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Cesar Buenaventura (1922-1983)

Lito Zulueta

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721714867586photo-1.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Cesar Buenaventura (1922-1983) Market Scene signed and dated 1970"/>Cesar Buenaventura (1922-1983) Market Scene signed and dated 1970</div>MANILA -- &quot;Mabini Art,&quot; also known as &quot;Ermita Art,&quot; emerged in the 1950s in Philippine painting. This genre was born from a significant event in 1955 when conservative artists walked out of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) annual painting contest after modernists won all major awards. In protest, these academy-trained conservatives began showcasing their works in studios and galleries around Mabini and M.H. del Pilar streets and Luneta Park in Manila’s Ermita district.Over time, Mabini Art gained a derogatory reputation due to its commercial nature. However, it eventually evolved into a significant force, encompassing both conservatives and modernists. As Philippine art became an export commodity, traditional genre works and modern pieces found eager collectors locally and internationally.In November 2013 to February 2014, the Cultural Center of the Philippines held a grand retrospective of Mabini art.On July 27-28, Leonexchange, the online platform of leading auction house Leon Gallery, will feature a treasure trove of Mabini art works by Salvador Cabrera, Cesar Buenaventura, Edgar Doctor, J.D. Castro, Crispin Lopez, and Paco Gorospe.The Mabini Art auction lots mainly belong to the collection of Yolanda Buan, owner of Yolanda’s Gallery on Mabini Street in the 1970s. Now based in the U.S., Buan’s collection is considered &quot;repatriated art&quot; since many pieces have been brought back from collectors abroad.In February 2020, around 50 paintings from her collection were exhibited at the NCCA (National Commission for Culture and the Arts) Gallery in Intramuros. The major show, titled &quot;Bayanihan: The Art of Finding Home,&quot; featured works by stalwarts of the Mabini art scene, such as: Cesar Buenaventura (1922-1983) was the son of Teodoro Buenaventura, pioneer faculty of UP fine arts together with Fabian de la Rosa and Fernando Amorsolo, the first national artist.He depicted people planting rice, winnowing, and bustling market places with vendors whose crouched figures often faced away, turning them into intriguing masses and shapes. His works also included fishermen hauling in their nets and Filipinos engaged in the spirited activity of cockfighting, highlighting the vibrancy and excitement of their recreational pursuits.<div style="text-align:left"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721714750967photo-7.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Salvador Cabrera (1929 - 1986) Sabungero signed and dated 1979 "/>Salvador Cabrera (1929 - 1986) Sabungero signed and dated 1979 </div>Salvador “Badong” Cabrera (1929-1986) was the older brother of National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera. He studied fine arts at UP where his classmates included Sanso, Aguilar Alcuaz, Araceli Limcaco, Celia Diaz, and Pitoy Moreno. He put up Sining Gallery with BenCab and artist Bal Magallona on M.H. del Pilar. After it burned down, they moved to nearby Cortada Street, also in Ermita. Badong also put up a gallery near Clark Air Base, Pampanga. His painted landscapes, folk scenes, Mother and Child, cockfight culture, etc. &quot;His paintings are all over the world now,&quot; BenCab said. &quot;In Honolulu, I was in a house which had a big collection of his works. Jurgen Wolgemuth, a Munich art dealer, was a regular customer, as were Adrian Cristobal, Pilar Pilapil, Dr. Constantino Manahan, and Johnny Wilson. An early collector was Maritess Pineda.&quot;<div style="text-align:left"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721714823088photo-5.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="JD Castro, Real (Royal) Gate, Intramuros; signed and dated 1980 "/>JD Castro, Real (Royal) Gate, Intramuros; signed and dated 1980 </div>José D. Castro (1908-1994) from Nueva Ecija studied under Fabian de la Rosa at UP fine arts school. In 1933, he placed second in the painting contest of the United Philippine Annual. Castro also worked for stage and film and created commissioned still lifes for National Book Store. His works encompass all genres: heritage churches and structures (&quot;Santa Cruz Church,&quot; 1976; &quot;Binondo Church,&quot; 1980; and &quot;Fuente España,&quot; 1978), scenes from Intramuros and Old Manila (&quot;Puerto Real,&quot; 1980; &quot;Parian,&quot; 1980; &quot;Santa Lucia,&quot; 1980; &quot;Postigo Gate,&quot; 1980; and &quot;Isabel II,&quot; 1980), as well as bullfighting (&quot;Matador&quot; series, 1979) and cockfighting (&quot;Sabungero,&quot; 1976).<div style="text-align:left"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721714627287photo-3.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Edgar Doctor (b. 1941) Violinist signed and dated 1972"/>Edgar Doctor (b. 1941) Violinist signed and dated 1972</div><div style="text-align:left"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721714661223photo-4.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Edgar Doctor, Untitled (Kristo series), signed and dated 1970 "/>Edgar Doctor, Untitled (Kristo series), signed and dated 1970 </div>Edgar Doctor (b. 1941) is perhaps one of the most familiar modernists to contemporary art enthusiasts. A prolific and accomplished artist, Doctor&#x27;s works span various mediums, including painting, sculpture, and ceramics. Educated at the UST School of Fine Arts under National Artist Victorio Edades, Doctor&#x27;s versatility is evident in the works from the Yolanda Buan collection: &quot;Kristo&quot; (1972), &quot;Nude&quot; (1974), &quot;Serenade&quot; (1970), &quot;Abstract Kristo&quot; (1974), &quot;Nature&quot; (1973), &quot;Abstract Nature&quot; (1973), &quot;Sabungero&quot; (1974), &quot;Inuman&quot; (1974), &quot;Girl with Vase&quot; (1973), &quot;Pond&quot; (1971), &quot;Redeemer&quot; (1970), &quot;Abstract&quot; (1972), &quot;Oracion&quot; (Man with Carabao) (1973), &quot;Violinist&quot; (1972), &quot;Scarecrow&quot; (1973), and &quot;Mountain View&quot; (1972).<div style="text-align:left"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721714571946photo-6.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Paco Gorospe (1939 - 2002) Bird on Horse signed and dated 1969"/>Paco Gorospe (1939 - 2002) Bird on Horse signed and dated 1969</div>Paco Gorospe (1939-2002) was born in Binondo, Manila and studied at UST fine arts school but didn’t finish. He established his own gallery in Mabini and the modernist genre. Among his first collectors was Lyd Arguilla of the Philippine Art Gallery. His works were exhibited in the Seattle and New York World Fairs in 1962 and 1964, respectively. He also exhibited in Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Hong Kong and Japan.<div style="text-align:left"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1721714528319photo-2.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Crispin Lopez (1903 - 1985) Bridge signed and dated 1982 "/>Crispin Lopez (1903 - 1985) Bridge signed and dated 1982 </div>Crispin V. Lopez (1903-1985) hailed from Bulacan and spent several years as a retoucher and painter for various photographers’ studios. He gained recognition when he won first prize in the Rizal Portrait Contest sponsored by Malacanang in 1937. He is remembered for the vivid realism of his works, especially landscapes; according to Santiago Albano Pilar, they’re distinguished by their fine tonal contrast that approaches photographic realism.Other Mabini artists in the exhibit are Gabriel Custodio (1912-1993), Leonardo Zablan (1937-1987), and Roger San Miguel (b. 1940).Mabini Art, initially scorned for its commercialism, has cemented its place in Philippine art history, showcasing a blend of conservative and modernist styles. Through exhibitions and repatriation efforts, its legacy continues to be appreciated by new generations of art lovers and collectors.Leon Exchange online auction will be held on July 27 (The Collectors’ Vault) and July 28 (Heiresses’ Homes and Tables). Catalogue and bidding procedures can be seen <a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.calameo.com/read/0046563052c43b9e2f834">here</a>. Preview ongoing at La Fuerza, warehouse14, La Fuerza, 2241 Chino Roces Ave, Makati; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"Mabini Art," also known as "Ermita Art," emerged in the 1950s in Philippine painting.

"Mabini Art," also known as "Ermita Art," emerged in the 1950s in Philippine painting.

Salvador Cabrera, Edgar Doctor, key Mabini artists featured in Leon online auction July 27

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Salvador Cabrera, Edgar Doctor, key Mabini artists featured in Leon online auction July 27

Lito Zulueta

Published July 23, 2024 02:08 PM PHT

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Salvador Cabrera

Edgar Doctor

Mabini Art

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