Several years ago, Delma L. introduced me to Tam-awan, a complex of Igorot huts lovingly transported from their natural habitat, and has become a mecca for the artistically-minded tourist and the general population, to view what the habitation in the “interior” would look like. The browse through the artwork on display, all in a Pinsao setting that does promote a cleaner, gentler and greener Baguio, is a pleasant activity and has increased awareness of the Baguio art scene, with works of famous and upcoming artists. It was set up by BenCab, aka Benedicto Reyes Cabrera, a Manila-born graduate of Fine Arts from UP. He has adopted Baguio as his home and where he does his work in painting and printmaking.
The BenCab Foundation has established the BenCab Museum, a spacious four-storey art gallery which houses a number of paintings and sculptures. A main feature is the Cordillera-inspired artwork. The Museum opened on 23rd February 2009. The property on which it stands is on a farm with a stream running through from a waterfall. The South China Sea view is out there in the west. In the northeast are limestone rocks. A steep slope of 300 plus steps reveals modern rooftops of the museum. A hut from Kalinga was lovingly moved into the property, and equipped with modern living amenities, for visiting family members. The terraced plots are planted with Baguio greens, strawberries, coffee.
This is the link to the website: http://bencabmuseum.org/?page_id=17
Photographs of the museum are found in:
http://www.ironwulf.net/2009/12/05/baguio-art-and-nature-fuse-at-bencab-museum/
Another feature of the Museum is Café Sabel, run by the same staff and management of Café by the Ruins. Sabel is a model-inspiration from the streets of Manila: a woman scavenger which is repeatedly a motif used by the artist.This link gives some photographs of the offerings of the Café:
http://allanko.net/2009/11/16/desserts-and-more-at-cafe-sabel-bencab-museum-baguio/
BenCab Museum is on Asin Road, Km.6 way before the Hot Springs.
No comments:
Post a Comment