Freeway, home of the National Artist Collector's Series, releases another remarkable collection of wearable art—this time, to honor the birth centennial celebrations of writer Nick Joaquin and painter Cesar Legaspi!
IMAGE Courtesy of Freeway
Cesar Legaspi, awarded National Artist for Visual Arts in 1990, is a pioneer of modern art in the Philippines. He belonged to two artist groups: “Thirteen Moderns” and “Neo-realists”, both of which instrumented the acceptance of modernism in a country where most preferred realism. Cesar’s style of painting and illustration uses the western approach Cubism but is of genuine Filipino context, traceable to his experiences and observance of the Philippines before and after World War I. His paintings are also known for their color palettes, consistent elements such as the human torso, man at work, and post-war scenes, and themes of struggle and labor. Cesar is most known for creating the classic pieces Stairway to Heaven, Mother and Child, Three Musicians, and Kargador.
IMAGE Courtesy of Freeway
Nicomedes Joaquin, more popularly known as Nick Joaquin, is one of the most distinguished authors, historians, and journalists in the Philippines, known for his visual writing style that enables the reader to clearly imagine, if not experience, the story in his work. Named National Artist for Literature and Journalism in 1976, Nick has penned numerous award-winning essays, poems, novels, plays, and news reports, starting as a creative writer of works that consistently blend “primitive emotions with sophisticated treatment” (Locsin, 1991). His knowledge of Philippine folklore and traditions coupled with his characteristically detailed narration has created the classic works May Day Eve, The Woman Who Had Two Navels, and A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino. In the 1960s, Nick shifted from creative writing to a breed of writing he dubbed New Journalism—his unique reportage saw the marriage of facts with creative delivery, without losing the truth of the news. He also worked as a contributing editor for the Free Press, writing the notable works The House on Zapote Street and The Golden Girl.
If you're just as excited as we are, you can snap up both collections at all Freeway and The Row PH branches nationwide, and online! Happy shopping!
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