The artworks at CCP, explained

Inside CCP are artworks that revolt against the very foundation of the decades-old theatre. In the lobby alone, guests are greeted by the astounding work of cartoonist and illustrator Mauro “Malang” Santos, known for his cubist and abstract-modern portraits. His work, Landscape, brings so much life to an otherwise dull space inside the CCP. It is set against cold concrete, an unlikely space for a painting that brims with colours. 

“There are trees and his signature barung barongs or shanties behind it,” writer Giselle Kasilag says. “And if one is a critic, one might say that it is a social commentary on urbanisation and how far we have distanced ourselves from our natural environment”.

Nobody leaves CCP without catching a glimpse of this enormous work by Hernando R Ocampo. The curtain at the Tanghalang Nicanór Abelardo remains vibrant as a blaze of red fills its tapestry. Titled Genesis, Ocampo’s work is reputably an art form that shows the world’s origin.

“Ocampo transformed the word into an image, a bonfire—not one on a festive Boracay evening, not one for roasting marshmallows, but an inferno spreading light and defeating darkness,” says Dr Jaime Laya. 

At a closer look, the painting shows several fingers and scythes scattered across the field of fire. These, in Laya’s understanding, represent “creation” and “imagination and creativity”. 

“Spreading fire suggests triumph over resistance to a cultural centre; triumph in filling the void left by the destruction of World War II,” he further suggests.

Visual artist Gerardo Tan, in his work Camouflage, explores artistry that goes beyond flat surfaces. Tan was inspired by the works of Antoni Tàpies, Jasper Johns, and Robert Rauschenberg. “I was captivated by the surface of Tàpies’ paintings and his use of industrial materials,” the artist explains. “He was a singular influence on my work during that time.”

Tan used for his painting spackling compound or masilya, typically used to correct minor surface unevenness and cracks on painting surfaces. 

At a closer look, Camouflage shows Tan’s pair of hardened pyjamas bound by black and white flat enamel, turpentine, and wood glue. “After the spackle and glue dried, I poured black and white enamel paint over them to form rivulets and puddles of paint on the plywood panel,” he explains.

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Roberto Villanueva’s Pitong Sining is a mural permanently displayed on the grand staircase of CCP. “In this artwork, the artist seems to be communicating to us,” says Dr Nicanor G Tiongson. “A very important insight into our existence as human beings.” 

Tiongson argues that Pitong Sining captures man’s productive and respectful relationship with nature. The work was pervaded by an indigenous aesthetic evident in short, squat figures with wide-open eyes.

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The triptych is one of Cesar Legaspi’s more monochromatic paintings, and it hangs in the foyer of CCP’s Little Theatre. Despite its bright yellow colour, Legaspi’s work blends perfectly with the woodwork of the building. 

“One could say that this [painting] alludes to the way music both foregrounds and retreats amidst performances,” says Assistant Professor Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez, Legaspi’s granddaughter.

Read more: Explore the world of ‘Space/Place’ in an exhibition at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

The Abuses of Spanish Authorities, located just outside CCP’s Tanghalang Huseng Batute, was executed by carvers from Paete, Laguna for National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco. This work is one of the twelve Acacia wood relief panels carved by craftsmen from Paete based on the drawings of the National Artist.

In this work, people can discern Botong’s hand, which did not physically wield a carver’s chisel,” explains Ditas R Samson, senior curator and head of museum research and publications at the Ayala Museum.

A keen eye would notice the figures of a Spanish friar and an army officer in the mural’s centre. Their hands are being kissed by the natives, which seemingly shows obedience to authority. 

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