ART! PRINTS! Yes! An important part of the Pasts Revisited exhibit of the Constantino Foundation is new works the public can consider acquiring. They’re made by young artists who used the concept advanced by Renato Constantino and Letizia Roxas Constantino – that of a usable history – to create works urge us to reflect on lessons we can draw from the past to help shape our present as we pursue a better future for our nation – together.

See the captions for the artists’ words about their work.
 
Two are serigraphs – ALAS NG BAYAN by Basilio Pangilinan, who made 12 prints (two already sold since the exhibit’s opening) and CANDIDO’S WAVE by Denise Nicole Tolentino, who made 20 prints (two sold, which means only 18 are left).
 
A red dot on new work by Johnny Guarin – FABULA TONSORIS – means someone already bought the piece. Not surprising at all – Guarin made the original Alas ng Bayan paintings (sold out), and this one – it’s just fabulous, provocative, and aesthetically so beautifully executed.
Ara Alejo (X-MABINI) and Nadia Cruz (MFD 1919) also offer new takes on two fragments from the past. One, the sublime Apolonario Mabini, and the other, a new take from the steel window pattern that once graced the Sta. Mesa station of Manila’s Fire Department, now demolished to make way for wider roads – a continuing heritage tragedy we need to stop.
 
Also in this post are the five powerful Alas ng Bayan 2.0 digital art of each Filipina hero, rendered by Basilio Pangilinan, printed and framed.
But enough of our applause. See the art works in person! And read below why the artists created what they did.
 
Pasts Revisited: An Exhibit on A Usable History and the Romance of Renato Constantino and Letizia Roxas Constantino runs till July 11 at the Y Space at the Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, Ayala Ave., cor. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati. Find out more about the museum in their website and social media pages!

ALAS NG BAYAN Basilio Pangilinan, 2026 Serigraphy Print (12 prints) This work borrows the bold language of superhero comics to celebrate the real heroes who fought for justice in the Philippines. Five women are illustrated twice: the top portion depicts the hope and awe expected of superheroes, while the bottom presents a grounded "alter-ego" reflecting their sacrifices. Bookended by lyrics from the song "Babae" by Inang Laya, the piece encapsulates the common thread uniting these five heroes: an unwavering desire to be free. 2 of 12 sold.

FABULA TONSORIS Johnny Guarin, 2026 Serigraphy and acrylic on canvas (1 of 1) Fabula Tonsoris reclaims the barbershop as a democratic space for radical discourse, centering on a profound, collapsed-time conversation between a seated Jose Rizal and the unsung revolutionary Apolonia Catra. Set in a Tondo landscape stretching from Kalye Azcarraga to Baseco, their exchange transforms kwentong barbero from idle gossip into a site of political defiance. By blending history with climate justice, this dialogue connects ancestral resistance directly to community-led energy sovereignty and a sustainable future. SOLD.

CANDIDO's WAVE Denise Nicole Tolentino, 2026 Serigraphy Print, (20 prints) Candido Iban's journey from farmer's son in Aklan, to a pearl diver in Australia, to a lottery winner and revolutionary, has the shape of a story one feels compelled to retell: incredible, improbable, and consequential in equal measure. Iban won the lottery with Francisco del Castillo in Australia and, on their way home, after meeting Procopio Bonifacio in a boat, they used their winnings to buy the Katipunan a printing press. The Katipunan's membership of 300 surged to 30,000 within months after the Kalayaan issues came out. Candido's Wave interprets the events of Iban's life as a surging wave, its form composed of the pivotal moments, dangers, and decisions that shaped his legacy. The wave also symbolizes the current he set in motion through his role in the Katipunan. One that propelled the Philippine Revolution and, ultimately, the nation's liberation from Spain. Because the printing press was among the most significant revolutionary contributions , it felt fitting to create this work through an equally tactile and analog process. Printed by hand as a serigraph on paper, the piece embraces the subtle variations and imperfections inherent to printmaking, echoing the material history of the medium that helped carry revolutionary ideas across the archipelago. 2 of 20 sold.

MFD 1919 Nadia Cruz, 2026 Mixed Media on canvas Burning wood and concrete leave different shades of black. It speaks of destruction and erasure. Reduced to black rubble, memories, histories, and meanings disappear alongside the structures that once held them. Manila Fire Department (MFD) reimagines the logo of one of Manila’s earliest fire departments, a witness to fires that shaped the city and claimed lives. There is irony in its fate. The Sta. Mesa Fire Station survived World War II but was later demolished for the NLEX Connector project. Set within a Divisoria bag pattern, the work connects commerce, migration, industry, and urban growth in Manila. It reflects the movement of goods and people while recalling fires that transformed communities, shaping a district through loss, rebuilding, and resilience.

X-MABINI Ara Alejo, 2026 Acrylic on canvas First imagined as a stamp for Sintang Lakbay 2024 in PUP, this artwork reimagines Apolinario Mabini in modern times, inspired by X-Men: Days of Future Past. Mabini and Charles Xavier - Professor X - share the image of brilliant leaders whose greatest strength lies in their intellect rather than physical force. As the "Brains of the Revolution," Mabini guided the Philippine revolution through the power of his mind and political wisdom. Similarly, as the most powerful mutant telepath Professor X leads the X-Men through knowledge, strategy, and empathy with all beings–normal humans and mutant kind. The concept envisions Mabini appearing in the future and visiting his historic home, now located within PUP Sta. Mesa.

Gregoria de Jesus

Gregoria de Jesus Kilala bilang “Lakambini” ng Katipunan si Oriang, ang asawa ni Andres Bonifacio, ang unang pangulo ng bayan. Naging aktibong kalahok si Oriang sa Himagsikan, mul a sa pagkakatatag ng lihim na samahan hanggang at lampas pa sa Rebolusyon ng 1896. Sabi ni Oriang: “Hindi ako natakot harapin ang panganib, kahit kamatayan, pag kasama ko ang mga Katipunero sa labanan… sa pagnanais na makitang nagwawagayway ang watawat ng malayang Filipinas.” Ang pagwawakas ng karahasan sa kababaihan ay kabilang sa mga pinakamataas na kalatas ng Katipunan.

Apolonia Catra

APOLONIA CATRA Basilio Pangilinan, 2025 Digital print, framed (1 of 1)

Gloria Capitan

GLORIA CAPITAN Basilio Pangilinan, 2025 Digital print, framed (1 of 1)

Lorena Barros

LORENA BARROS Basilio Pangilinan, 2025 Digital print, framed (1 of 1)

Remedios Gomez-Paraiso

Remedios Paraiso-Gomez Kilala bil ang “Kumander Liwayway,” naging lider siya ng Hukbo Laban sa mga Hapon o Hukbalahap. Nanguna siya sa maraming sagupaan laban sa pasistang Hapon. Walang takot niyang pinamunuan ang maraming labanan sa Pampanga, Tarlac, at Zambales. Malimit siyang naglalagay muna ng lipstick bago sumabak sa labanan dahil, aniya, nais niyang maging maganda bago pumatay ng kaaway. Nang sumuko ang mga Hapon, tinugis ang mga Huk ng hukbong sandatahan ng Filipinas dal a ng utos ng mga Amerikanong opisyal, kaya’t sumapi siya sa Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan.

GREGORIA DE JESUS "LAKAMBINI" Johnny Guarin, 2019 SOLD

APOLONIA CATRA Johnny Guarin, 2019 Oil on canvas SOLD

REMEDIOS GOMEZ-PARAISO "KUMANDER LIWAYWAY Johnny Guarin, 2019 SOLD

LORENA BARROS Johnny Guarin, 2019 Oil on canvas SOLD

GLORIA CAPITAN Johnny Guarin, 2019 Oil on canvas SOLD

CANDIDO's WAVE Denise Nicole Tolentino, 2026 Serigraphy Print, (20 prints) Candido Iban's journey from farmer's son in Aklan, to a pearl diver in Australia, to a lottery winner and revolutionary, has the shape of a story one feels compelled to retell: incredible, improbable, and consequential in equal measure. Iban won the lottery with Francisco del Castillo in Australia and, on their way home, after meeting Procopio Bonifacio in a boat, they used their winnings to buy the Katipunan a printing press. The Katipunan's membership of 300 surged to 30,000 within months after the Kalayaan issues came out. Candido's Wave interprets the events of Iban's life as a surging wave, its form composed of the pivotal moments, dangers, and decisions that shaped his legacy. The wave also symbolizes the current he set in motion through his role in the Katipunan. One that propelled the Philippine Revolution and, ultimately, the nation's liberation from Spain. Because the printing press was among the most significant revolutionary contributions , it felt fitting to create this work through an equally tactile and analog process. Printed by hand as a serigraph on paper, the piece embraces the subtle variations and imperfections inherent to printmaking, echoing the material history of the medium that helped carry revolutionary ideas across the archipelago. 2 of 20 sold.