the good doctor
RENE E GUATLO MEETS A DOCTOR AND ART LOVER WHO TREASURES HIS MEMORIES SO MUCH, THAT HE REBUILT A HERITAGE VILLAGE
Joven R Cuanang is a noted neurologist and medical director of the Philippines’ premier medical institution, St Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City. However he’s almost as well known for his commitment to the arts, as owner of the Boston and Pinto galleries and long-time friend of established and fledgling artists. He has certainly done things differently in his career and his latest project is no exception.
Cuanang has created a heritage village in his hometown of Ilocos Norte to preserve the beautiful old buildings that were going to be torn down, ensuring that their unique style (as well as their essence of times past) are appreciated for many years to come. His work in the medical field has proved to him the importance of balancing body and spirit, something he has certainly achieved in his extra-curricular activities.
A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
Graduating top of his class at the University of the East, Cuanang pursued further studies at Harvard, before returning to the Philippines in 1969. His studies into the workings of the brain led him to a holistic appreciation of the human body and mind. He learnt that the cure to illness involves both the body and the spirit and it was this realization that heightened his interest in the arts. Now he boasts an understanding of music, poetry, painting and a particular love of sculpture.
He started collecting santos (religious icons) and furniture, mainly from the Ilocos provinces, while building his first house in the Antipolo suburb located on the hillsides near Manila. The property was inspired by both Mexican colonial and Ilocano architectural influences. He tried to utilize materials native to his hometown where possible, so the brick wall that separates the dining area from the veranda was sourced from his hometown of Batac, Ilocos Norte and many of the other materials such as the wooden planks and beams were also from various towns in the north. His large-scale statue depicting the “Scourging at the Pillar” on display in the living room was sourced from Dingras, also in Ilocos Norte.
Weekends spent at the antique shops in Ermita and Malate resulted in a growing collection of santos, to the point where they were taking over his living space. Cuanang explains: “The obvious solution was to build a chapel, where the icons could be venerated.” So he did… next door. The centerpiece is a magnificent image of Christ taken down from the cross, half of an almost life-size Pietà.
ART ATTRACTIONS
Then came the paintings. With the establishment of the Antipolo Foundation for Arts, Culture and Ecology in the early 1980s, Dr Cuanang came in touch with young students of the UP College of Fine Arts. Along with key figures from the college such as Antonio Leaño, Mark Justiniani, Elmer Borlongan, Gemo Tapales, Karen Flores, Tammy Tan, Joy Mallari, and Far Eastern University fine arts student, Neil Manalo, the group formed the art collective Salingpusa, to signify their entry into the art scene as newcomers trying out the world of adults.
Their first show at the doctor’s residence was “Icons” where they used the extensive collection of santos as inspiration for their paintings. It was followed by “Flora”, held during the height of power failures in the mid-1990s. The works on display provided a colorful contrast to a garden made brown and arid by the resulting water shortage.
These initial experiences prompted Cuanang to set up the Boston Gallery in his cramped town house in Cubao. Years later he brought another dream to life, opening Pinto Gallery at his Antipolo residence. The doctor himself ended up buying many of the first works of the young artists, as most collectors wanted to purchase more established names.
Bamboo artisan Perry Mamaril is a casing point.
Cuanang not only bought most of his first works, but he also promoted the artist through his extensive network of international collectors. Today, Mamaril is sold in New York for large amounts, and even the doctor rues: “I cannot afford him anymore.”
RESTORING THE PAST
In early 2006, Doctor Cuanang started another collection, his most ambitious. This time it was to buy and restore the vintage houses being torn down in his native Ilocos Norte. With Filipino migrant workers coming home in droves, old wooden houses were being torn down to make way for newer designs with the modern amenities that the returnees preferred. The doctor saw an opportunity to preserve the look and feel of his childhood more than 50 years ago. The result is Sitio Remedios, a heritage village named after his mother.
It’s located on an expansive beachside property in Victoria, Currimao, Ilocos Norte. Wood floor planks and beams, galvanized iron sheets, doors and widows were all painstakingly numbered and photographed before being taken apart and carefully rebuilt into seven unique houses, named after the small towns from which they were sourced.
The houses surrounding the cobble-stoned central plaza represent typical homes from the mid-20th century, while the elevated chapel that is the heart of the community is inspired by Paoay Church (a World Heritage Site) with its stout buttresses. The meeting hall, called Sentro Iloco, serves as a venue for training, seminars and planning sessions, while the Teatro Iloco at the courtyard will offer cultural presentations and alfresco dining when complete. Abrao, the main food outlet, serves authentic regional Ilocano fare, especially seafood caught in the waters of Currimao Bay. There is even a spa, which adds a touch of luxury – although not very 1950s – called Ablon, with a full menu of relaxing massage and aromatherapy treatments.
A WEALTH OF LOCAL TALENTS
All the houses feature Ilocano furniture, santos, and décor – butacas (antique plantation chairs), ivory, wood and silver religious icons, period lamps and chandeliers, and crocheted and embroidered bed and table linens. The locally-made produce is a great source of work for Iloco natives. Early works by Salingpusa artists take pride of place and the main house boasts a wedding portrait of the doctor’s parents done by national artist BenCab in his unique larawan (photograph) style.
Sitio Remedios is fast becoming one of North Luzon’s cultural centers. It opened its in a breathtaking spectacle.
There are the predictable gasps, wows and sharply indrawn breaths from guests; but there are also those people who withdraw into catatonic silence. Whatever the reaction, everyone is moved by the impressive sight, with many describing it as the most memorable and therapeutic experience at the Sitio, one that affects heart and soul and, Dr Cuanang would suggest, body too.
True to its name, Sitio Remedios is a place for remedies – where weary souls can come for a much-needed rest, to be refreshed and recharged. It is a place lovingly built, by a man who has put together beautiful memories and beautiful things, to heal, surprise, and to delight.
Sitio Remedios is located in Victoria, Currimao, Ilocos Norte. Visit its website at www.sitioremedios.com for more details. Fly to Laoag Airport by Cebu Pacific Air and it is 25 minutes away by taxi from the airport.
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