Happy New Year, artsy peeps! 🎨
It has been a while since I posted in Art Talk. Since it was the holiday season, I and the family decided to visit a cultural museum in Santiago, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Umay Ka (Come Here) is based on culture and ancestral spirits. The concept of the museum is nature's shape- irregular, asymmetrical, and co-existence of soil and trees. It is also the reception area for the hotel, so while you wait, you can have the time to look around. 🥳🍃
The entrance fee for one person is 6.31 USD, which comes with a choice of drink and snack.
This is the entrance to the museum. I feel like this is hand-crafted since it is made out of wood. I suggest going early or during off-season to take decent pictures. It works for me because I am shy taking pictures when there are a lot of people. 😅
I did not realize that it was a giant woodwork until I looked up. For sure this craft took a lot of time and energy to make. The craft is super detailed, it has even some lashes, which is cute! ☺️ And oh, the ring? It is a functioning light! 😆
A close-up shot of the lashes~ 👁 Just don't blink! 😆
Everything here is made out of wood, well, except for the concrete. But notice that even the floor has a wood accent. The illumination of the light gave the museum a nice, warm sense.
These are hand-painted Abaniko fans which I believe are for sale. We call it "pamaypay", a handheld fan made of Anahaw palm leaves. My grandma used to collect these because they are lightweight and longlasting. 🍃
Wooden hair brushes are also available.
These earring pieces are perfect for Summer. 😍 The vibrant colors of the daggled earrings are perfect for beach photo ops~ 🌊 I am totally loving the bright pink tassel earrings.
I have to take a closer shot of this light fixture. I wonder how they put the light inside. 😅 I can envision this design in a nice beach dining or a deco for a Summer wedding. It is giving a boho-beachy vibe ✨
Aside from the wooden crafts from ceiling to floor, the museum also exhibited some of the local artists' art. How much time do you spend staring at a single piece of art? 😅 Me, probably an average of three minutes. In the right picture, in my judgment, the artist used a graphite pencil and used the techniques of shading and smudging. On the other hand, the contrast of light and dark made the art striking.
I was curious about what these characters meant. I cannot read them so I sent them to a friend who can read Japanese characters. He said that it made no sense. 😅 But I think the paintbrush strokes are clean and proportioned.
A lady with a peach hair. Her eyes were covered with delicate roses. Hmm, maybe there is a deeper meaning to this art. Or maybe the artist just let the interpretation to the viewers.
This painting reminds me of Van Gogh's The Starry Night because of the colors blue and yellow. Maybe the man in the straw hat is in a room fantasizing about a sky full of bright stars. IDK, it's just me trying to figure it out. 😆
The combination of the colors of this art is delicious! Looks like a cotton candy dream! ☁️🍭
Landscape art. My favorite is the pink sky sunset with the silhouette of palm trees. 🌴
I thought this was a real person sitting. It looks so real in my peripheral vision. 😅 I had a mini heart attack! 😆 He was alone by himself. I wish he had some company. Just don't move!
Overall, I enjoyed the art and the design of the museum.✨💖 For the price of 6 USD, it is decent for the little tour and free drink and snack. You can see the whole museum in just one turn since this is a lobby/reception of the hotel. The staff was kind to tell a little background of the culture and history of the place. I do hope that they add more pieces and artwork in the future~ 🙌🏻✨
Check out their website here.
That is it for this blog. Thanks for reading~ 💖
📸 All photos are owned and taken by me, otherwise credited. ©️jijisaurart
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