EXHIBITION NOTES

Pennessencio “Nonoy” Estarte was born in 1950. He was a self-taught artist originally from Zamboanga, Sibugay, was greatly influenced by a grade school artist teacher and was further exposed to the love of arts by the American Peace Corps Volunteer artist.  By 1978, the late Fr. Frank Demetrio, S.J. took him under his wing to work as a Resident Artist of the Xavier University Museum. Later on, he then became the Assistant Curator on files and records, and eventually as Assistant Curator of Museo de Oro.   During his long years of service in the Museum, he has immersed himself substantially with the indigenous peoples in Mindanao such as the Talaandig and Manobo.

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The late Fr. Frank Demetrio, S.J. sent him occasionally to attend conferences, workshops, and lectures related to museum development projects, art, and other museum educational programs.  He was instrumental to the creation of several developmental programs among artists in the city, and in relation to which the Premier Art Organization was created, formerly known as Oro Art Guild. He also helped organized the Xavier University student Art Organization called the Circulo de Arte.

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Nonoy attended several group exhibitions locally and had his few solo exhibits in the campus of Xavier University.  His “Manobo Epic Paintings” were selected as part of the Philippine exhibitions in Munich, Germany as well as in the Delf Museum, Netherlands in 1987. 

 

Five years ago, he retired from Museo de Oro. Currently, he is now running an art space known as the Estellar Art Space and a mini-library, both located at Xavier Heights, which caters to youths who are artistically inclined.