Ukit at BenCab Museum includes Marz Aglipay as one of its featured printmakers.
Baguio, Philippines — The BenCab Museum shines a light on printmaking in “Ukit.” This exhibition features 35 local artists and printmakers focused on relief-print methods. The show features works from the 1950s to the present.
This survey exhibition includes works by Ambie Abaño, Angelo Magno, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Annatha Lilo Gutierrez, Arturo Luz, BenCab, Benjie Torrado Cabrera, Boboy Dado, Efren Zaragoza, Egai Talusan Fernandez, Elmer Borlongan, Fara Manuel-Nolasco, Fil Delacruz, FM Monteverde, Gabi Nazareno, HALA MÆN, Hannah Nantes, Henrielle Baltazar Pagkaliwangan, Hershey Malinis, Janos Delacruz, Jonathan Olazo, Jone Sibugan, KR Rodgers, Leonard Aguinaldo, Leonilo Doloricon, Little Wing Luna, Manuel D. Baldemor, Marina Cruz, Marz Aglipay, Melai Arguzon, ND Harn, Pam Yan-Santos, Rod Paras-Perez, Villia Jefremovas, and Virgilio Aviado.
A majority of artists in this show were participants in the online print fair Limbag Kamay in October of 2021. While a good number of them are members of the Association of Pinoyprintmakers (AP). This includes past and current AP presidents like Ambie Abaño and Benjie Torrado Cabrera. There are also prints made by National artists Arturo Luz, BenCab and masters like Anita Magsaysay-Ho and Leonilo Doloricon.
The opening reception was graced by some 20 printmakers and artists with the opening remarks delivered by Philippine National Artist BenCab and the exhibition’s proponent Elmer Borlongan. “I think there’s a resurgence or Renaissance in Philippine Printmaking,” Borlongan said. He also expressed a desire to continue the momentum in another printmaking show that would feature other printmaking mediums in the future.
A catalog of the event will soon be made available with an essay written by museum director and curator, Ricky Francisco.
Excerpt from Ukit exhibition catalog
UKIT
To carve or to cut a groove or hollow on a surface
As a technique of printmaking, relief printing is characterized when a flat material like wood or rubber sheet is carved out, gouged, cut, incised or manipulated in such a way to create recesses on it. Ink is then applied to the non-recessed areas. The inked surfaces come in contact with paper to transfer the ink, leaving the recessed areas color-free. The printmaker creates the images from the keen awareness of this contrast between colored and color-free, often using the recessed areas as highlights, when the ink used is a darker color than the paper. Adding to the difficulty is the natural complexity of printmaking that the image carved must be a mirror image of the intended print.In Ukit, the techniques used range from the traditional woodcut, rubbercut, or linocut, to the more experimental like PVC reduction relief and eraser stamp relief, or a combination of different techniques. Parallel to the techniques are the range of papers used, from fine art paper brands to handmade paper like Awagami and Baohong.
The works on exhibit show the range of the techniques as they evolved through time, ranging from those made in the youth of the fine art printmaking in the 1950s and 60s such as those by Arturo Luz, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, and Rod. Paras-Perez, to contemporary works by established and young printmakers. Subjects range from the deeply personal to political, from popular culture to the elevated, from the mundane to the spiritual.
Ricky Francisco
Basing from this survey, and with the active involvement of institutions like the BenCab Museum and participation of individual printmakers, we can say that things bode well for the artform and for the Philippine printmaking community.
Ukit at BenCab Museum
“Ukit” is on view at the BenCab Museum in Baguio until May 28, 2023. The BenCab Museum is located at Km. 6 Asin Rd, Tuba, 2603 Benguet. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm(last entry at 5:30pm). Walk-ins are welcome. For updates and artwork purchases, please message BenCab Museum on Facebook.
To commission Marz Aglipay, please contact us.
