Last Saturday, National Artist Napoleon Abueva celebrated his 84th birthday at the Metropolitan Museum at Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas located along Roxas Boulevard.
I considered myself lucky to be invited. I was also invited at the opening, but i was indisposed and couldnt make it - so i found myself doubly lucky to make it to his birthday. The "full" exhibit ended last month, the 31st of January. The bigger pieces has since been returned to the owners - some to the Abuevas, a few to the Consunjis. As a matter of fact, someone told me that Mrs. David M. Consunji was the lady in white lace. Most of the Consunji art works were abstracts - and as i viewed them with a great deal of pleasure, i felt the power of motion expressed in the abstracts. They were mostly bas-relief
i loved the carabaos, but my favorite piece - the black glossy family of 3 that was roughly half a mil was simply not there, i looked for it and asked my friend and classmate if it had been sold but she wasnt sure
if you want to see a pic of this, hit the arts-and-friends label on the left and you will see it
i liked the bust of my friend Amihan, the eldest of his kids - and that of Duero, the youngest son.
my friend Alice likes the Judas kiss, the surface of this piece reminds me of the Easter Island heads.
i love the circular slatted room, and if i were lavishly rich, i'd have it near the pool, but protected from the elements. you would know why if you had seen it.
i also would buy the doors, if i had a castle or mansion to showcase it. lovely doorway - a gateway to beauty and spiritual peace.
btw, it isnt too late to see some of them, only the larger pieces have been removed. you can still view the smaller items -
the Met is open Mondays-Saturdays. Go see it, and maybe buy a few, especially if you can afford it
