HERITAGE AND ART IN FAITH.

Visual art has always been part and parcel of church history. The church monopolized the industry of sacred art, and religious paintings thrived all throughout the Christian era until the Renaissance period. The importance of Christian iconography in Philippine culture denotes not only richness in ecclesiastical art but also in historic traditions kept by the faithful.

This December, the NCCA Gallery presents a group exhibition titled “Consummatum Est: Is it Finished?” Consummatum est, a phrase that often appears on inscriptions and in sacred art, were the Savior’s last words as he was dying on the cross. It literally means “it is finished” in Latin. In this exhibition, however, the title which is declarative, takes an interrogative form. 

The artists, through this production, attempt to explore contemporary concepts and assimilate modern ideas and themes into religious art without losing traditional creative expression and artistry. 

“Consummatum Est: Is it Finished?” opens on December 6, 2021 at the NCCA Gallery, G/F, The National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 633 General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila. Call 8257 2205 or email gallery@ncca.gov.ph for more details.