Welcome to Ethereal Elegance, where we showcase the artistic works of the Gamaba Artist, Eduardo Mutuc. Our museum features his life, journey as an artist, and his legacy in sculpture. We offer a collection of his artworks, information about his life and artistic journey, and educational resources about sculpture and art. We are located in De La Salle University-Dasmarinas.
About this Art Musuem
Ethereal Elegance is dedicated to providing our visitors with a unique museum experience. We offer deep analysis about Eduardo Mutuc and his journey as an artist that are curated by our team of creative minds. Our exhibitions showcase the beauty of Eduardo Mutuc's works and the world of sculpture. Take a look at our past, current, and the future of his passed down knowledge.
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Ethereal Elegance
Who is Eduardo Mutuc?
October 12, 1949 -
Born into a lowly family, Eduardo Tubig Mutuc grew up in Apalit, Pampanga, among nine siblings, assisting his farmer parents in their agricultural work. There has only been one Kapampangan recipient of the Gawad ng Manlilikha ng Bayan Awards in its history; Mr. Eduardo Tubig Mutuc of Apalit, Pampanga, received this esteemed honor in 2004.
Journalists claim that Eduardo Mutuc is a calm, modest man who doesn't boast about his achievements.
He begins by narrating his upbringing in a lowly family, having been born into a farming family and raised with nine other siblings. He never finished high school and started working on the farm with his family as soon as he graduated from elementary school.
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Eduardo Mutuc has established himself as one of the nation's best metalworkers for over thirty years. Church pieces like altar tables and tabernacles as well as collector's goods like candelabras, picture frames, and even salakots are among his commissioned works. In Manila, Tesoro's sells a few of his items.
Manila FAME Exhibition
A bib necklace made from
agsam fern and gold-plated pendants.
A gold-plated pendant set against
agsam fern weavings.
In October 2018, Mutuc contributed his talents to a limited-edition jewelry line with Fern Fashion Accessories at the Manila FAME exhibition. The partnership honors Agsam's home base of Surigao, Eduardo's hometown. The pukpuk method and pendants made of agsam fern plants produced a striking contrast between the shiny metal pieces of Mutuc and the rustic appearance of Agsam.
Because of this, Mutuc thinks that mastery of one's tool and medium comes first. He starts his lessons by showing his students how to hold a chisel and hammer correctly to make things easier to use and avoid blunders. More significantly, he advises avoiding working with the intention of making quick money. According to him, the only way to become more skilled is to immerse oneself, understand the technique, and practice; true reward can only come from perfecting one's craft.
Eduardo Mutuc was a Kapampangan artist. Kapampangans are known for their refined taste and aesthetics heavily influenced by their exposure to the lifestyle of the Spanish colonizers. The feudal lords and wealthy families who lived in Pampanga called for artists to turn the rural area into cultural and political centers. From there, famous Kapampangan writers and artists rose up.
Along with this, woodcraft in Pampanga dates back to about the 16th century, making it one of the trademarks of the place. The culture of Pampanga consists of magnificent food, their own language, and many others, but most importantly, Kapampangans are known for being deeply religious. They are known for finding more ways than one to lavish their affections religiously by spending money on building idols which they decorate and process.
Mutuc's Culture
EFFECT ON HIS LIFE
Considering the fact that people from Pampanga are known for their craftsmanship in woodcraft, Eduardo Mutuc has exceptional skill in the craft and is the reason for his fame and title as a GAMABA award recipient. His works draw heavy inspiration from Spanish colonial themes and old religious designs.
He was popular among churches for his fantastic sculptures inspired from Christian culture. The weeks leading up to Holy Week and Christmas are the busiest times for his career. Even for his works with no religious purpose, he still draws influence from church art.
