MANUEL PANARES

Born on December 9 , 1946

 Panares started painting at three years old. At 65 , he has
accumulated a volume of work depicting the nuances of color
craft and style in his figurative paintings . He projects
character, charisma , and soul within the context of history
and culture .
 As an artist-witness , he paints the involving profiles of his
city – Sugbo ( Cebu) in Central Visayas , and at the same
time , records vignettes of tribal women of Mindanao ,
Southern Philippines
 His
preferred subjects are the indigenous tribes of
Mindanao and Sugbu a historical series, now online since
1996

While in Mindanao he was able to see and feel first hand

the tribes of Mindanao, his paintings of such are accurate
and correct and this is what makes his works unique.

He spends a couple of hours each day at the Southwestern

University Museum to study and research historical events
thus making him the pioneer in making works of art which
portray accurately historical events in Philippine History.
His travels in the United States has greatly
influenced his works after seeing the works of the
masters in New York and Washington D.C.

PANARES has absorbed their essence and have

found a way to produce a unique feeling in his own
works and has had a series of one man shows
around the Philippines before making a cultural
mission to the United States showing the world
what Philippine Art is.
 Early Influences

”I was three years old when I started painting. At eight, I saw an Amorsolo original. Kimsoy Yap, Jr.
introduced me to the craft and style of Martino Abellana”.

”Much later in my mid-20's I developed a close friendship with national artist, Victorio C. Edades
who became my inspiration and mentor. It was a professional partnership as I became his
collaborative assistant of two significant murals namely Kasaysayan ng Lahi for Interbank Manila,
and the Central Bank mural depicting economic development and agriculture in Davao (this mural
is known to be the longest in Philippine art history). From Edades, I learned not only the nuances
and philosophy of mural painting but also the fact that a painting should be powerful regardless of
its size and that form and pattern is more important than modelling”.

“Paul Gauguin the artist has inspired me to go into the indigenous. We have the same love for the
primitive tribes and our approach is the same. My fascination for the ethnic tribes started a long
time ago when a hunter told me of a tribe deep in the forest of Mindanao whose women were fair-
skinned and beautiful. Gauguin dreamt of Tahiti while still in Paris only to find that the Tahiti he
dreamt of had long vanished as he came a hundred years too late. But he stayed and painted Tahiti
as he wanted it to be. I too have stayed in Davao to be near my tribes to paint them as they ought
to be; the beautiful fair-skinned tribe.
 Awards
Manuel Panares has been awarded twice in 2001. First, an
achievement Award for his exemplary work as an artist in the field of
Painting from Barangay Labangon, Cebu City where he grew up.

Second, an ALIBATA Award by the Global Foundation for International

Education in Cebu Philippines was awarded to him for his outstanding
contribution to the preservation of Philippine Art and Culture -- most
notably for his unique paintings of the indigenous tribes of Mindanao
and his collection of “Sugbo Sa Karaang Panahon” depicting
Magellan’s Discovery, marking the beginning of Philippine History as
recorded by Antonio Pigafetta in his written Account of Magellan’s
Voyage while at the same time and making Cebu’s Discovery part of
the global history of global exploration.