Claudio Bravo: Sojourn in Manila - A Masterpiece of Art

Claudio Bravo painting Conchita Lopez Taylor
 in Manila in 1968

CLAUDIO BRAVO and his visit in Manila


For almost 44 years of Claudio Nelson Bravo Camus  Manila paintings ; it will be exhibited in Metropolitan Museum that is both tribute to an important hyper realist artist and a celebration of the ties between two nations - Chile and Philippines. 

The Embassy of Chile together with geothermal energy producer Energy Development Corporation (EDC) jointly presented Claudio Bravo: Sojourn in Manila at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila on September 18, also the 202nd anniversary of Chile’s independence. It will be open to the public until October 20.

Claudio Bravo when he visited Manila
in January  1968

EDC chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez affirmed that “EDC, with its focus and expertise in geothermal energy has been undertaking exploration activities in the mountains of Chile for some time now. 

In the near future, we hope, to likewise contribute to the supply of clean and renewable energy into the homes and industries of Chile.” He said that “the bonds forged can be further strengthened by our endeavors in Chile. There is much to share, and much to gain between our two countries, culturally, as well as commercially.” 

former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos
by Claudio Bravo

Claudio Bravo was invited by the former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos in 1965 but in some reason it didn't happen and it only materialized in  January 1968 where Bravo is one of the guests for the 40th wedding anniversary of Eugenio Lopez Sr. and Pacita (parents of Oscar M. Lopez) together with Spanish and Bulgarian royalty. 

He stayed in the country for almost six months ; drawn almost 30 portraits of illustrious personalities of our society and also that's the time he started his lucid painting with "electric" colors. Bravo said: " Philippines was the tropics, a different vision of the world and of light. There I began to dare to use more 'electric" colors and to enjoy color, something which I still like doing". 

CLAUDIO BRAVO's Masterpiece of ART

When I knew about Claudio Bravo and his collection of paintings / artwork, I'm glad he knew about our culture when he visited Manila He met a lot of well-known people and painting some of them.  I was impress how he describe our country and  the people he used to deal with. 

I've watched his interview and some of his paintings that is posted / documented in the Metropolitan Museum of Manila entitled LA PUPILA DE ALMA a documentary by Hugo Arevalo of PROARTES TV; such a great artist in portraiture with decisive but sensitive choices of gesture, pose and expression.

Seeing 29  of his original artworks / drawings that until now looks new -  wants me to explore more about the artist. Knowing that the highlights of his Manila portraits are the distinguished people which also his  last big group of portraits he ever painted  like  Leandro Locsins, Dr. Constantino Manahan, Elvira Manahan, Ma. Lourdes Araneta Fores, Chona R. Karsten, Luis Araneta, Regina Dee, Margarita de los Reyes and the Lopez ladies—Doña Nitang, her daughter Presentacion Lopez Psinakis, and Conchita Lopez Taylor (mother of Gabby and Gina Lopez).

Ambassador Roberto L. Mayorga said that as well as honoring the distinguished figures of his portraits, Claudio Bravo: Sojourn in Manila is expected to “become a realistic contribution in strengthening the solid and traditional friendship” between the Philippines and Chile.

(left side - Ambassador of Chile to the Philippines Roberto L. Mayorga & His wife and curator Ms. Tats Manahan)

Some of Bravo's painting in the museum

Margarita de los Reyes
Graphite, charcoal, conte crayon and pastel on paper

Luis Araneta
Graphite, charcoal, conte crayon and pastel on paper

Evelyn Forbes
Graphite, charcoal, conte crayon and pastel on paper

Elvira Manahan
Graphite, charcoal and conte crayon on paper

Dr. Constantino Manahan
Graphite, charcoal, conte crayon and pastel on paper

Conchita Lopez Taylor
Graphite, charcoal, conte crayon and pastel on paper

 Ma. Lourdes Araneta Fores

Chona R. Karsten
Graphite, charcoal, conte crayon and pastel on paper

Pacita Lopez
Graphite, charcoal and conte crayon on paper

Regina Dee
Oil on wood

Invitation for CLAUDIO BRAVO: SOJOURN IN MANILA
 from September 19 - October 20, 2012

To know more about Claudio Bravo: Sojourn in Manila, visit the museum from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm. Entrance Fee of Php 100 covers the featured forum or event. The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila. For more information, call 708-7829 or visit  www.metmuseum.ph and their facebook page  www.facebook.com/metmuseum.manila.

It is open to the public and will be accompanied by weekly activities on Saturdays, a curator’s talk by Tats Manahan, a lecture on still life painting by Cid Reyes, and drawing sessions. 

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

Curator Tats Manahan noted that the “foreshadowing of the techniques he used in these works can already be observed in the Manila portraits,” the existence of which “are a little known fact in the international art world.” Bravo reportedly considered the paintings he produced during his stay in Manila as his “most lucid paintings. These works are one of the focal points of Claudio Bravo: Sojourn in Manila. Twenty-nine of Manila's luminaries lent their portraits to make the exhibit a reality. 

Claudio Bravo was born in Valparaiso, Chile in 1936 and passed away last year in Taroudant, Morocco. He took art lessons with Miguel Venegas Cifuentes and was a part of Compania de Ballet de Chile and the Teatro Ensayo. Painting, however, would become his ultimate vocation. At 17, he held his first solo exhibition. He then moved to the southern city of Concepcion and quickly gained several portrait commissions. His earnings would allow him to move to Madrid in 1961, where he perfected his craft and gained recognition for his technical virtuosity and hyperrealistic style.