THE UST Museum and the College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) have brought back their annual “Christmaseum” collaboration, an exhibition of yuletide-inspired artworks, for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the theme “Christ’s Glory, Joy of Creation,” the exhibit featured pieces made mostly from sustainable and repurposed art materials.
“This [exhibit] is inspired by the letters of Pope Francis about the environment,” said Fr. Isidro Abaño, O.P., director of the UST Museum, in his opening remarks during the exhibit’s opening for CFAD students on Nov. 17.
“The intention to come up with [this] was so that the students will have an actual public place where they can really put up and show their talent for exhibition, especially during [the] Christmas season,” Abaño added.
Consistent with the exhibit’s theme, repurposed materials like illustration boards and tracing papers were used by the CFAD students to make the pieces in the “Christmaseum.”
“Usually in fine arts, we use a lot of paper, so we [generate] a lot of waste actually,” said Marie Antonette Bunag, a faculty member at the Department of Interior Design. “[So] the paper, the base, the items in this exhibit, we used cartons as platforms, and then we painted over [them].”
Industrial design freshmen exhibited Christmas-inspired lanterns made of recycled paper, while interior design sophomores showcased their paper-made giant flowers and trees made of plywood.
Advertising arts students participated for the first time in the annual exhibit by making the Christmaseum’s poster and invitations.
The exhibit’s centerpiece is the UST Museum’s Belen or the nativity scene.
“The [exhibit] is a journey through the heart of Filipino culture, a testament to sustainable living, and a showcase of local design excellence,” Bunag told the Varsitarian.
“It aims to inspire visitors to cherish their roots, protect the environment, and embrace the magic of the holiday season with a deep appreciation for tradition and innovation,” she added.
The exhibit serves as a signal of the approaching Christmas season, said Asst. Prof. Romano Macaisa, chair of the Department of Industrial Design.
“Every time we see elements of Christmas around us, we are conditioned to feel that [it’s already Christmas],” Macaisa told the Varsitarian. “The exhibit is the conditioning of the mind [that] the celebration of the birth of our Lord is near–we must remember that always because it’s a very important event in our faith.”
This year marks the Christmaseum’s fourth edition. It was opened to CFAD students on Nov. 17 as part of their college week celebration.
The Christmaseum will be open to the public until Jan. 5, 2024. With reports from Mikhail S. Orozco
