|
"Ongoing until August 2, the show, Constancio Bernardo: Color & Clarity, gathers rarely seen paintings from the artist’s estate, now available to Manila’s discerning collectors. It highlights the breadth and evolution of his practice, which took a pivotal turn when he studied at Yale, where Bernardo met the influential artist, educator, and Bauhaus proponent Josef Albers."
— The Diarist.Ph, www.thediarist.ph |
|
|
“A Yale School of Fine Art graduate, Bernardo studied under legendary Bauhaus master Josef Albers, who famously regarded his protégé not just as a student but as a colleague — an extraordinary endorsement that speaks volumes of Bernardo’s artistic clarity and rigor.
‘Color & Clarity’ reveals the artist’s mastery of form, his pioneering abstraction, and his unwavering commitment to a modernist ethos that transcends borders and time. Meticulously curated from key periods of his career, these works reflect intellectual discipline and bold explorations of color and space.” "Salcedo Auctions honored a true vanguard of Philippine modernism—Constancio Bernardo. A Yale-trained master who studied under Bauhaus legend Josef Albers—his art carries a discipline, a brilliance, and a quiet boldness that speaks as powerfully today as it did in the mid-20th century." — Salcedo Auctions, salcedoauctions.com |
|
|
|
|
Color and Clarity at Salcedo Auctions was more than a gallery visit—it was a deeply personal homecoming. As the family of the late Constancio Bernardo, we were honored to see the groundbreaking abstractions presented with reverence, boldness, and curatorial precision.
The exhibition, held in celebration of Salcedo Auctions Gallery's 15th anniversary, transported us into the visual language of Bernardo’s rigorous color theory. Each canvas radiated with the quiet confidence and mathematical precision that marked his lifelong pursuit of clarity. It was profoundly moving to see works from his Yale MFA thesis and postwar retrospectives recontextualized for a new generation. Some guests asked, “Is the artist still alive?” (He passed away in 2003), and “Why are these works only surfacing now?” But the truth is—his art was always there. Following his passing, the family mounted retrospectives at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Ayala Museum. His works are studied in art schools, and many of today’s leading Filipino artists acknowledge Bernardo as a quiet but powerful influence in the formation of their own visual language. While our family exhibits have been years apart, and his works rarely appear in auction houses, this moment at Salcedo marks a renewed spotlight—bringing Bernardo’s vision back into the center of today's evolving art scene. However, today’s art scene revolves around new spaces—galleries, fairs, and auctions—and Bernardo’s work has only occasionally appeared in that realm. Our own family exhibits have been few and far between. That’s why this show matters so much: finally, we have an exhibit that brings Bernardo’s art back to the fore, where it can be seen, experienced, and re-appreciated by a new generation. What made the event even more unforgettable was the “Vanguard” fashion theme—an elegant reinterpretation of modern Filipiniana. Guests arrived in contemporary terno sleeves, deconstructed barongs, and bold silhouettes that felt both rooted in heritage and unapologetically forward-thinking. In many ways, it mirrored Bernardo’s own artistic ethos: honoring structure while breaking boundaries. Gathered as multiple generations of Bernardo’s descendants—from his youngest son Architect Rod Bernardo, to grandchildren and great-grandchildren—it became a reunion not just of family, but of legacy. The blending of art, family, and fashion in this setting was symbolic. Here was a Filipino master being remembered not as a relic, but as a vanguard—an innovator whose influence continues to shape the visual and cultural vocabulary of today. |
"A Generational Portrait: Some members of the family lineage of Constancio Bernardo — led by his youngest son, Architect Rod Bernardo, and his wife Cynthia, along with grandchildren Juner, Leah, Ayet and her husband Joel, Job, and AJ, and great-grandchildren Seth, Eiwell, Reiiel, Aegis, and Mikay — united in honoring his enduring artistic influence and legacy."
|
|
|
|
|
