Escudero, Brenda Fajardo, Lynden Garcia, Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi, Bernadette Gular-Becares, Ojeng Jocano, Flora Mauleon, Omar Noble, Romulo Olazo, Nonon Padilla, Rod. Paras-Perez, Rhoda Recto, Cenon Rivera, Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., Marcelino Rodriguez, Rodolfo Samonte, Danny Sola, Manuel Soriano, Des Tenorio and Efren Zaragoza.

Aside from the exhibitions, CCP and BenCab Museum will be hosting programs such as guided tours and printmaking workshops organized in partnership with the Association of Pinoyprintmakers. These aim to familiarize the general public with different forms of artmaking while broadening their appreciation for Philippine art and culture.

Both exhibitions opened on 3 August. Visions on Paper runs until 1 September while Chronicles in Ink: Philippine Printmaking through the Decades runs until 29 September.