Land of artists – it might have been the air, or the natural surroundings, that give Angono natives the inspiration to create timeless masterpieces.
The main subject of the artists boasts their town’s folklore, local legends, culture, and traditions. From ang nuno sa balite to higantes to the vivid portrayals of everyday lives, and to their interpretation of history, through paintings, sculptures and murals. Yet not limited to those, as the new breed of Angono artists is splashing their colors with various exhibitions around town across different mediums.
Here are ten art galleries in the art capital of the Philippines, Angono, Rizal.
Carlos “Botong” Francisco’s Studio Home
No [art] tour of Angono is complete without paying homage to the National Artist for Visual Arts, Carlos ”Botong” Francisco’s studio home, displays of some of his intimate works, collections, and awards. Entertaining the guests at Botong’s restored humble abode is his grandchild, Carlos “Totong” Francisco, an artist himself.
In the house a citation declaring Francisco as National Artist in Visual Arts in 1973 reads, “No painter of his time has more closely attuned to the spirit of his land and people. His genius fed on this never-failing source of inspiration, and he remained to end of his life, the authentic interpreter of the timeless round of the daily existence in the villages of his native land.”
Address: 217 Doña Aurora Street, Brgy. Poblacion Itaas, Angono, Rizal. No entrance fee, but temporarily closed.
The Second Gallery
Overshadowed by his grandfather’s achievements, Carlos “Totong” Francisco II is making his pigment visible with The Second Gallery. Entertaining guests at Botong’s studio gallery for as long as he can remember, he also welcomes everyone at his own studio next to his grandpa’s. Stepping out of the modernist shadow, he embarks to test the other side of the territorial landscape of the subconscious. His themes evoke in different ways of interpreting the festive substances in which somehow dwell on the visceral, symbolical, transitional, and the metaphysical. His lyrical paintings are on display and up for grab at the studio.
Address: 217 Doña Aurora Street, Brgy. Poblacion Itaas, Angono, Rizal. No entrance fee, but temporarily closed.
Doña Aurora Street Art Gallery
Right in the heart of the town is a 300 meters open-air art gallery. It’s life-size mural exhibitions, starting from the corner of Quezon Avenue through Doña Aurora Street down to the intersection at Capt. Allano Street. On display are replicas of the works of the National Artists for Visual Arts and Angono native, Carlos ”Botong” Francisco. These concrete murals were carved and sculpted by Charlie Anorico to pay homage to Botong between 2007-2010. Immortalized art installations on the street, include paintings that boast folk values and murals with historical significance.
Another masterpiece that hails the same street is a visual interpretation of a lullaby. The widely acclaimed composition of Lucio D. San Pedro, National Artists for Music, was brought to life with steel music sheets and sculpted lyrics. Each musical notes represent the Maestro’s soulful musical compositions.
The best part about an art gallery on the street, it’s free and available to anyone whole year-round.
Blanco Family Museum
Jose “Pitok” Blanco is the head of the Blanco clan, a family of artists. In 1978 the family held their first exhibit at the National Museum in Manila which which led to the construction of their own gallery museum in Angono sometime in the 1980s. Their museum houses more than 400 pieces of art that highlights Filipino culture and traditions.
With five decades of family history as artists, the clan is not stopping. They have plans of expansion to accommodate almost all forms of art at the museum.
Address: 312 A. Ibañez St. Angono, Rizal. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am – 6 pm, entrance Fee at ₱150 per person. Minimum health protocols are to be observed upon visit.
Giant Dwarf Art Space
An art space run by a group of artists is another addition to the art galleries and museums in Angono. Opened in 2018, Giant Dwarf Art Space is a new exhibition venue for contemporary art. It has two galleries, one on the second floor another on the third of the Nemiranda Building along Manila East Road. Art exhibitions vary from paintings to sculptures to photos to art experimentations. Its name is derived from the icons of Angono folk art, higante (giant) and ang nuno (dwarf).
Address: 015 Manila East Road Hi-way corner Dona Justa Street, Brgy. San Roque, Angono, Rizal. Their galleries are available online via their website.
Angkla Art Gallery
A fairly new art space in town, Angkla Art Gallery, claims to be an artist haven in the east. The gallery opened in May 2017 atop a café and tea shop. Its name serves as homage to the town’s patron saint, St. Clement of Rome, who was executed by being thrown into the sea whilst tied to an anchor.
Quite literally, Angkla or anchor, moors local arts to the world while keeping one’s distinctive character and nationalism intact. Angkla also serves as a watercraft exhibition for established and up-coming Filipino artists, not only limited to painters but open to all kinds of craftsmen. The gallery also serves as a learning vessel for art appreciation and preservation through tight community interaction.
Address: 3/F, CPV Business Center, Manila East Road, corner Col. Guido St, Angono, Rizal. The café at the first floor is open and minimum health protocols are to be observed upon visit.
Tiamson Art Gallery
Hailing from a family of artists, Orville Tiamson of the Tiamson Art Gallery harmonizes music and paintings together. Right at the gate of the property, we hear the deep trance-like background music. Orville, the eldest child of a painter father and a musician mother, maintains the gallery today. He started from his doodles during childhood then majored in Painting at UST. His early works leaned towards cubism, Picasso was a cubist, that became bent lines using an abstract approach later on. His love for both music and painting is evident as he blends both crafts and creates a set of illusory imageries intended to capture the audience’s collective mind. “You’ll see the image after a bottle of Jack Daniel’s,” he jokingly explains his paintings in-progress.
Address: 85 Mauricia Street, Angono, Rizal. Gallery visit is by appointment only.
Balaw-balaw Restaurant & Art Gallery
Cooking is an art in itself. And to keep the tradition of Angono native dishes alive, Andre Vocalan carries on the legacy of Perdigon Vocalan, his father, by managing their specialty restaurant and art gallery.
They have been serving local favorites and exotic dishes since 1983. The restaurant’s name alone, alludes to a classic Filipino theme. Balaw-balaw, is a condiment of the Tagalog made from fermented small shrimps and rice gruel mixed with an herb called “angkak” that causes its pinkish color. It’s then preserved and fermented in an earthen jar for 3 days. Its flavor complements well with fried dishes.
Alfresco dining on the first floor, a glimpse of Pedrigon’s artworks, as mentored by Carlos “Botong” Francisco, during his time, together with Andre’s brother Rembrandt who displays his work on the second and third floors.
Address: 16 Doña Justa Subd. Ph. I Manila East Highway Angono, Rizal. The restaurant is open and minimum health protocols are to be observed upon visit.
Nemiranda Art House
Be transported to the world of the artist, Nemesio R. Miranda “Nemiranda” Jr’s imagination. The art house is guarded by higantes (giants) at the entrance. life-size sculptures of characters from Filipino folktales and legends tickle one’s mind. His canvases depict both mythical creatures and the daily lives of locals. Having mastered the art of depicting the twisting, bending, playful movements of the human body, he’s earned the title, “Father of Imaginative Figurism.”
Address: 6 Dona Elena St., Dona Justa Village, Phase 1, Brgy. San Roque, Angono, Rizal. The restaurant, in front, Atelier Restoran, is open for take-out orders and minimum health protocols are to be observed upon visit.
Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs
Between the hills of Angono and Binangonan, one can find the oldest known artwork in the Philippines. Early inhabitants, had already expressed their artistry through petroglyphs or rock carvings. The petroglyphs are in the rear recessels of a cave, carved in a rock formation belonging to the Pleistocene Guadalupe Formation dated 3000 BC. There are 127 figures engraved into volcanic tuff, soft enough to be pecked on by a denser piece of stone. Archeological finds yielded four stone tools and fragments of earthware, obsidian flakes, and shells.
Angono native, Carlos “Botong” Francisco, discovered these primitive carvings in 1965 while on a field trip with a troop of Rover Scouts. The Angono Petroglyphs were declared a National Cultural Treasure through P.D. 260, signed on August 1, 1973, by former President Marcos . And through the auspices of UNESCO, and other agencies it was included in the World Inventory of Rock Art. . The National Museum also established a site museum showcasing the cultural and artistic heritage of the province of Rizal.
Address: Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs, open from Tuesday – Sunday, 7AM – 5PM, but temporarily closed.
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