Pinto Art Museum

The grounds of the Pinto Art Museum

Well so far, I'm doing well on my resolution to visit a museum a month this school year. Month two, museum two. Last weekend I headed out with a friend to visit the Pinto Art Museum. Located in Antipolo, about 11 miles away, it was a half day outing taking about 45 minutes to get there (have I mentioned traffic in Manila is bad?). However, as soon as we walked onto the museum grounds I could feel myself let out a sigh of relief and relax just a little bit. Set on the grounds of a private residence (?I'm not sure about that, it is surprisingly difficult to find clear information about this private collection) that reflects a Spanish colonial style with white washed building covering multiple levels on the hillside, rooftops that have been turned into verandas with seating area, and a lush garden.

One of the six galleries

There are sculptures scattered around the grounds, and there is a very real sense of the outside coming in. The 6 galleries are open to the air, with a few large fans to cool off the space. I have to admit to wondering how in the world this was conserving the artwork, after all the Philippines is an extremely humid place. At the same time I enjoyed the sense of openness in the galleries. Wandering in and out of the building, going up and down stairways to explore each corner of the museum.

My favorite sculpture

The museum is a private collection of contemporary art, all of which I believe are done by Filipino artists. There were definitely some pieces that captured my attention. The metal webbed people, were perhaps my favorite, but I also like the oversized work of a fiber artist who used layers of yarn to create slightly three dimensional images. I also found the full room installation mimicking a bamboo forest with dripping water, an escape to relax, mesmerizing.

Exploring every nook and crany

All in all, I have to say that this museum was well worth being on my list to visit and it provided a great escape from the busyness of the city for a morning.

Pinto Art Museum
1 Sierra Madre St, Grand Heights Rd, Antipolo
Open: Tues-Sun 9 am - 6 pm
Entry: 200 pesos