More than just the Philippines’ Art Capital
IT can be observed that in the Philippines, modernization and industrialization are creeping in even in the countryside. What were once farming and fishing villages are now developing cities and municipalities.
Take for example Angono in Rizal. This quaint, little town facing
the massive Laguna de Bay is now a first class municipality thanks to trade and
commerce. It has indeed come a long way from being a barrio of neighboring Binangongan.
But despite its progress, its people keep true to their agricultural
roots and they do so in colorful canvasses, beautiful music, giant sculptures,
and other forms of art.
Angono, after all, is the “Art Capital of the Philippines.”
This Traveling Journo Ph discovered and so much more in a
visit on April 28 and 29.
An art crawl
Angono has produced National Artists Carlos “Botong”
Francisco for Visual Arts and Lucio San Pedro for Music and it continues to
hone more artists—young and old, acclaimed or aspiring.
In return, these artists give back to their hometown by
opening galleries and museums to showcase their talent to fellow Filipinos
and even foreign visitors.
These establishments have made Angono a tourist destination.
Start at the Blanco Family Museum that showcases two generations, or five
decades, of paintings of the Blanco family starting from the late Jose “Pitok”
Blanco down to his seven children. They are, from eldest to youngest, Jan, Joy,
Michael, Noel, Glenn, Gay and Peter.
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| The Blanco Family Museum showcases two generations of paintings of the Blanco family starting from the late Jose “Pitok” Blanco down to his seven children |
A tour at the museum immediately gives visitors a glimpse of
Angono’s agricultural past. Fishermen are reflected in the Laguna Lake, or with
kanduli (catfish), the bounty of lake,
while women are seen amidst lush crops and big trees.
Also prevalent are paintings of the town’s two major
festivals: San Isidro’s festival every May that gives thanks to the farmers' bountiful harvest, and the town fiesta commemorating the fishermen’s patron,
San Clemente, every November. The latter also coincides with the Higantes
Festival that showcases the artistic bearings of Angono.
Artworks beyond Angono also showcase countryside scenery and festival revelry. In general, the Blanco museum depicts the Philippine
culture in realist strokes and colorful canvasses.
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| The house of National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco houses his memorabilia and serves as the gallery of the works of his grandson Totong Francisco |
Not far from the Blanco Family Museum is the Botong
Francisco Mural Street where the house of the National Artist still stands. Along the street, walls of the houses have
been painted with the works of Francisco. However, these murals have been
turned into concrete sculptures to last longer.
Guests may visit Francisco’s house to see his memorabilia including
the National Artist medal, old books, paintbrushes, newspaper clippings, old
photographs and so much more. It also serves as "The Second Gallery" of the
paintings of his grandson, Carlos “Totong” Francisco, the only one in the
family to follow in his footsteps.
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| The Nemiranda Atelier displays a wide range of paintings from the father of Imaginative Figurism, Nemesio Miranda or Nemiranda for short |
Both Blanco museum and Francisco house are found in
poblacion area. Meanwhile, the
Nemiranda Atelier and Balaw-Balaw Restaurant and Gallery are just a block away
from each other in the uptown area.
Nemesio “Nemiranda” Miranda’s atelier is home to massive
sculptures of Philippine folklore characters like Maria Makiling and Bernardo
Carpio. It also displays a wide range of paintings from the father of
Imaginative Figurism, as well as select works of artists from the Angono’s
Ateliers Association.
The lake’s bounty
Balaw-Balaw was established by the late Pedrigon Vocalan,
who was as passionate in painting as in cooking. Today, his apprentice Dennis
“Adonis” Almazar runs the restaurant and gallery as manager.
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| The late Pedrigon Vocalan, who was as passionate in painting as in cooking, thoughtfully made Balaw-Balaw’s menu in such way that it proudly serves Laguna de Bay’s bounty |
In an interview with TJPh, Almazar recalls how Vocalan
thoughtfully made Balaw-Balaw’s menu in such way that it proudly serves Laguna
de Bay’s bounty. On top of the list is the balaw-balaw,
considered one of Angono’s most traditional dishes.
According to Almazar, balaw-balaw
are small shrimps caught in the lake, which are fermented with cooked rice for one
week. The paste is then sautéed and spiced. The
restaurant produces and sells homemade and bottled balaw-balaw for P65 only.
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| This author with Dennis “Adonis” Almazar, Pedrigon’s apprentice who now runs the restaurant and gallery as the manager |
So how do you eat it at home? He shares a simple recipe of
sautéed eggplants with garlic, onion, ginger and the balaw-balaw.
Other famous native dishes served by the restaurant include
Kanduli sa Miso, Fried Itik, and fresh catch from the lake that day.
Once their appetites are satisfied, visitors then revel at the
works of Vocalan, as well as of Almazar who still paints despite his full-time
job.
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| Clockwise from top left: The Balaw-Balaw Specialty Restaurant and Art Gallery; Vocalan’s life-size sculpture titled “Inang Kalikasan”; the rooftop garden; and a workshop for Angono artists |
On the mezzanine are Vocalan’s earliest paintings, while on
the second floor are his meticulously crafted sculptures in different sizes. There
are life-size pieces that will sell for over a million pesos, reveals Almazar.
TJPh also observes the kinship and camaraderie among
Angono’s artists. Almazar, for example, brings art collectors to other
galleries if they don’t find acquire any piece from Balaw-Balaw.
A national treasure
Hidden in the mountains bordering Angono and Binangonan are ancient
petroglyphs, proclaimed a National Cultural Treasure.
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| This ancient petroglphys are believed to be carved in the Neolithic Age, or at least a millennium before the birth of Christ |
Present at site was Ms. Esparanza of National Museum who
readily briefs visitors about the Angono-Binangonan Petrolyphs.
She shares
that no less than National Artist Botong Francisco was the one who discovered the
rock carvings in 1965. She continues that the discovery led to archaeological
excavations by experts who believe that the petroglyphs were made in 3,000 BC. Stone
tools unearthed around the site suggests that the petroglyphs were carved in
the Neolithic Age, or at least a millennium before the birth of Christ.
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| Clockwise from top left: The man-made tunnel leading to the petroglyph’s site; Ms. Esparanza of the National Museum; the rockshelter measuring about 63 meters wide, eight meters deep and five meters high; Ms. Esparanza, Michael Blanco of the Blanco Family Museum; and Arts and Letters students from the Univeristy of Santo Tomas |
The site of the rock art is a rockshelter measuring about
63 meters wide, eight meters deep and five meters high. All throughout this
rockshelter, our oldest ancestors carved 127 animate figures like turtles,
frogs and humans.
It was declared a National Cultural Treasure for historic,
aesthetic, scientific and social significance. Thus, a trip to the petroglyps
is a must when in Angono.
Laidback at the lakeshore
An immersive day for arts, food and petroglyphs calls for a
leisurely ending. The perfect place for this is the Angono Lakeside Eco-park.
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| At the Angono Lakeside Eco-park, locals spend a laidback time among friends and families as they wait for the sun to set |
Here, locals spend a laidback time among friends and
families as they wait for the sun to set. The young ones set out for the playground,
while the elderly sit and watch from the benches. Some fishermen catch fish as
a hobby.
Visitors can pay P20 for a 10-minute boat tour in the lake that
will surely take one back in time. As the capital's skyline looms in
the horizon, a local harvests camote
tops from his banca. The stark
contrast of modernization and tradition is then painted crimson by the setting
sun.
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| Clockwise from top left: The eco-park as seen from Laguna de Bay; line fishing as a hobby; a solitary fisherman on his banca; and tourists setting out for a Laguna de Bay, in the backdrop, the fiery setting sun |
After enjoying this scenic view, spend the rest of the night
at the "banchetto" dining. Street food like boiled sweet corn, dirty ice cream and
cotton candy, and grilled turo-turo is
everywhere, while specialty food like burgers, ice-blended drinks, sushi, and
nachos is served in stalls.
To conclude, Angono offers a wealth of experiences that will
enrich culturally. This accessible destination from Metro Manila is a sure-win
fix for travelers.
***
The Office of the Mayor sponsored Traveling Journo Ph’s
accommodation at Angono’s Scrapyard Resort. Visit its Facebook page for more
information.
Euden Valdez
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