MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Material Inspirations: Anita Magsaysay-Ho and Nena Saguil exhibition officially opened on November 08, 2024, Friday, at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
Curated by Patrick Flores, Material Inspirations: Anita Magsaysay-Ho and Nena Saguil showcases two prominent Filipina artists, who were born the same year, 1914, were classmates at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, and later became pioneers of modern art in the Philippines. The exhibition features works that highlight the particular techniques each artist mastered, ultimately defining their artistic identities. Anita Magsaysay-Ho became renowned for her use of egg tempera, while Nena Saguil was known for her distinctive pen-and-ink style. This exhibition honors these two influential women, who broke barriers in the male-dominated Philippine art scene of the mid-20th century.
Among the attendees at the exhibition opening ceremony were the late artists’ family and friends, including Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s daughter, Doris Magsaysay-Ho, grandson Jesse Maxwell and his wife Jessica, and Nena Saguil’s nephew, Ben Saguil.
Present as well were Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The M Museum Butch Campos and his wife Ollie; Trustees Manny Miñana and Fe Rodriguez, Ayala Foundation, Inc.’s Fernando Zobel and his wife Kit, Executive Director of the Lopez Museum Cedie Lopez-Vargas, Isabel Wilson, Cara Wilson, Silvana and Ramon Diaz, together with friends and supporters of The M.
The event began with host Bambina Olivares, Head of Special Projects and Exhibitions at The M, who introduced The M President Tina Colayco, to deliver a welcoming message to the guests.
“We would like to look back, with admiration, at their legacy and give tribute once again to Anita Magsaysay-Ho and Nena Saguil as we see them up close with works done in two particular mediums, which are egg tempera and pen and ink,” shared Tina Colayco, President, The Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
“Here, the effort focuses on the material inspirations of the artists: the material of egg tempera and pen and ink and the inspirations of their work that matter in both social and cultural life. Let this be the nucleus or germ or seed of a more extensive and decisive tribute to the art of Anita and Nena that further honors their generous achievement and original imagination,” commented Patrick Flores, Curator of Material Inspirations: Anita Magsaysay-Ho and Nena Saguil.
Flores then led everyone up the floating staircase to the 3/F South Gallery for a guided walkthrough around the exhibition.
The exhibition runs until December 08, 2024. Book your visit online or onsite.
