17/02/2026
ART FAIR PHILIPPINES 2026 x J STUDIO
SAGRADO DOS
a solo exhibition by NORMAN DREO
DIBUJO X MACHINA
review by ABE OROBIA
for Sagrado Dos (AFP 2026)
Norman Dreo’s latest masterpiece titled “SAGRADO DOS” is his presentation
for Art Fair Philippines 2026. A progression to the 2024 “Sagrado” where he
depicted a retablo venerating the pillars of Philippine Art History — from the
classical to the modern period. Sagrado Dos is an ode to the continuing role of
visual artists in the post-modern and contemporary times. The old masters are
once again given prominence, now juxtaposed with elements of the nation’s
history—colonization, adaptation, revolution, transition and embrace of
modernity.
Revivalism and Digital Technology
Who says the old cannot become new? Who says the classics are not timeless
and unable to resonate with our present realities? Dreo intertwines two
grandeurs—his homage to the old masters and his fascination with digital
technology. He is best known for his finely detailed, multi-figure compositions that
reflect the intricacy and richness of the narratives embedded in his work.
Instead of a retablo, Dreo superimposed and framed the masters he revered
within a Parthenon-like structure.
Juan Luna (1857–1899), Félix Resurrección
Hidalgo (1855–1913), Fernando Amorsolo (1892–1972), Victorio Edades
(1895–1985), Vicente Manansala (1910–1981), Carlos “Botong” Francisco
(1912–1969), and Ang Kiukok (1931–2005) are artists he believes greatly
contributed to the growth and appreciation of visual arts in the country.
Furthermore, he juxtaposed and complemented their oeuvres with symbolic
elements, creating a bridge between his vision and that of his predecessors.
On the pediment are the sculptures seen on the façade of the National Museum
of Fine Arts (formerly the National Legislative Building). These neoclassical
allegorical figures represent Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao at the center, with
Wisdom and Strength on the left and Trade and Commerce on the right. Created
around 1925 by the German sculptor Otto Fischer-Credo, these works were part
of his collaborations with Juan Nakpil, the father of Philippine architecture. More
than architectural ornamentation, their placement symbolizes the nation’s cultural
progress and societal advancement prior to World War II, when the Philippines
was hailed as the Paris of Asia and the Pearl of the Orient.
At the summit sits Juan Luna, portrayed authoritatively with crossed legs and
quiet bravado. Luna, the celebrated painter of Spoliarium, earned the prestigious
First Prize Gold Medal at the 1884 National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid,
making him the first Filipino and Asian artist to achieve such global recognition.
His triumph affirmed that Filipino genius stood equal to that of the Spanish
colonizers.
Also featured within Luna’s hall are several masterpieces that continue to
resonate today: The Battle of Lepanto, echoing the nation’s ongoing struggle for
the West Philippine Sea; España y Filipinas, depicted by Dreo in two of its three
versions, symbolizing the Philippines as a developing nation striving for progress;
and The Blood Compact, also rendered by Botong Francisco at the base hall,
representing the Filipino value of honoring ties and friendship—an enduring trait
that defines the nation’s warm and amiable spirit.
The middle hall, meanwhile, is anchored by Félix Resurrección Hidalgo, Fernando Amorsolo, and Victorio Edades, each representing pivotal shifts in Philippine art and consciousness. Hidalgo, a reformist and among the first Filipino artists to gain international recognition alongside Juan Luna, evokes Filipino religiosity through Las Vírgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho (The Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace). The work reflects the deeply rooted faith of a predominantly Christian nation—one carried with conviction across time and circumstance.
Amorsolo, the country’s first National Artist and revered as the “Grand Old Man of Filipino Art,” is portrayed elegantly seated on a wooden chair, surrounded by luminous, backlit compositions that define his signature style. Among these is The Tinikling Dance, a celebration of Filipino adaptability, resilience, and the enduring ability to find joy despite hardship. Through light, warmth, and everyday life, Amorsolo immortalized the nation’s spirit of hope and grace.
Nationalism, on the other hand, is explored through interconnected visual
narratives. These include Fernando Amorsolo’s The Making of the Philippine Flag Carlos, “Botong” Francisco’s Bonifacio Mural, Félix Resurrección Hidalgo’s
The Assassination of Governor Bustamante and the female figure from Juan
Luna’s The Parisian Life. Complementing these historic masterpieces are Dreo’s
symbolic additions—most notably the pillar-cages in Luna’s hall containing
doves, representing freedom, and the figures from José Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere—Sisa, Crispin, and Basilio—serving as metaphors for innocence,
persecution, and suffering. Hovering above the crossbeam of the base pillars is
the Haribon (Philippine Eagle), ingeniously positioned as the nation’s king of
birds bearing the weight of artistic splendor—an emblem of resilience woven into the Filipino spirit.
La Barca de Aqueronte (The Boat of Charon) is the work that firmly cemented
Hidalgo’s legacy. It earned a Gold Medal at the 1887 Exposición General de las
Islas Filipinas in Madrid, followed by another at the 1892 Exposición Internacional de Bellas Artes, also in Madrid. The painting exemplifies his mastery of Neoclassicism, depicting damned souls crossing the River Acheron toward the gates of Hades. In Dreo’s reinterpretation, this powerful imagery becomes a social commentary on the wrath of nature and humanity’s failure to
protect it—further emphasized by tree-like pillars shown deteriorating yet struggling to sprout new leaves.
Victorio Edades, hailed as the Father of Philippine Modernism, stands as a
revolutionary force in the nation’s art history. He broke away from idealized and
romanticized realism, favoring a raw, expressive, and socially grounded style
characterized by bold palettes and unfiltered subjects. His socio-realistic
depictions of everyday life, particularly “The Builders”, continue to resonate across generations as reflections of labor, struggle, and national progress.
Vicente Manansala, also a National Artist and pioneer of Transparent Cubism,
bridged Western modernism with Filipino sensibilities. By layering forms and
light, he rendered urban life and marginalized communities both accessible and poignant. Works such as “Madonna of the Slums and the “Barong-barong Series” transformed themes of poverty into narratives that spoke even to the
elite—elevating social realities into shared national consciousness.
Carlos “Botong” Francisco, with his lyrical compositions and poetic rendering
of human movement, is widely credited for reviving the art of mural painting in the
Philippines. His deep love for history and his horror vacui sensibility—an
aesthetic of richness and fullness—resonated strongly with Filipino visual culture. Through his grand-scale murals, Botong brought art out of private spaces and into the public sphere, making history visible and accessible to the masses. This
democratization of art profoundly influenced Dreo himself, who likewise embraces muralism as a powerful narrative form.
Ang Kiukok’s legacy, meanwhile, is marked by intensely expressive and emotionally charged works that confront the complexities of the human condition—grief, agony, bewilderment, violence, joy, and exaltation. His art, often described as raw, anguished, and hauntingly beautiful, features screaming figures, crucifixions, and rabid dogs rendered in hard-edged geometries, forceful brushstrokes, and bold, uncompromising colors. Kiukok’s timeless resonance lies in his ability to expose human vulnerability with brutal honesty, transforming pain into enduring visual power. He painted most of these during the Martial Law era in the Philippines.
Creating New Paths and Moving Forward
The foreground of the composition symbolizes the forefront of societal
change—the enduring role of art and artists as instigators of movements and
transformation. Central to this visual procession is a group of artists led by
Alfredo Esquillo, depicted through their advocacy bike ride “Sikulo at Sikleta +
Tour de Egai,” commemorating social realist Egai Talusan Fernandez and
advancing calls for environmental protection. Alongside them are religious
penitents, suggesting devotion expressed through art—or art itself as a form of
faith and sacrifice.
Leading the procession are children carrying gadgets and toys—symbols of a
new generation poised to wield creativity through technology. They embody
resourcefulness, innovation, and the evolving language of expression that will
shape the future. On the right side of the painting, Dreo’s signature
“motherboard” motif reappears, evoking a top-down view of a bustling city and
reinforcing the idea of artists as movers of culture, industry, and progress.
Through Sagrado Dos, Norman Dreo does more than honor the Giants of
Philippine art—he weaves their legacies into the living pulse of the present and
projects them boldly into the future. History, nationalism, modernity, technology,
and social consciousness converge in a singular visual symphony. Each figure,
symbol, and structure becomes both memory and momentum.
Dreo reminds us that art is not merely to be admired—it is to be felt, questioned,
carried forward and lived. In this monumental work, the past stands as
foundation, the present as dialogue, and the future as promise. Sagrado Dos
ultimately affirms that the spirit of Filipino artistry is not confined to history—it
continues to rise, evolve, and shape the nation’s soul.
Dreo has once again presented us with another masterpiece. I implore the audience to observe, dissect, and reflect every element in Sagrado Dos so they can find meanings that resonate with them.
