Check out what the National Musuem has in store
A perfunctory examination of our history of promoting and championing Philippine culture, and the of art collecting, will reveal the major role that financial institutions have played in securing and maintaining this national patrimony. From the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to the Development Bank of the Philippines, you’ll find extensive collections of Philippine Masters, and more modern and contemporary artists of note. Our private banks have similarly played important roles in this preservation of our country’s culture and heritage.
So it was wonderful to attend, last Sept. 24 afternoon, an event mounted by the Security Bank and the National Museum. The Bank formally turned over 14 sculptures of 1973 National Artist Guillermo Tolentino to the Museum as part of the re-introduction of a newly renovated Security Bank Hall on the second floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts. These 14 sculptures were previously loaned by the bank as part of Gallery XII—Eskultor ng Lahing Filipino: Honoring the Life and Work of Guillermo Tolentino which opened in July 2013.
As Security Bank President and CEO Sanjiv Vohra was proud to remark, “Security Bank recognizes the important role that financial institutions play in nation-building and sustainable development. Our advocacies are aligned with our mission to enrich lives, empower businesses, and build communities. Security Bank has been a proud advocate of Filipino art and culture for many years, and has been a partner of the National Museum since 2013. With the reintroduction of the Security Bank Hall, underpinned by the official handover of Tolentino’s pieces, we hope to spark a fresh interest in historic art, and make these easily accessible to visitors and the community for generations to come.”
This newly renovated Security Bank Hall will be open to the public starting on Sept. 27, 2022. There will be new additions to the exhibit, and being granted a preview during the Sept. 24 event, I can say it’s an enlightening and precious exhibit. It’s planned and organized in a well-thought out manner, including priceless memorabilia such as the medal given to Tolentino when he was conferred National Artist, and one glass case displays his tools of tradecraft.
At the afternoon event, the Welcome Remarks were handled by Board Chairperson of the National Museum of the Philippines "Luli" Arroyo-Bernas. Her excitement over how this Tolentino collection would no longer just be on loan was palpable. Given the budget that the National Museum operates on, I would surmise that maintenance and upkeep would be the priorities over acquisition of new works, so opportunities such as these donations from Security Bank are more than welcome.
From Security Bank, Sanjiv Vohra tendered his short and succinct message. This was followed by a talk given by Mr. Jorell Legaspi, the deputy-director for museums at the National Museum Entitled "A Transformative Outlook for Museums," it was an elucidating report on how museums can still be relevant in this digital age; and in fact, have an important and potent mission to perform.
A message from Hon. Berna Romulo-Puyat, as BSP deputy-governor, and closing remarks from the National Museum’s Director-General Jeremy Barns brought the formal portion of the event to its conclusion. And left was the really exciting part, a tour of the new Security Bank Hall.
The joy of discovery is difficult to match, and I envy those who’ll be visiting the Security Bank Hall for the first time, to witness the genius of Guillermo Tolentino. If "pictures paint a thousand words’," then the photos you’ll find here of the hall, should be more than enough to get you excited and planning your next visit to the National Museum.