FEU Art Collection Scavenger Hunt by Jethro Marcelo

Gintong Pawis

marcelojethro114 — 2025-09-01 13:12:11 UTC

Chosen Artwork #1: High School Girls in Uniform

cruzhailiev — 2025-09-01 13:12:53 UTC

Date: 1957

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Notable Information: The painting High School Girls in Uniform (1957) shows the vibrant and joyful life of FEU students in the 1950s. More than just a picture of girls in uniform, it reflects how school life is full of energy, friendships, and growth. It reminds us that education shapes not only our knowledge but also our identity and future.

Group Reflection or Interpretation:
Our group sees this artwork as a celebration of the beauty of student life. The simple moments it shows, such as walking with friends, reading books, or enjoying leisure are experiences that we can all relate to. It reminds us that school is a place where we do not only gain knowledge but also discover who we are, build relationships, and learn values that guide us in life. In this sense, the painting feels timeless because it speaks to every generation of students, including us today.

Informations:

marcelojethro114 — 2025-09-01 13:22:05 UTC

Theme: Bayanihan/Community Spirit

Date: 1989

Artist: Robert Ko

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Group Reflection or Interpretation

marcelojethro114 — 2025-09-01 13:35:11 UTC

Our group sees the Gintong Pawis painting as a true reflection of the spirit of the Filipino people. We are known for our strong sense of community spirit, and the artwork shows how we unite as one with a common goal, to succeed. This painting also serves as an eye-opener, reminding us that despite the challenges we may face, we need to work together as one in order to overcome problems.

Relating this to our own journey as we begin college life, we might encounter many challenges that will make us doubt ourselves or even want to quit. However, as long as we stick together and help one another, we will be able to surpass all the obstacles that college may throw our way.

Notable Insight:

clairetibay15 — 2025-09-02 05:59:16 UTC

One of the notable insight we found is the unique details of the painting. Robert Ko value the meaning of Bayanihan, a community spirit wherein people are working towards a common goal. He employs a warm color palette in his painting to complement the gold metallic splashes representing the Gintong Pawis of the Filipinos symbolizing their hard work, persistence, and pride. While departing from convention, replacing the traditional frail hut with the Manila cityscape. The people hold onto bamboo rods and lines stroke showing their muscular tension and efforts, the subtle lines blend seamlessly with the mountains and the Manila cityscape when you look at the painting from afar.

Artwork #3: Bas Relief: Spanish Era

infanteannie592 — 2025-09-02 10:27:14 UTC

Artist: Francesco Ricardo Monti

Date: 1949

Medium: Bas Relief

Notable Insight:

infanteannie592 — 2025-09-02 10:39:07 UTC

There is a lot of symbolism in this work alone, for example, we can see from how the Spaniards stand while our ancestors are kneeling, the galleon at the back, and a cross held high, which shows the theme of Spanish Colonization which took place in the 1500s. What is notable about this painting is the medium it uses, a sculptural technique called Bas-relief, where the art is slightly raised from the background itself, which created the illusion of depth, like how the galleon in the back seems farther than the people in front, all whilst being a few more centimeters shallow. This technique allowed Monti to integrate the art piece into the architecture of the building, and telling a narrative story of the epoch. Historically, this form of medium was also used by past civilizations, such as the Egyptians, in their pyramids showing hieroglyphics and worships.

Group Reflection or Interpretation:

infanteannie592 — 2025-09-03 05:08:46 UTC

Our group decided to choose the Bas Relief: Spanish Era Artwork because we think it is eye-catching and it made us interested in learning and understanding what is the meaning behind those art because it wasn’t like the other art that points to one specific meaning. We say that it was an eye-catching art because it isn’t like the other art that is flat, seeing that this art has three dimensions that makes it unique. We liked how this artwork shows history by just glancing at it.

The Art makes the scene look more realistic, which makes us feel like we are also part of what’s happening inside that Spanish Era art. It also shows to us how the Spanish ruled and what is the influence of it in our culture. Overall, this artwork together made us realize that art isn’t just something to look at. It is something that can bring out memories and be passed down from generation to generation, that can still connect us all. This artwork felt like we were discovering new parts of ourselves and our history.