Artist-stage actor Manu San Pedro in solo, group shows
WITHOUT Manu San Pedro landed the role of Japanese soldier Hirohito in the restaging of the play “Lagablab” in 2016. He was just supposed to be the alternate, but on the second day of rehearsals he already memorized all his lines, so he did the opening and closing shows.
“His gentle-looking facial features were so right for his insidious character. Every time we see him on that stage it reeked with tension,” one review said.
Should there be another restaging on a nationwide tour, the 32-year-old artist still expressed desire to essay the role again. “The character at the start is evil, but has heart, with redemption in the end, that’s why I like being Hirohito,” he said.
His passion for acting is as intense as his passion for painting. A rare breed indeed for someone who turns in magnificent works using almost every medium — oil, acrylic, pencil, charcoal, watercolor, pastel, pen and ink, crayon, light from the sun, soldering, and even coffee.
An AB Multimedia Arts major in he also dabbles in playing guitar, singing, directing, sculpture and computer graphics. All in all, he has already done more than 200 art pieces since he devoted full-time on his craft, mounting several solo exhibits and joined group shows.
His solo exhibit at One Serendra, BGC, Taguig City that started on October 27, 2018 is extended until February 8. With “Naikan” (Japanese structured more he got inspired to experiment on his style with a touch of Japanese culture when he visited Tokyo in November.
San Pedro also released his “Balay 7 for the opening of Balai Prinsesa Hotel in Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan.
His next solo exhibit in March will be titled “Kintsukuroi,” the Japanese way of mending valued ceramic pieces with “brings out another beauty in it.”
He was also part of group shows in 2018 — “Papunta Pabalik” in May ; “Omniexistence” at Solaire Resort and Casino in November; and still ongoing until January 16 is at Fora Tagaytay.
From January 12 to February 10, the stage actor-artist joins other contemporary artists in District Gallery’s “Supercalifragilisticexpialidociousness” exhibit at Arts Above, West Avenue, Quezon City. n h h
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