In my recent post, I mentioned Kim and Beth's plans of bringing me to an out-of-town trip. We were supposed to go to Tagaytay to get some RnR and to help me find some inspiration for my writing project which I am trying to finish. But the said trip became a botched plan as Taal Volcano's eruption is imminent and with the current environment in the area, the ash and volcanic particles aren't healthy especially for travelers. We did not want to risk it so we thought of revising our plans instead.
Our option B was to spend the day traveling to Antipolo and Tanay. But the rainy weather during the last few days made us think if it would be a feasible plan. We spent Tuesday until Friday thinking where and what to do until we came to a final verdict of traveling to the nearest town instead: Antipolo to visit Pintô Art Museum.
I've known about the Pintô Art Museum since I've seen it featured on TV and online countless times. But aside from media exposure, another thing that made me familiar with this art space is its owner, Dr, Joven Cuanang. I first met him in the late 1990s through one of our family friends. He was my former doctor when my parents were advised to bring me to a neurologist because I've been experiencing muscle weakness and other symptoms that couldn't be properly identified and diagnosed even if I have been through several different doctors from different hospitals.
We arrived at the museum at around 10:30 in the morning. There are several visitors because it was a Sunday. But there are staff and marshalls to oversee the observance of safety protocols. Before entering the premises, our temperatures were taken and we were asked to sign a health declaration form through a downloadable QR code. After paying the corresponding entrance fee (priced at 250 pesos per head but I paid mine for 200 pesos since I have my PWD ID card) we were given a map and a paper that states their current museum policies. There’s a baggage counter at the entrance for visitors who wish to leave their bags (as bringing backpacks are discouraged to prevent accidentally knocking off or damaging the artworks).
It was my first time visiting Pintô Art Museum and I was caught in awe. I never thought my former doctor owns a sprawling property in the hills of Antipolo that is filled with anything and everything related to visual arts! Founded in 2010, it aimed to publicly exhibit the art collections owned by Dr. Cuanang. Beth, Kim, and I were able to check out some artworks found in Galleries 1 to 7.
An obligatory selfie! For some reason, this painting seemed significant for me (at least) so this was the very first photo on my camera roll on the day of our visit. The museum adheres to government-mandated safety protocols including wearing face masks even when visitors take photos.
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| Photo: Kim Derla |
While I am not really a huge fan of paintings and art installations, a visit to Pintô Art Museum somewhat gave me a different perspective about art -- or at least in the way of appreciating it. Just a fair, early warning though that the tour of the vicinity itself will consume your energy because aside from taking photos and getting amazed will all the publicly exhibited artworks, you will do a lot of legwork. Getting from one gallery to another entails a lot of walking, climbing up, and getting down the stairs so it is really advisable to wear comfortable clothing including your trusty sneakers. And don’t forget to bring a towel and a bottle of water so you can keep yourself hydrated. I even packed an extra shirt inside my bag thinking I just "might" need it and it proved to be a lifesaver move!
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| Photo: Kim Derla |
I decided to have a photo taken on this spot because this screams the reality that everyone has been feeling from a shit-filled pandemic-ruled year! While I may not be too vocal about it, I really am bored (or even tired) with all things that were ruined by the lockdown and COVID19 pandemic. I want to believe that when Kim and Beth said a reason they wanted to push with this trip is that they wanted me to unwind, they really meant it. Visiting a new place in this time when the situation tends to stress the hell out of my mind and even screw my emotions proved to do something good. It's like breathing a fresh, energizing type of air after being confined in one place for more than a year. I may not be an art enthusiast but seeing artworks in different forms, colors and genres felt invigorating to the mind.
Now, I know you're asking what are the works that caught my attention after touring the place for almost two hours. Check out the next few photos!
This piece made me think of our medical frontliners upon the mention of the word "interns".
Yes, your brain can explode and go haywire from prolonged (over)use. So you should also exercise caution and be mindful of doing things in moderation.
Die-cast cars! A thing kids of the 80s and 90s would totally relate to! This was just a portion of the room that housed the work of Nilo Ilarde that contained 22,425 of these miniature toys!
An" interesting but kind of complicated" artwork by Mark Justiniani as I captioned it on my IG account. I was actually having second thoughts about entering this dark room and see what was inside. But after contemplating for nearly five minutes, I decided to give in and check it out. And it was worth the curiosity. I just stayed in the room for a few minutes because I suffer from mild acrophobia (fear of heights) making it impossible for me to maximize the 10-minute per visitor viewing limit for this particular work. But standing at the edge of the platform reminded me of one of the chapters from my project, On Top of the World.
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| Photo: Kim Derla |
A wacky photo to wrap up our weekend adventure. We left the museum around lunchtime but I still hope to return to this place eventually as we still have a few galleries left unexplored. I was also hoping to meet Dr. Cuanang (the first in 25 years since I last saw him in 1996), but it was an almost but not quite kind of moment. I saw him yesterday, but he was in a meeting with a group of people. So maybe, just maybe, I will really need to go back. Anyway, my third mantra is that for every first you've missed, there's always a second chance. I'm just happy to have joined Kim and Beth on this trip because I was really able to unwind and mentally rewire from all the stresses of the past year, and would really love to do it with them again!
Pintô Art Museum
Sierra Madre St, Grand Heights Subdivision
Antipolo, 1870 Rizal
Operating Schedule:
Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. (Closed on Mondays)
