#artventure at National Museum

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Spurned by the movie Heneral Luna (I have yet to see it btw.) our desire to see the Spoliarium grew stronger. My friends and I have been planning to go to National Museum years before the movie came out but it just never happened. We always end up going some place else. :p

One day we finally decided we were really going to do it, right after my shift at work, on a gloomy day, I hopped on the train and made my way to United Nations station.

I missed this route. I used to ride the LRT when I was in college. Now it's all so nostalgic.

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The museum is massive! A day of prowling the halls may not be enough. We were only able to cover 2 floors. And apparently going there on a weekend is not a good idea because the place are packed! You won't have much alone time with the pieces. Glad we went there on a weekday. And still there were a lot of people. Most of them are camped in front of the Spolarium.

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The Fall of Bataan 1957 - Gene Cabrera

It Started in Eden - Edgar Doctor

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I love the style and architecture of the building. Same style as the old buildings in Escolta. If only those too can be preserved. Instead they look forgotten and unsafe.

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Ah and the famous Spoliarium. It's the first painting that greets you when you enter the Museum. Standing tall in the middle of the hall. Other than its beauty, I was struck with a sense of pride and wonder over this 131 year old painting. What was going through Juan Luna's mind when he was painting it. How deep was his desire to convey his message to his fellow Filipinos, to mother Spain, and to the world.

Years later the Spoliarium will give birth to its echo in paper, Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere. So much history and emotion in this 13 foot block of wood.

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xxNovember 2015 | Fuji x20