Ballet and art have always co-existed, ever since the dance medium became popular throughout Europe in the early 19th century. Artists were drawn to ballet dancers because their movements proved to be the perfect subject for painting and sculpting. Arguably, the most popular artist to tackle the subject of ballet was Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas, who created over 1,500 art works celebrating dance through his romantic and gentle brush strokes. Degas’s work is considered to be some of the most influential in classical French art.

As a way of honoring the everlasting relationship between art and dance, Ballet Philippines has partnered with Pintô Art Museum for a special exhibition titled BALLET IN PINTÔ, which is set to premiere at the Lobby at the Theatre at Solaire this coming December 2023. Pintô Founder Dr. Joven Cuanang and acclaimed artist/curator Ferdie Montemayor have commissioned 35 contemporary Filipino artists to produce paintings and sculptures that will feature the company’s dancers. “The idea of capturing movements on canvas is like breathing air,” shared Ballet Philippines President Kathleen Liechtenstein. “It’s magical, timeless and fascinating. I offered the idea of having a group of artist’s paint ballerinas while dancing, rehearsing and moving to Dr. Cuanang through Viber, and in 17 minutes he agreed!”

The Healing Power of Art
Pintô Art Museum was founded in 2010 by top neurologist Dr. Joven Cuanang. Located in the rolling hills of Antipolo, the extensive exhibition space was built to showcase his large art collection. Known for his undying support of the Philippine art community, Dr. Cuanang has been recognized as one the country’s most important art patrons. The museum has fostered and collected works from artists such as Elmer Borlongan, Mark Justiniani, and Jose John Santos II, among others. Dr. Cuanang also established the Pintô Academy for Arts and Sciences, which holds lectures on the healing power of art.

“Our mission is to be able to develop the wellness and wholeness of an individual through art,” he shared. “The humanities are very important. Pintô is not just about art work, but also the science and healing power of art. Many times during the pandemic, we used the museum as a venue for dance. It was really a big part of the healing that was happening during the time. I’m basically still a doctor, so I am using art as a strategy of healing. When the idea of this collaboration was broached, I readily agreed. Dance is very important because the movements express the emotions of people.”

An Afternoon at Pintô
To curate the upcoming exhibit, Dr. Cuanang knew that there was only one man for the job. He sought out the help of curator Ferdie Montemayor. “He is very much into the visual arts, but he is also an expert in movement,” shared Dr. Cuanang. Montemayor has had a storied career, beginning in 1990 when he graduated from the UP Dillman College of Fine Arts. He first established himself as a renowned painter, before using his extensive knowledge in art history to curate and support the works of other Filipino artists. For the collaboration between Ballet Philippines, Montemayor has tapped 35 established artists to interpret “dance gestures” on either canvas or through sculptures.

In July 2023, Pintô invited the Ballet Philippines dancers to the museum’s Academy Room for a special day of art and dance. “We asked the artists to attend and take photographs of the dancers as they rehearsed, practiced, and performed,” said Montemayor. “I see this [collaboration] as two hearts beating as one. Two art forms are coming together as one—the performing arts and the visual arts.” The afternoon provided the artists an opportunity to meet and study their subjects. As the dancers performed selections from iconic ballets, the artists created studies for their eventual works. Sketches, paintings, and sculptures came to life as two art forms began to merge.

A Monumental Collaboration
Montemayor says that the upcoming BALLET IN PINTÔ art exhibition may be the first of its kind in the Philippines. “I’m not sure if there’s been a collaboration as monumental as what Dr. Cuanang has organized for Ballet Philippines,” he states. “Solaire is not a gallery space, so we need to bring the gallery into Solaire.” Months of preparation has already gone into the upcoming art show. Apart from coordinating with all 35 artists, Dr. Cuanang and Montemayor have been challenged with the logistics of such a large production.

They are building a gallery space from scratch, and transporting it to Solaire Resort & Casino just one day before the show officially opens. To make this possible, they have commissioned 42 large wooden panels that can be constructed on site, like pieces of a puzzle. “The show will only last three days, and it’s laborious and costly,” shared Montemayor. “But I’ll do anything for art.” The finished works will be shown from December 15 to 17, 2023, during Ballet Philippine's performance of CHRISTMAS FAIRYTALES.