August 5, 2012, 10:55pm
Photo by PINGGOT ZULUETA
MANILA, Philippines — Mabini artists are celebrated every now and then, and just recently, The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), have the honor of receiving a donation from The Transwing Kunst Gallery. Jane Hartung, owner and managing director, generously passed down the “Mango Vendor” by one of the finest Mabini artists, Paco Gorospe.
The ceremony was held last July 20 at Barbara’s Restaurant in Intramuros in commemoration of Paco Gorospe’s 10th year death anniversary. Paco Gorospe (Francisco Gorospe Sy) started to pursue his artistic dreams after his secondary education when he went to Visayas and Mindanao. He did not confine his creativity within in the four walls of a classroom; he acquired his knowledge and skills from the streets. He tried to find inspiration for his artwork in locals and tribal minorities. He made painting his life and he tried to push himself to the limits each time. Gorospe’s painting soon reached the movie billboards of Cagayan de Oro and then he set up his own gallery along Mabini Street in Ermita. He was the only non-Fine Arts graduate to be exhibited at the Philippine Art Gallery.
Gorospe was greatly influenced by the works of Serafin Serna, Salvador Cabrera and Angelito Antonio. He was always a spontaneous artist who breaks out of the norms and stretches his creativity into every corner of what can be considered as art. In 1962, his works were chosen to represent the Philippines at the Washington World Fair, and he also had an exhibit in New York in 1964. And from 1965 onwards, he had exhibitions in Switzerland and one-man show at President’s Hotel in Hong Kong. His artwork, “The Flower Vendor” was even chosen as the cover for Esso Silangan Mobile Magazine.
In 1983, his art was in magazines and newspapers when he started to work with metal, wood, etc. It was only the year after when he switched to watercolors and crayons. In 1989, he had his first exhibit in Germany and Denmark which were sponsored by his friend. His works were also exhibited in Japan the following year, and one of his paintings, “Sabungeros”, was used by the Philippine Airlines as their design for their playing cards. And in 1996, his “Sabong” was in the cover of SBC Warburg Gaming Report.
The Transwing Trading Company for Germany and Philippines and the Kunst Gallery collaborated in 2010 to establish a gallery in Transwing, Darmstadt to give Filipino artists a chance to exhibit their artworks in Germany. Jane R. Hartung (Transwing) and Virgilio Cuizon (Kunst Gallery) showcased artworks of Filipino to the German and European community. “Art from the Philippines today from our point of view can compete with art worldwide: there are many artists that are in the abstract and modern art and still there are many artist of the more conservative style,” Jane Hartung shared.
“Yes, there are many ‘street artists’ you will find worldwide who are just copying from others. However, in the Philippines, there are many artists, similar to Mabini Art in Manila in former times, who are developing their own style,” Hartung added.
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