MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ rich historical and cultural roots, as captured in its architecture, comes alive in Art Deco in the Philippines, a book showcasing the country’s most prominent landmarks.
Art Deco in the Philippines was published by ArtPostAsia, with the support of Far Eastern University (FEU). The book features art deco themes from the Commonwealth era, which artfully depict the country’s political, economic and artistic life. This book was co-authored and edited by Dr. Lourdes Montinola, an advocate of arts & culture, education and heritage conservation. She is also the chair of the board of trustees of FEU.
Art Deco is an architectural style that dominated the world from the 1920s to the 1940s because of its remarkable and distinctive designs. In the Philippines, interest in art deco creations from less than a century ago is now emerging, fanned by local architects’ appreciation of other architectural styles such as Philippine Colonial and the Mediterranean.
Art Deco in the Philippines is a picturesque documentation of the style’s presence in well-known homes and buildings found in Manila, Iloilo and Quezon. Landmarks by Filipino architects such as Pablo Antonio, Juan Arellano, Tomas Mapua, Juan Nakpil and Fernando Ocampo are featured in the book, all of which showcase their efforts to modernize and rebuild the Filipino architectural landscape. Landmarks and art deco structures featured in this book include the Metropolitan Theater, Far Eastern University and the Tomas Mapua house, among others.