Skip to main content

Discovering Pinto Art Museum



On top of the hills of Antipolo lies Pinto Art Museum, an expansive private villa that houses a wide array of art pieces: paintings, sculptures, installations, motion pictures, mixed media, etc. 

Situated on a 1.3-hectare property along Sierra Madre Street in Grand Heights, the beautiful gardens and hushed interiors of the Santorini-inspired site provide perfect solace from Metro Manila's oppressive heat. The place also offers a nice break from the hustle and bustle of city life, and a chance to get better acquainted with the works of Philippine contemporary artists, based on the collection of Dr. Joven Cuanang. More often than not, artworks for sale go straight from artists to collectors, and largely disappear from public view. The doctor feels, however, that certain pieces deserve a wider audience.

"All the artworks that I've bought through the years I never resold anything," he told the Philippine Star in 2012. I am basically an educator, so I told myself this is the way I would be able to contribute to (the preservation of) our culture."

Dr. Cuanang added, "What I want is for young people to develop a culture of museum-going. (When we were selecting pieces for the museum,) I didn’t include anymore the works of the established artists, the masters. Para naman may exposure 'yung younger artists. Their works are worthy to be exhibited in the first place."








Pinto Art Museum offers a vast space for visitors to roam around. Upon entering its doors, you will be enthralled by its white stucco walls and a small church bell that functions as a doorbell atop an archway. And, everywhere you look, there seem to be corridors and paths waiting to reveal more hidden treasures.

You need at least an hour or so to see the whole place, and, should you get hungry, fret not! There are two cafes at Pinto which serve a wide range of dishes including pizza, pasta, main courses and desserts.

[Photography by lotbejerano]
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hand-Painted Movie Posters by Tony Stella

In the 70s and 80s movie theaters in Manila were usually standalone buildings with nice seats and red curtains. To sell tickets, cinemas needed to advertise their offerings. But they did not have the original posters, or the means to print alternatives. So they made their own, commissioning local artists to hand-paint them. I really miss those hand-painted posters and billboards, which conveyed an artistry that was a form of visual hyperbole. But hand-made objects always have a way of returning. In this digital age, people will always look for things made by hand. I recently stumbled across the work of Tony Stella, whose genuinely cool movie posters have caught the eye of film enthusiasts and art lovers worldwide. He likes to work in watercolor and ink wash but sometimes he will make an oil painting, depending on the film. Tony's very active on social media, and his Tumblr blog contains a massive collection of illustrated movie posters that are often better than the original. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Joie de vivre

Emily Powell has made a name for herself with her series of simple, colorful and exuberant paintings. Her passion pours out directly onto the canvas, inspiring the viewer to do something fun.  Emily has exhibited with the Royal Society of Art and collaborated with MoMA and British Museum. Whether it's a coastal landscape, a cute animal, or an explosion of florals, her paintings will surely light up your day.
Post a Comment
Read more

The Art of Taglietti

Emanuele Taglietti is an Italian designer, illustrator and painter known for his erotic and sometimes outrageous comic book covers during the the '70s and '80s. Inspired by the art of Frank Frazetta and Averardo Ciriello, he painted hundreds of covers for books such as Zora the Vampire , Sukia , Mafia , and 44 Magnum . Taglietti also restored old paintings and occasionally collaborated as an illustrator for magazine publishers such as Mondadori and Rizzoli.  Just this year, Sex and Horror: The Art of Emanuele Taglietti , a book by Mark Alfrey was published celebrating Taglietti's work. The "highly visual biography displays dozens of his amazing full-color paintings, explores his fascinating life and career, and takes a look behind the scenes at his exacting technique." Check it out on Amazon .
Post a Comment
Read more