Background
Eduardo Mutuc is known to be a master craftsman of religious and secular art in plated silver and was awarded the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan in 2005. He is from Apalit, Pampanga where he devoted his whole life into creating religious secular plated silver art that are made from wood, silver, and bronze. His works emphasizes details such as mirrors, carosas, retables, and altar which can be seen mostly in churches, cathedrals, and private collection.
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When he discovered his skills in metalwork and woodcarvings, he decided to supplement his income from farming into a more stable and secure work which is woodcarving. With his desires, he strived to study and enhance his skills as a furniture maker until he developed his talent to help raise his family from poverty. He learned silver painting in his fifth to sixth year. The silver painting is a method that uses silver and gold for religious screens and churches.
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His first commission was creating a tabernacle for the Parish of Fairview in Quezon City from Monsignor Fidelis Limcauco. Later on, he gained many commissions which were based on Spanish Colonial designs. He was inspired from the traditional religious designs and art that paved way to his final work.
He is also skilled in creating metalwork where the details are drawn first and soon transfered onto the wood. The wood is then covered in metal sheet and coaxed the design where he dips the solid silver metal sheet into the molten silver and wait till dried. Lastly, it will be polished and the hammering continues to give it more detail. Throughout the time, he became an expert in his craft.
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His works are beyond decorative as it gives persona and character to their location. The religious artworks he made focuses on devotion with commune with the divine in the regular church. Handmade pieces are more important than machines when it comprises human representation. Mutuc made a cherubin through silverplate. Cherubin guides our prayers. For Eduardo, craftsmanship starts with respect to the medium as well as the tools.
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Mutuc teaches the proper use of hammer and chisel to prevent fatigue and mistakes. Developing skills is hard, thus for Mutuc, the only way to enhance skills was to immerse oneself to practice and strive to learn from the techniques.
Function of his art:
Religious Purposes
Eduardo Mutuc creates art for religious purposes to make representations of biblical characters. It is to preserve culture, to remind us of the Spanish colonial times, to celebrate the catholic religion, and to empower self-identity.
