A CONVERSATION WITH TWO ICONS

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila mounted a landmark exhibition, reuniting two pioneering Filipina modernists who shared parallel lives

- By Franz Sorilla IV

The Philippine art scene transformed significantly when Anita Magsaysay-Ho and Simplicia “Nena” Saguil enrolled at the University of the Philippines’ School of Fine Arts. At the time, artists like Fabian de la Rosa and the Amorsolo brothers dominated, and their traditional styles limited creativity. Magsaysay-Ho and Saguil emerged from this context, challenging conventions and seeking a more modern and expressive artistic voice. Blending local narratives with innovative techniques marked a pivotal shift in Philippine art.

Curator Patrick Flores of the exhibition Material Inspirations at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M) established that era’s male-dominated art scene at the exhibition’s entrance. Welcoming the visitors were Magsaysay-Ho and Saguil’s graduation photos from the class of 1933. Across them were the Philippinensian Yearbook’s pages, including then-school director Fabian de la Rosa’s message about “the existing opportunities in the arts” and the cover page illustrating the purported genius of a male artist.

Magsaysay-Ho and Saguil may not be the first women to enter the UP School of Fine Arts, but relatively, female artists were a minority during that period. Both were born in 1914, and their impact on the Philippine art landscape was felt in the latter half of the 20th century. Saguil was the only woman featured in art critic Aurelio Alvero’s exhibition of non-objective art in 1953 at the Philippine Art Gallery. Meanwhile, Magsaysay-Ho was recognised by the “Father of Philippine Modern Art”, Victorio Edades, as one of the “Thirteen Moderns”.