Sanso marks 92nd birthday with rare works exhibit

MANILA, Philippines — In celebration of Presidential Medal of Merit Awardee Juvenal Sanso’s 92nd birthday, Galerie Francesca at the Festival Mall presents "Sanso: Uunexpected," comprising a rare collection of 33 works by the master artist.

Sanso is known mostly for his floral works and his Brittany series. But real connoisseurs know that the creativity of the master artist cannot be bound by the market forces which focused only on these two subjects that are most familiar to the public.  

In his 70 years as an artist, Sanso has explored not only a variety of themes, but a variety of art forms as well. He not only painted but also excelled in printmaking, opera set and costume design, textile design, cliché verre, and even acted in several plays.

Aiming to educate the public, Galerie Francesca, with research support and authentication from Fundacion Sanso, presents 33 works from six of the seven decades of Sanso’s illustrious career. These works are from Sanso’s personal collection which he only entrusted before to museums, and to collectors who understood and appreciated his artistry deeply. As such, they are a revelation to many who have grown familiar only to his floral and Brittany series, hence the title "Sanso: Unexpected."

Highlights of this exhibition include dated works from 1963, a textile design from the 1960’s, a singular and very rare cityscape, dated works from the 1970’s, a waterfall painting and a large and important reverse series painting that bridges his reverse painting to his Brittany series from the 1980’s, two works on paper from the 1980’s which combine his floral series and his Brittany series, and three canvas paintings from his Moderno and Abstract series done in the 2000’s.

The exhibit runs from until December 19 and is located at the 2nd Level Expansion Wing, Civic Drive, Festival SuperMall, Alabang Muntinlupa City. 

Blanco, Obemio exhibitions

Indulge in the wondrous magic of art as two of the country’s finest painters today are having their exhibits in Art Lounge Manila.

Gerrico Blanco is returning with another solo show entitled “Dreamscapes, while Gerrico Blanco is having a comeback with his solo show “Obemio."

“Dreamscapes," Blanco’s fourth solo exhibition features improved technical quality which now has a more polished realism, is by far his most exciting solo exhibition yet.

With ten major works on canvas, a few pieces in this series pay homage to iconic paintings, such as “Flaming June” by Sir Frederic Leighton. Also, a number of works which show Dutch masters’ still life paintings of flowers are incorporated into Blanco’s work, which highlights his superb skills as a painter. Blanco also continues to elaborate on childhood innocence through his version of dreamy surrealism, which uses diaphanous effects.  

Meanwhile, Roel Obemio’s self-titled exhibit “Obemio” presents 36 works. More than half of such are drawings, from quick sketches to built up, and fully fleshed out drawings of masterful crosshatching. In the show, we see the artist at his most raw and natural state.

The rest of Roel's works are watercolor and pastel works. As a whole, there are themes which echo the different series that Obemio is known for: Homages, or the reworking of iconic high art pieces such as Raphael’s “The Three Graces”, as well as Sandro Boticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”, Sir Frederic Leighton’s “Flaming June”, and  Mindy Sommer’s “Cherubs” among others into the trademark Obemio style of rounded visages, often with a humorous twist.  

And lastly, the colorful vignettes- many of which are dreamy and tender – have persisted in Obemio's previous solo exhibitions. 

“Dreamscapes” by Gerrico Blanco and ”Obemio” by Roel Obemio run until December 21 at Art Lounge Manila, The Podium.