The art of cool

MANILA, Philippines - An ice cream company is preserving the works of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo for the appreciation of a younger generation by putting them on “ice,” literally.

Magnolia Ice Cream is putting select works of the famed Filipino artist on its ice cream tubs as part of a joint effort with the Amorsolo retrospective and to also help charitable foundation named CRIBS, a center for abused women and children in Quezon City.

Paintings which were part of the long-running, seven museum-wide exhibits entitled Amorsolo Retrospective: “His Art, Our Heart” will be emblazoned on tubs of Magnolia’s Filipino flavors macapuno ube swirl, creamy halo-halo, buco salad royale and quezo primero.

The paintings are “Mango Vendor” (1930), “Winnowing Rice” (1938), “Sunset” (1927), “Woman in Banga” (1922), “Planting Rice with Mayon Volcano” (1949), “Tinikling and Nude with Orchids” (1939).

“Amorsolo’s paintings represent and epitomize everything Filipino and how simple life was then. Looking closely, Amorsolo drew inspiration from Filipinos’ display of industry, integrity and resilience,” says Magnolia Ice Cream general manager Maurico Alcon. “His paintings are usually found at the museums nowadays, so we are doing our part to bring Amorsolo’s works to majority of the Filipinos.”

Amorsolo retrospective executive director Evelyn Lim Forbes says, “Magnolia is synonymous with the best in Filipino ice cream. The fact that Magnolia will be using it for the local flavors dear to the palettes of Filipino taste is keeping with the spirit of the retrospective.”

Alcon says, “We believe that this project is a perfect way to reintroduce the works of our great National Artist to the Filipinos, particularly the youth in this age of the Internet and electronic gadgetry.”