CSF hosts national artist’s centenarian exhibit

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The city government of San Fernando on Monday unveiled to the public the exhibit about the works of National Artist for Painting Cesar Legaspi in honor of his centenary birthday which is now installed at the Old Train Station here.

Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua hands over a check amounting to P7.7 million to Gov. Lilia Nanay Pineda and Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as aid to the anti-bird flu campaign of the provincial government of Pampanga.

Dubbed as “Miligtas,” the exhibit features the prominent artworks of Legaspi such as the Survivor and the Bayanihan, and will occasion the infusing of new media projects, such as 3D mapping and animation, alongside the permanent exhibition of local history and memorabilia objects from the Bataan Death March.

The exhibit also serves as the homecoming of the Piabeabeng Sikanan, an artwork developed by Kapampangan lantern makers Arnel and Mark Flores to pay homage to Legaspi’s Bayanihan mural.

According to Legaspi’s son Dennis, the exhibit is the last leg of the year-long commemoration of Legaspi’s centenary birthday which kicked-off on April 2 at the National Museum and had its main exhibition at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Dennis said that the City of San Fernando’s hosting of “Miligtas” is very special as it is the only chosen venue outside Metro Manila and will serve as the commencement exhibit for the year-long activity.

“It is very significant that the City of San Fernando became the last stop of Bataan Death March while my father, whose centenary exhibit ends here, is the one commissioned to do design work for the Death March marker. For us, it just very fitting that we commenced our year-long remembrance of our father’s centenary birthday here,” he said.

Mayor Edwin Santiago, for his part, welcomed the Legaspi family in the City of San Fernando and expressed his gratitude for sharing their patriarch’s artwork to Fernandinos and Kapampangans.

He stressed that Legaspi’s artworks will add up to the various memorabilia and historical artifacts that are presently displayed in the Old Train Station.

“Maraming salamat po sa pagpili sa San Fernando na maging parte sa pagpupugay sa ating national artist Cesar Legaspi. Dito po sa San Fernando, talagang pinahahalagahan namin ang kultura at kasaysayan kaya asahan ninyo na maraming Fernandino, lalo na kabataan ang makakakita sa artworks ng ating national artists,” he said.