The long-lost Juan Luna artwork Hymen, oh Hyménée! was last viewed in public 132 years ago in Paris., the centerpiece of the newest exhibition at the Ayala Museum, Splendor: Juan Luna, Painter as Hero, was unveiled on Friday, June 9, to a limited group of guests for the first time ever in the Philippines. León Gallery is working to put up this exhibition.
As a Filipino, I am one of those people who is fortunate enough to see in person the painting of Juan Luna, and I take pride as Juan Luna is my townmate in Badoc, Ilocos Norte. As I reminisced before, when my dad was still the mayor in our place, one of his projects was to restore the family house of Juan Luna in our hometown since he was born here. And as I witnessed his paintings, I was so amazed by how great he is and how important this kind of museum is for everyone to see and appreciate the arts of our very own “kababayan.”
A national treasure of enormous importance
Juan Luna’s golden years were from 1884 to 1889. Following the 1884 Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid, when his well-known work Spoliarium won a gold medal, he moved to Paris. It was a time of musical success, happiness, and love, which culminated in his original song Hymen, oh Hyménée! obtained a bronze medal at the prestigious Exposition Universelle in 1889, a forerunner of the post-Victorian new normal symbolized by the iconic Eiffel Tower.
It was also here that Luna reached the peak of his renown with this piece, since this triumph would catapult him indubitably into the league of ‘master painters’, cementing his standing in the world’s artistic capital.
Once again confirming his undeniable genius and artistry in the face of racial bias, Juan Luna’s victories, to quote historian Ambeth R. Ocampo, Ph.D., “produced a groundswell of pride in (his) countrymen that resonates to our times with Lea Salonga’s triumph on the West End and Broadway, Manny Pacquiao’s conquest of World Boxing and last but not the least, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz bringing home the first Olympic Gold to a proud and grateful nation.”
Find of the century
The quest for Hymen, oh Hyménée! by art collector Jaime Ponce de Leon of León Gallery was first a dream, and then later an obsession, that found him following leads and clues across Europe for close to 10 years. The dream was fulfilled when he finally acquired the legendary artwork in 2014, but it sat in a crate in his storeroom waiting for the perfect moment for its revelation.
In 2022, thanks to extraordinary circumstances that led to an unprecedented long-term loan to Ayala Museum, that perfect time had come with the commemoration of the 125th Anniversary of Philippine Independence and Nationhood in 2023.
Splendor: Juan Luna, Painter as Hero
It is uncommon to have an exhibition solely about an individual work of art. But a long-lost cultural treasure like Hymen, oh Hyménée! clearly has stories to tell about a time and place not our own.
Ayala Museum’s exhibition Splendor: Juan Luna, Painter as Hero, designed by scenographer Gino Gonzales, examines this single work of art around three themes: the world of 1889; Juan Luna, the painter, as hero; and the complex imagery in the painting inspired by a Roman wedding feast.
A substantive and handsome catalog with essays by historian Ambeth R. Ocampo, Ph.D., film director Martin Arnaldo and curators Ditas Samson, Tenten Mina, and Jei Ente captures this watershed moment in the artist’s life and, by implication, our nation’s history.
A documentary film by Martin Arnaldo traces the recovery of the artwork while at the same time captures the dilemma of the late 19th century Filipino diaspora for Juan Luna, which arguably is still true for his countrymen living and working abroad today. This film is showcased in the Samsung The Premiere Room that features an immersive 130″ screen and a soundbar that completes the theater experience within the exhibition space. The film will also be aired on CNN Philippines on July 8.
A video tour of Hymen, oh Hyménée!’s complex imagery, narrated by Ocampo, will also be available for viewing on Ayala Museum’s website.
Free admission on Independence Day
On June 12, 2023, the opening day of Splendor: Juan Luna, Painter as Hero, entry to the Ayala Museum will be free to the general public in observance of the 125th Anniversary of Philippine Independence and Nationhood. After then, admission fees will be charged. Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, Inc., and Insular Life (InLife) are co-presenting the show, which also receives significant backing from BPI and SMEG. The official audio-visual partner is Samsung. Up until December 31, 2023, Splendor is active.
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