DELA CERNA
Art Biography is an art exhibit and a unique reunion of two old friends, Jose (Kimsoy) Yap Jr., the painter, and Arsenio (Arsing) Abella, the sculptor, who are two of the most relevant, significant and valuable Cebuanos in the field of art and culture then and in the generations to come. It honors the lasting and enormous contribution of Kimsoy and Arsing to Cebu’s art and cultural landscape.
Art Biography opens on October 10, 2017 at 6 p.m. at the Manila Art Frames and GALLERY, located at 5 E. Benedicto St., Cebu City. Exhibit runs till October 31. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.
Their friendship started when they were young students of architecture at the Cebu Institute of Technology where they were mentored and nurtured by Maestro Painter Martino Abellana. They were not only mentored in the classroom but even on weekends where they went to Carcar, Martino Abellana’s residence, to learn more about the craft and even Abellana’s work ethic.
Kimsoy is referred to as a “maestro” artist known for his mastery in watercolor and pastel. His works “never fail to take hold of the viewer’s inner sensibilities, as his strokes seem to go beyond his subject, communicating a mood, creating an aura that silences one’s spirit.” He is a revered art guru, passionately dedicated to “live, breathe and talk” art.
His lifelong training and experience in art can be traced back to his own father, Martino Abellana in Carcar, the New York National Academy of Arts and where he learned art while mentoring other student artists for many years. In 1992, he came back to Cebu and started to teach in the College of Fine Arts in the University of San Carlos till the present. He has done exhibits and gained several recognitions for his paintings.
Arsing is an architect “valued for his spontaneous approach to design creatively blending art and function in architecture.”
With over 40 years of experience in architecture, his “satisfaction is derived from the challenge to creatively find an artistic solution” in each of his works. “Art is the overarching drive in each piece of his designs.”
He has contributed artistic landmarks in several cities in the country, and had received awards for his works from the Design Center of the Philippines and the Art Association of the Philippines.
As a multi-faceted artist (architect, painter, sculptor, toymaker and designer, and aspiring writer), he had done solo exhibits of his paintings and sculptures. He has “created” a breathtaking nature and art resort he calls Singli in San Fernando, Cebu.
Breathtaking not alone for the grandeur and splendor of nature surrounding it “but for the respect the artist pays to it in making complementary use of the profuse talents the Divine Artist has given him to make Singli an art haven.”
Singli is permanent gallery of his sculptures, paintings and “words of wisdom” to inspire its visitors. While he maintains a sculpture garden, he continues to share with fellow architects in Archiglobal as their consultant.
In their younger days, these two extremely talented artists did not have any ambition to see their names written in the stars but they just worked their best, kept inspired in doing what they were at, and remembered gratitude in being rewarded for work well done throughout the years.
They are still Kimsoy and Arsing now just as they were known because they have kept their simplicity and earnestness whole and entire. This simplicity and earnestness they imbibed from their mentor, Martino Abellana.
Today, they are enjoying the towering achievements of their respective lifework — they are twin peaks.
They make Cebu proud and happy in the noteworthiness of their careers: “The pattern of excellence, the generous sharing of talent, sterling character and openness of heart and mind to Art.”
Today and always, Kimsoy and Arsing belong to Cebu’s art history and many elsewheres.
This week we celebrated World Teachers’ Day and Martino Abellana was an example of a great teacher who influenced several generations of artists, among them Kimsoy and Arsing, not only teaching his students to master the craft but also living the life values, practicing the proper work ethic and continuing to mentor student and aspiring artists from all walks of life.
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