On its 10th year, the Pasinaya Open House Festival of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is set to grow bigger as it expands to various museums and galleries in Manila. The festival is on March 16.

 

“This is the largest multi-arts festival in the country, which involves more than 3,000 artists,” CCP artistic director Chris Millado said. “Last year, we hit over 50,000 (spectators) and we are expecting more this year. That’s why we are expanding our partners.”

 

In the previous years, Pasinaya was held only at the CCP Complex. Now there will be other venues and centers of activities. Art jeepneys, provided by the Jeepney Arts Festival, will ferry the audience to the other locations, said Millado.

 

The tour is divided into three routes: Roxas Boulevard, Intramuros, and “National Heritage routes.”

 

Art spots

 

Metropolitan Museum of Manila (Met), Museo Pambata and 1335 Mabini in Ermita are the art spots on the Roxas Boulevard route.

 

Audiences will be able to view the works of National Artist Napoleon Abueva in the exhibit “Abueva: The Power of Form” at the Met.

 

The museum is also showcasing the works of different Japanese artists in “Winter Garden: the Exploration of Micropop Imagination in Japanese Contemporary,” and the installation of Colombian artist Nicholas Consuegra.

 

There are also permanent Met exhibitions such as “Classical Gold and Pottery from Pre-Colonial Period,” “Aura: Religious Art in Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Collection,” “Hidalgo: the Colonial Subject as Master” and “Philippine Contemporary Art.”

 

Museo Pambata will conduct a recyclable arts-and-craft workshop and  mount a shadow play, Russel Molina’s “Ako si Kaliwa, Ako si Kanan.”

 

The Intramuros leg of Pasinaya will visit Bahay Tsinoy, National Commission for Culture and the Arts gallery, and Casa Manila.

 

“We’ll have a board game that is similar to Othello, the Chinese-style cat’s cradle, and Chinese jackstone,” Bahay Tsinoy director Meah Ang See said. “We’ll teach basic calligraphy, and we’re tentatively looking to having a Tai Chi class if someone is available.”

 

Masters, artifacts

 

The National Museum of the Philippines and Museum of the Filipino People are the destinations for the National Heritage route.

 

Juan Luna’s “Spoliarium” and Felix Ressurection Hidalgo’s “Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho” (Christian Virgins Presented to the Populace) are the popular displays of the National Museum.

 

It also holds various artworks from important Filipino Modernists such as those by National Artists Victorio Edades, Hernando R. Ocampo, Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok.

 

The Museum of the Filipino People will present historic artifacts, such as ancient pre-Hispanic and Hispanic cannons and traditional Philippine garments.

 

Jeremy Barns, director of National Museum, said he would welcome the Pasinaya audience to the museum’s two buildings. He added the museum planned to mount classical performances during the festival.

 

Pasinaya will witness performances by different cultural groups and performers such as the Philippine Philharomonic Orchestra, University of Santo Tomas Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Philippines and Bayanihan National Folk Dance.

 

Pasinaya  will open at 8 a.m. and close with a 6 p.m. show at the CCP.

 

Entrance fees to the participating museums and galleries will be waived as long as visitors get a Pasinaya band for a donation of at least P50.

 

Call 8321125 loc. 1607.