Claudio Bravo exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum

MANILA, Philippines – The Embassy of Chile and the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) are sponsoring Claudio Bravo: Sojourn in Manila, a landmark exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.

The inauguration of the exhibit is timed to coincide with the National Day celebraton of Chile.

The paintings of Bravo, produced during his stay in Manila in 1968, will be featured in the exhibit. Bravo looked back at his work in the Philippines as his “most lucid paintings, because it was a different race –beautiful! …a different vision of the world and of light.”

Bravo was born in Valparaiso, Chile in 1936 and passed away last year in Taroudant, Morocco. He took art lessons with Miguel Venegas Cifuentes, dancing with the Compania de Ballet de Chile and acting at the Teatro Ensayo.

Painting, however, would become his ultimate vocation. At 17 he held his first solo exhibition. He then moved to the southern city of Conception and quickly gained several portrait commissions. His earnings would allow him to move to Madrid in 1961, where he perfected his craft and gained recognition for his technical virtuosity and hyperrealistic style. It was not long before he became a sought after portraitist amongst social luminaries.

The exhibit commemorates the late artist on the 202nd anniversary of the Independence of Chile.

The works to be featured would be the last body of portraits Bravo would ever produce before being catapulted into the international contemporary art scene for the hyperrealist still lifes that would eventually define his career.

Oscar M. Lopez, Chairman Emeritus of EDC says, “In those portraits, in the glamour and spirit of the personalities he depicted, one cannot but sense the optimism, confidence, vitality and sense of pride, but also the innocence, that characterized the Philippines, and the Manila, of the 1960s.”

His Excellency Ambassador Roberto Mayorga of the Embassy of Chile says, “We are totally convinced that–along with diplomatic, political and economic relationships—cultural links are fundamental to build bridges of understanding and unity among nations.”

Claudio Bravo: Sojourn in Manila is open to the public on September 19 and will run until October 20, 2012. The exhibit will be accompanied by weekly activities on Saturdays, including a curator’s talk, portraiture lecture and a drawing session.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Museum hours are from 9am – 6pm, Monday to Saturday; closed on Sundays and first Mondays of the month and on holidays. For details on the exhibit, please call 708-7829. Visit www.metmuseum.ph. ###

Schedule of Saturday activities:

1. September 22 – Portraits of Distinction. (2 sessions) 9:30am-12nn; 1-5pm at the Upper Level Bridge. Two contemporary Filipino artists spearhead a portrait sketching for artists with distinguished or accomplished Filipinos as sitters. William Gaudinez conducts the first session in the morning while Rafael del Casal facilitates in the afternoon.

2. September 29 – A ‘Still’ Life talk by Cid Reyes. 10:30am at the White Cube Gallery. Art historian Cid Reyes talks about still life painting tradition in the Philippines. His survey on the subject and still life painters in the Philippines will be followed by a still life drawing/painting session involving objects often used by Bravo in his drawings.

3. October 2 – Fashion Portraits: inspired by Claudio Bravo. (2 sessions) 9:30am-12nn; 1-5pm at the Upper Level Bridge. Drapery sketches have been one of the most exquisite creations of Bravo. ‘Draped’, in cooperation with Summit Media, features the leading stylists in the country on a draping exercise which will be followed by a sketching session of the styled models.

4. October 6 – Bravo Claudio: Curator’s Talk by Tats Manhan. 10:00 am at the White Cube Gallery. Tats Manahan will discuss the life and art of Claudio Bravo with emphasis on his connection to the Philippines in 1968. This will be followed by the curator’s walk through of the exhibit.

Source: Lopez Group Press Release