TWO FAMOUS FILIPINO PAINTERS, ROMEO TABUENA AND MANUEL BALDEMOR MEET IN MEXICO 09 June 2014 - Philippine Ambassador to Mexico Catalino R. Dilem, Jr. reported that Filipino artist Manuel D. Baldemor who is currently in Mexico for his ongoing one-man painting exhibit at Centro Cultural Ollin Yolitzli, visited Romeo Tabuena at his residence in San Miguel de Allende, State of Guanajuato on June 4. Tabuena, turning 93 years old this August, is a well-known Filipino painter who received the Presidential Medal of Merit Award in 2009 from then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He has been living in San Miguel de Allende since 1955. He said he only intended to visit Mexico, but fell in love with San Miguel de Allende, an artist haven, and decided to stay there. During their encounter, Baldemor brought a book on Tabuena and asked the latter to put his autograph on it. He also gave Tabuena a book he prepared about his ongoing exhibit in Mexico City entitled “Philippine-Mexican Synchronicity.” Baldemor reminded Tabuena that he used to see him with the former´s uncles painting wooden sandals in Paete, Laguna. Tabuena recalled that at that time, canvas did not exist yet. Baldemor likewise narrated several stories about Tabuena´s contemporaries who used to be his mentors such as Eric Torres, Manuel Rodriguez aka “Mang Maning”, et. al. Tabuena showed Baldemor, Ambassador Dilem and Cultural Officer Amelyn E. Julio-Obong, his latest work of a big mural painted in 2012, a DVD file of his sketches, and toured them to his studio where an art book featured among others the works of Baldemor. Tabuena congratulated Baldemor for all his accomplishments and commented that the latter still has the opportunities to develop further his talents. Baldemor responded how he wished he would be as strong as Tabuena when he would reach his age and expressed hope that Tabuena could eventually get a National Artist Award. Both expressed that they admired Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo who had influenced their artworks. Tabuena and Baldemor both have paintings depicting Mexican settings and culture. END
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 06:30:22 +0000
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