Monday, October 22, 2012

0 Calungsod inspires Filipino art


ROME, Italy - When Pampanga ecclesiastical artist Willy Layug talks about Calungsod with an irrepressible energy one instantly knows the young martyr is an inspiration – not just spiritually, but artistically as well.

Unmistakably Filipino

Layug has just finished work on a new retablo or a tableau depicting the martyrdoms of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Saint Pedro Calungsod.

Pampanga artist Willy Layug is at work
on a relief of Bl. Pedro Calungsod in Rome as Pedrito looks on.
(RL/CBCPNews)

It will be installed next week at the crypt chapel in the Pontificio Collegio Filippino, the residence of Filipino priests who undergo further studies in Rome.

In an interview, he explained how he wanted the retablo to be a visual feast of uniquely Filipino elements and materials like bamboo, pine wood and gold leaf.

“Even the angels wear Filipino costumes,” Layug said, describing an angel with very Filipino features in the retablo, garbed in the traditional baro’t saya.

Giving back

The retablo, which is a gift from acclaimed Presidential Merit Awardee Willy Layug, depicts in two large bas relief panels the death scenes of the two Filipino saints.

The story of the project began when Layug was introduced to Fr. Greg Gaston, Rector of Collegio Filippino, earlier this year. Layug said he was really interested in donating the retablo to the Collegio Filippino, saying that besides the prestige this project will bring to him, Layug honestly feels the desire to give back to the Church which has patronized his works over the years.

“I really dreamt about donating to Collegio,” Layug added.

On the spot conversion

An interesting trivia about the retablo is that the artist, like many of the great European masters before him, modelled one of the persons in the relleve after himself. If people look closely at the figure of Hirao, who was one of the two men who killed Calungsod, it should not be surprising that he uncannily resembles Layug himself, since this was intentional. “Even my son teases me, saying that I killed Pedro Calunsgod,” Layug said jokingly. Layug explained that a possible behind-the-scenes explanation is that one of the killers got converted on the spot and repented from killing Calungsod.

The retablo will be officially installed and blessed in a liturgical celebration presided over by Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal, the retired Archbishop of Cebu, on Monday, October 22.

This will be after the thanksgiving mass for the Canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, which will be held in the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter at Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Besides this commission, Layug is also currently making another bas relief of Blessed Pedro, which will most likely be given to the Holy Father as a gift.

[Aaron James R. Veloso/Nirva'ana Ella Delacruz]

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