The Anthem Philatelist

  Roy Ama And Jojo Sagayno's  Back to Back Solo exhibit: ULTRAQUE UNUM Ready for tomorrow's opening at 6:00 PM. ArtPortalCebu Room 206  Atuà Midtown F. Manalo, and Queen's Road, Cebu City. "Ultraque Unum" (Both Are One) by Jojo Sagayno The journey of "Ultraque Unum" spanned nearly two years, born from the serendipitous meeting of  Roy Ama  and Jojo Sagayno at Nami Art Gallery in Mandaluyong City, and later, at ArtPortalCebu in Consolacion, Cebu. Their in-depth conversations about abstract art sparked the idea for this unique back-to-back solo exhibition. Both artists firmly believe that abstract art holds promise for the future, although they acknowledge the notion is still debatable. For  Roy and Jojo, abstract art serves as a common ground, allowing them to transcend their individual styles and come together in a shared creative vision. Creating abstract art is a daunting task, akin to capturing the wind or grasping water – elusive and intangible. The ...

Every city has a soul, but only a few chosen individuals possess the vision to capture it before it slips away into the modern landscape. For Cebu, that visionary was Jose Mari Picornell. Often hailed as the "Van Gogh of Cebu," Picornell did not just paint landscapes; he immortalized the fading pulse of old streets, ancestral corners, and vanishing scenes. To the art world, he was a master of color and texture. To me, he was a friend whose humility, vulnerability, and brilliant creative spirit left an indelible mark on my life. Our story began with a chance encounter that felt entirely dictated by fate. I bumped into him at Ayala Mall, where he was carrying a few of his paintings. He cut a slightly dejected figure; he was supposed to meet a buyer but had just been stood up. Seeing the master standing there with his life's work in his hands, I introduced myself and asked if I could see the pieces. Right then and there, amidst the bustling mall crowd, I acquired his paintin...