ABOUT THE WORK

In July 1968, a band of artists who regularly met at the storied Taza de Oro Restaurant along scenic Roxas Boulevard in Ermita, Manila, founded the now iconic Saturday Group of Artists. For more than five decades, it has continued to be the Philippines’ premier group of artists. “In 1968, after retiring as senior vice president of Philprom, Inc., Nanding made it a habit of taking lunch at the Taza de Oro Restaurant,” writes Angel G. de Jesus in his Vignettes column on Business Day (August 4, 1977). “Alfredo (Ding) Roces and lawyer Antonio Quintos also used to go there at the same time, and they invited him to join them at their table. Other artists and writers joined them in their discussions on art and writing, and thus the Saturday Group was born.” If there’s one overarching reason why they still hold that distinction, it is that nine National Artists for the Visual Arts came from the storied group: Botong Francisco, Hernando Ocampo, Cesar Legaspi, Vicente Manansala, Arturo Luz, Jose Joya, Ang Kiukok, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, and Benedicto Cabrera. Critic Leonidas V. Benesa describes in his article “The Saturday Group: Venus Observed,” published in the AAP Liham, the group’s typical bonding/creative sessions. “The sessions themselves take place in an art gallery or in the privacy of a home after meeting at the Ermita coffee shop for small talk, business talk, and, of course, coffee or tea together with the sweet-toothed trimmings as the Taza is famous for its pies and cakes. The gallery or residence usually provides a heavy merienda for the Group after the sketching sessions, and it is not unusual that the artists leave behind one of their best works in payment for the service.” Benesa adds: “The Group was already existing before 1972 the year martial law was declared. But it was only during the last three years that it became intensely active. Aside from its nude painting sessions, members of the Group would be painting works together in the spirit of interaction. This was how they used to raise money for their financial needs as a group, aside from personal contributions to the kitty.” The Saturday Group is noted for introducing the concept of “interaction” painting to the local art scene. In particular, one of its members, the eminent art critic and painter Alfredo Roces, is credited with introducing the concept of on-the-spot collective painting in 1969. Roces said in a 1974 interview that their interaction sessions work like a jazz group. “In a jazz group, members play a different instrument each, yet contribute to the harmony of the whole picture.” This 1976 interaction painting features three titans of Philippine art and future National Artists: Ocampo, Legaspi, and Joya. Ocampo first lays out the fluidity of his organic forms that characterize his Visual Melody Period, which was in full force at this time of his career. Legaspi then posits his trademark bold, “rocky” forms that evoke solidity and penetrating gestures that cut across the surface of the canvas. The earthy color palette dominated by saffron yellows is decisively the contribution of Joya, whose application of color comes off as raw and muted compared to Ocampo’s high-powered vibrancy and relative refinement. Nevertheless, both were master colorists in their own right. Joya’s earthy colors bestow balance to Ocampo’s gracefulness and Legaspi’s forcefulness, a stark contrast to their actual personalities. Ocampo and Legaspi had long been friends. They were the original neo-realists and two-thirds of the Philippine Art Gallery’s “Big Three” together with Manansala. During the post-war period, Ocampo would invite Legaspi to his office at the Kalaw Arcade, where they would discuss the pros and cons of the former’s recent paintings. Eventually, Legaspi would also take note of Ocampo’s erudite opinions and comments on his works. Ocampo, who is self-confessed about his lack of forte in drawing, looked up to Legaspi’s deeply rooted expertise in drawing that he acquired from his college training at the UP School of Fine Arts. “A rapport developed between them: Legaspi was diffident and modest, while Ocampo was self-confident and voluble. From then on, Legaspi would not exhibit his paintings without first showing them to Ocampo. Thus began a deep life-long friendship,” writes Purita Kalaw-Ledesma in her PAG monograph The Biggest Little Room. Ocampo and Legaspi’s friendship would continue until before the former’s passing when they and Manansala formed “The First Friday Group” in 1977. Ocampo and Legaspi both admired their junior, Joya. In a July 1984 interview with Cid Reyes, Legaspi said that “Lee Aguinaldo [and] Joya, in particular” were the younger artists whose works he was fond of. Joya around this time was serving as the Dean of the UP School of Fine Arts. Writes the catalog for the 1976 exhibition “Seven Plus Seven” held at Sining Kamalig: “For an artist, Joya maintains an unregimented but well-ordered lifestyle. He teaches and executes administrative duties as dean of the University of the Philippines' College of Fine Arts and Artistin-Residence. Yet, he stiII finds time to join the Saturday group sketching sessions every Saturday afternoon, he goes to art exhibits, he participates in civic projects, and adheres to a regular painting schedule. (Adrian Maranan)