33. Luck's On Me: AN ELIAS LAXA THRIFT SHOP FIND

Monte de Piedad, that narrow street cutting through Aurora Boulevard, is home to a junkyard that offers a lot of exciting finds and other possibilities for a collector. It is run by Jun Macaro, a big, soft spoken man, who has been quietly gaining a reputation as an up-and-coming dealer of quality and affordable collectibles. My last visit yielded a beautiful Santo Sepulcro in antique ivory. A month later, I decided to drop by again and check out his warehouse of odds and ends.

I came in after lunch, and he was not quite ready for my unannounced visit, but he opened his stockroom anyway, that was full to the brim with all sorts of vintage items. Indeed, his place was a scrounger's delight!

I surveyed the place and began systematically going through the items piled up in his shop. The first one was a very desirable book on Philippine sacred art, now out of print--Prusisyon. Extant copies now are priced at Php2,500 and up--if you can find one. So, into my shopping bag this book went, for just 800 pesos.

 But there was more. A small painting of a nipa hut lay near the book--and the dealer was quick to pint out that it was a vinate work of famous artist named "Laya". Of course, he was half-correct. One look at the signature, and I knew this was the work of an important Kapampangan artist named Elia Laxa.

 He signed his work by scracthing his name using the wooden tip of his paintbrush--a trademark signature that appears in all his works. This particular painting--no more than 8 x 10 inches dates from 1972.

The river town of Guagua is not without its own homegrown artists who, though not as publicized and as well-known as their counterparts, command attention from patrons in the art circle. The most successful perhaps is the artist Elias Laxa, whose seaside and landscapes have come to be recognized as valuable vignettes of Philippine scenes.

Laxa was born in 1904 in the fishing barrio called Banka in Guagua, Pampanga. A the age of 16, he left for Manila, but it was only at the relatively advance age of 25 that he enrolled at the U.P. College of Fine Arts. There, he studied under Fernando Amorsolo and graduated in 1933. Like what they say about starving artists, Laxa took on odd jobs, including sign painting for Escolta shops. He plunged into serious painting only after the War, supporting himself by giving private art lessons. An early supporter was a kabalen—Emilio Aguilar “Abe” Cruz, the artist-writer from Magalang. He eventually settled in Hawaii with his family, who also dabbled in arts.

Lots of luck and a little bit of haggling,  and Laxa was mine to keep. Not bad for one afternoon of effortless hunting along Cubao's street of trash and treasures.

32. BIG ON BEN: Discovering Ben Alano's Art in Intramuros

OFFERING. By Ben Alano. 22 x 28, oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1954.

Mabini St. was the bastion of commercial and tourist art beginning in the 50s thru the 60s and 70s. Back then, art aficionados turned their noses down at the output of the artists that congregated and painted there, dismissing the hackneyed Filipiniana themes, his ‘n hers ethnic portraits, trite Pacific landscapes and nudie velvet paintings that appealed to tourists in search of souvenir art.

 BALIK-TANAW EXHIBIT INVITATION. held at the Jose P. Rizal Heritage Center, Chicago, Illinois. Curated by Victor Velasco. (Many thanks, Victor, for these materials)

It is only now that collectors and critics are taking a second look at these artworks and the painters that created them, finally acknowledging their significance and their place in the development of Philippine art history. In June this year, Filipino expatriate Victor Velasco assembled Filipiniana paintings found in the U.S. in a representational exhibit in Chicago entitled “Balik-Tanaw: Philippine Images Beyond Nostalgia” . The exhibit featured the paintings of Mabini artists and others who worked in the same style like Serafin Serna, Ceferino V. Lopez, Crispin Agno and Isidro Ancheta.

 ISLAND GIRL, Ben Alano painting from the Balik-Tanaw Exhibit. 17 x 22, oil on canvas. Dated 1962.

The small collection speaks volumes about the prevailing artistic tastes of Americans in the 50s and 60s, their penchant for the exotic and the lure of the tropics that they imagined a world away--idyllic wind-swept landscapes, brilliant sunsets and mocha-skinned maidens.

One of the more notable names from this Mabini circle was Benjamin P. Alano or simply Ben Alano, (b.1920/d. 1991), who set up and maintained an atelier in Ermita for over 20 years, becoming a prolific producer of Philippine genre paintings. Born in Taguig, he graduated from the U.P. College of Fine Arts in 1948, and had his first exhibit a year later with the Philippine Arts Guild. Ben also held art classes for American military families in Cavite. His last work was the San Lorenzo Ruiz mural at the EDSA shrine, but he is better known today for his paintings done in the realist tradition with every conceivable Philippine themes as subjects, rendered on canvas, boards and even on velvet. The Jorge Vargas Collection at the University of the Philippines includes a few early Alano pieces and his name is cited in leading Philippine art books.

 INTERNATIONAL ONLINE AUCTION, features this small Ben Alano seascape with an estimated value of over $1,000..

Of late, he is being rediscovered by online art auctions—including ebay. Even the art section of classified ads sometimes include an Alano work in the listings. Most of the pieces available are haphazardly priced, resulting in pricing extremes. For example, currently available on a local ad postings are four large Alano paintings, mostly nudes on canvass, tagged at an astounding half a million pesos. But another local ad had an Alano velvet painting for just 11K. Still another online auction put a rare medium-sized Alano seascape in the$1,000 -$1,250 range.

 A PAIR OF ALANO NUDES. Offered online by a local dealer. Source: sulit.com.ph

On the other hand, an ebay seller had a modest $175 starting bid on an Alano velvet painting of a “Mananahi”, eventually selling for a little over $200. I have always been a big Ben Alano fan but the vagaries of pricing were a major turn-off. Besides, for some reason, despite the artist’s prodigious output, his paintings were getting harder to find. So I simply gave up my search.

 One weekend however, I decided to explore Cubao, my favorite hunting ground for old and vintage stuff—I often do not know what that is unless I see it. But after 20 minutes, I found nothing of interest and decided to go to Intramuros instead to look for books. Little did I know that this unplanned trip would lead me to an Alano painting in a native craft store that had a relatively unknown art gallery upstairs.

 It was a long cab ride from Cubao to Intramuros with a brief stopover at my Makati pad. As soon as I dropped off at El Almanacer Bldg., I went straight to go up the Tradewinds Book Store, through the ground floor, which housed Silahis Arts and Crafts. But on my way up,a large work (22 x 28) in canvas caught my eye. It was a painting from Galeria de las Islas, the gallery on the top floor, taken down to serve as an accent for the bare ground floor wall.

 The painting was aptly entitled, “Offering” and the subject was typical Mabini’s. It featured an ethnic type, a seated, barebreasted woman, giving a colorful garland of flowers to a wooden idol. A brass vessel was by her side. The strokes are meticulous, the shadowing of colors very moody.

The sales attendant told me it was an Alano, but I could barely make out the artist’s signature, painted on the lower right hand corner of the piece. It became only visible after I was handed a magnifying glass, which also revealed the date of its creation: 1954.

What was even more surprising was the price tag, which, I thought was quite reasonable for its size and age.Thank God for plastic money! (no surcharge, either!) I even managed to haggle down the price a bit, just a few hundreds more from the original gallery acquisition price.

By the time the afternoon was over, I had the painting bubble-wrapped and ready to go. Look what a side trip to Intramuros can do. It led me to my own Ben Alano, at long last.

(12 October 2009)

31. Review: KURALDAL ATLUNG ARI and LIBAD BANGKA NG APUNG IRU: Beyond the Revelry

Category: Books 
Genre: Religion & Spirituality 
Author: Nina L.B. Tomen 
Published by the NCCA, (c) 2008 

Lubao-born Nina Tomen has written a definitive book about two of Pampanga's most important religious events that are largely unknown outside the province: the Kuraldal dance ritual performed during the feast of Sta. Lucia in Sasmuan town and the fluvial procession of Apung Iru or St. Peter, the patron of Apalit, carried out during the town's 3-day fiesta beginning June 28.

The author traces the beginnings of these celebrations which may have roots in our pre-colonial times. River rites, for instance, were undertaken by natives to appease water deities while dancing for divinities is an age-old custom practiced by ethnic groups in the Philippines. The book also gives an account of the origins of the central figures of venerations--namely, the seated ivory San Pedro attired in papal regalia, as well as the smallish Sta. Lucia statue that was even referred to in Gaspar's Conquistas de las Islas Filipinas.

Apung Iru, associated with the Arnedo-Espiritu-Gonzalez families, is lovingly cared for by a succession of appointed camaderos and has its own shrine at Capalangan. It is taken out once a year for the wet and wild river procession, conveyed on a grand pagoda and escorted by an armada of gaily-decorated boats full of devotees. Revelers shower each other with water, food, candies and fruits for the duration of the 6 hour river journey.

 On the other hand, on January 6, Feast of the 3 Kings (Atlung Ari), the whole town of Sasmuan goes on a dancing frenzy before the image of Apung Lucia as chants are shouted : "Viva Apung Lucia! Pwera sakit!" (Long Live, St. Lucy! Deliver us from sickness!).

The book takes a look at the roles of organized groups (e.g. the Knights of Saint Peter of Apalit) as well as ordinary residents in perpetuating the cults of these two saints. Testimonials from different residents attesting to the miraculous powers of the images are included in one chapter. But the more interesting part delves into the validity of folk religiosity or popular piety, and how the Church views such adulterated practices and traditions today. While the writing is organized and easy to read, the treatment of pictures could have been better. Important vintage pictures are often relegated as insets the size of postage stamps.

Overall, this book is a welcome addition to the growing number of books on Kapampangan religious history, which was started by Dr. Luciano Santiago's. "Laying the Foundations: Kapampangan Pioneers of the Philippine Church" and "Edna Gueco's "O, Indu: The Virgen delos Remedios Story". Nino Tomen, whose young son died of rabies just days before the book launch, deserves our commendation for completing this book against all odds.

(27 June 2010)

30.Bale Matua: The DELA CRUZ-LIM HOUSE

An uncle of mine died this week, Tatang Emiliano “Bending” de la Cruz, who lived to the ripe age of 93 years. Tatang was married to my aunt Elsie Castro, 89, sister of my late Dad.

Both Tatang Bending and Imang Elsie were the last of their siblings, outliving all their younger ‘kapatads’, in the case of my aunt. Though longtime Manila residents, they've always remained true to their Pampanga roots, and it was in Mabalacat, their hometown, that the family chose to have Tatang’s wake.

 The death of my uncle gathered our Kapampangan relatives, and the funeral wake turned into another mini-reunion, and an occasion to revisit old memories of the grand De La Cruz-Lim House, where my uncle lay in state for 3 days.

This is their family residence, an imposing structure built in 1932, by his father, Don Vicente Dizon de la Cruz (Apung Centi), a prominent businessman and sugar planter, and his wife, Dna. Felipa Tuazon Lim (Apung Pepang), whose humble beginnings belied her enterprising spirit.

As a youngster, Apung Pepang sold water to passengers of the the Manila-Dagupan railway, which passed thru the town. In later years, local people would call her the “Nora Aunor of Mabalacat”, despite the obvious anachronism.

I had written about this house in my local history book, but never got around to seeing it this close. I remember a few, short visits here—it is a town landmark because of its tall tower—when one says you have reached the “bale ng Apung Pepang” (the house of Lola Pepang), it means you have reached the town proper.

 The house stands right along the corner of the Sta. Ines Expressway Exit and MacArthur Highway in a spacious prime lot. It has a distinct art deco design, right down to the iron grill fence.

The house was among the few featured in the “Pampanga Social Register” book, published in 1936, which paid tribute to Pampanga’s prominent people in business and society.

According to the write-up, the house was constructed with Rizal Cement, furnished with Puyat Furniture and finished with Bondex paint by contractor A.B. Villanueva & Sons.

Well-kept through the years, the house had only minor refurbishments, which included re-painting and a change of wallpaper. It is fronted by a garden and a small lawn featuring a grotto-like centerpiece with some figures in cement.

 The covered entry features a contemporary plaque that identifies it as the De la Cruz-Lim Residence, Constructed 1932.

The names of the children are listed with along with the names of their spouses: Enrico (m. Cristina D. Antonio), Constancia, Vicente Gonzalo Jr. (died young), Emiliano (m. to Elsie M. Castro), Heindelberto (m. Clarita G. Velasquez), Ubaldo (m. Caridad G. Garcia), Felicisima (m. to Judge Noli P. Quioc) and Adelaida (m. to Francisco A. Olalia).

The spacious receiving room (where the wake was held) is richly-lined with narra wood panels while the two-toned flooring is made from long wood strips.

The tall but narrow sliding windows of clear glass are protected by beautiful art deco grills of floral design.

There are two rooms to the left, one of which is Apung Centi’s office. There is also a larger room next to the stairwell, used as a living quarter.

The second floor is accessible by a short flight of stairs with wooden steps and iron grill balusters. It leads to the commodious living room that has retained its 80 year old Ambassador style furniture made by Puyat & Sons.

The two-toned floor motif and the wooden paneling is repeated here.

An unusual portrait of the De La Cruzes hangs in the sala. It is that of the couple in their late 50s, cut-out photo oleos (painted studio pictures) and assembled to give a 3-D effect, an early and unusual example of tole art.

 Going to the dining room, one sees an arch with low relief carvings representing the prosperous sugar business of the De La Cruzes. It shows a sugar mill (Apung Centi was a stockholder of the Mabalacat Sugar Mill), sugarcane crushers, a pilon and other mill appurtenances.

 A matching arch is shown on the opposite side, with the initials of the owner and carvings of a vast sugarcane field, a cane crusher and the solitary figure of a farmer hauling off sugarcane stalks in a gareta (carabao cart).

 The dining room also retained much of its furniture, vintage Puyat, in streamlined Ambassador deco, a favored and popular 30s style.

High windows keep the dining room cool, and an occasional bat would often stray into the house through the sliding windows.

To the left are the kitchens and other utility areas, where househelps spend most of their time preparing the food and cooking dishes using old clay ovens.

There is an old fashioned banggera here, and a modern San Miguel refrigerator.

Opposite are rooms sandwiching a short hallway that leads to a veranda. One room is used to store the antique images of St. Mary Margaret Alacocque and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which are lent to the church for viewing on the Feast of Sacred Heart.

The most famous feature of the house is the tower, which is accessible through a narrowing and a spiraling flight of stairs that lead to the top, a small space with windows, good for just a small seat.

There is a town legend that daughter Constancia used to hang out here, which has a commanding view of the town, in the hope of catching a glimpse of a beloved—a religious, so they say. The truth was, Constancia had bad lungs, so her father built the tower for her so she could take better whiff of the fresh, pure air available at high altitude.

Today, the beautiful Deco house is under the care of the children of the late Felicisima de la Cruz-Quioc, a number of whom reside here . I am privileged to have grown up with some of them-- two boys were schoolmates at Sacred Heart Seminary, while the eldest daughter is married to the culinary artist Claude Tayag, another high school classmate.

 While we were once more reunited under a sad circumstance, I am somehow comforted by the thought that Tatang Bending (he is the young boy on the right, in long white pants), who spent his early teenage years living in this grand old house of many memories, is once more home in the town he loved the most, this time, for good.