In a divergent Winterfell universe, Meera would instead tell Hodor to "open the door" and enter a sanctuary where diverse cultures are linked beautifully through art. That place could very well be the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo City.
Named after the Filipino word 'pinto', which means 'door', the museum—first opened in 2010—ushers visitors to a setting which founder Dr. Joven Cuanang envisioned arts to play "a diplomatic role in bridging distinctive nationalities, worldviews, and communities", and where visual fine arts pops with emotive appeal, poignant meaning and bursting inspirations.
Patronizing local artists, Dr. Cuanang started his art collection in the late 1980s. Coinciding with the euphoric high of the People Power Revolution of 1986, a new era of artistic exploration blossomed, giving birth to a new generation of artists who suddenly found themselves not bounded by any censorships of the previous dictatorial regime.
Through a fervent will of collecting arts through connoisseurship and acquisitions, Dr. Cuanang earned a distinction of being a leading enabler of the Filipino art scene. Today, the Pinto Art Museum houses the works of several Filipino artists such as Rodel Tapaya, Marina Cruz, Elmer Borlongan, Jose John Santos III, Emmanuel Garibay, Mark Justiniani and Antonio Leaño just to state a few.
Every once in a while, the museum also hosts new artists to display their works. At the time of our visit, I chanced upon a gallery showcasing the works of Filipino visual artist Igan D'Bayan.
Situated on a 1.5-hectare property in the suburban part of Antipolo, the museum still manifests a countryside feel because of the landscaped gardens and charming courtyards surrounding the galleries. Every corner you direct your sight instantly screams of 'Instagrammable' spot—a fact that earns the museum the distinction of being one of the most 'IG-grammed' art houses in the world.
I joined fellow travel bloggers Josiah, Lisa Marie and Doi one lazy weekday to visit the museum. After meeting up in Cubao, we boarded a Grab taxi to Pinto Art Museum. Eavesdropping on our conversation, the driver expressed interest at the place. “What can be seen there?”, he asked us.
Josiah, being a friendly and accommodating person, responded with an invitation. “Manong, since we need a ride back, why don’t you go with us, we’ll pay your entrance ticket, so you can also check it out”. Long story short, our Grab driver not only got passengers going to and from Pinto Art Museum, he also gets to enjoy an afternoon at the museum.
Upon entering, my attention was immediately piqued by the pieces of art installations laid out on the garden. There's a set of statues made of stone, metal strips formed in the image of a mother holding a baby, steel sculptures and tiny ornamental pieces each with its own story and meaning to express. I’ve yet to enter a gallery and I’m already barraged with a visual banquet.
The galleries are all housed in separate houses whose interiors and exteriors resembles a colonial Spanish architecture with hints of Mediterranean influence, making exploring the whole compound akin to walking around in a small charming neighborhood. Also located inside, are two cafes: the roof deck Cafe Tan-Aw by Peppermill and the Pinto Cafe located in the garden area.
The key to thoroughly enjoy your Pinto Art Museum experience is to take it slow while you chew up the artsy-ness of the place. Admittedly, I'm not much of an art connoisseur, so there were galleries where I took my sweet time and there's probably one or two where I blitzed through—which I kind of now regret.
Oh well, I guess this gives me another reason to go back to Pinto Art Museum armed with all the time in the world.
