Italian artist Giovanni Guida reminisces time in Manila

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April 18, 2025 | 1:30pm

MANILA, Philippines — Italian artist Giovanni Guida reminisced his time in Manila where he exhibited his works. 

In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com via email, Giovanni said it was an emotional moment for him. 

“I was in Manila in June 2016, when Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Rector Kali Pietre Llamado, rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, exhibited my icon 'Caesarius Diaconus' in the cathedral’s baptistery, where a precious reliquary of the martyr — transferred from the Vatican — is kept,” he said. 

“It was a deeply emotional moment, especially due to the majesty of the place and its symbolism. The icon depicts Saint Caesarius, the patron saint of Roman emperors (invoked against drowning, floods, and for the successful outcome of cesarean births), who was sealed in a sack and thrown into the sea of Terracina for opposing rituals that involved human sacrifice, defending the dignity and sanctity of human life. The Filipino cardinal displayed the icon during the Easter Vigil; in this context, water, from an iconological point of view, symbolized rebirth and new life—elements that are characteristic of my art.

“Exhibiting in the Philippines was an emotional experience because of the harmonious intertwining of civilizations and visions, where East and West dance in a rich, layered, and luminous artistic language. It is a cultural crossroads where each artwork finds resonance in a deeply aesthetic and authentic collective sensibility.”

Giovanni wanted the world to be transformed into an “open-air museum,” where art is freed from the closed spaces of exhibitions understood as traps, abandoning the passive waiting for spectators, which contributes to the fragmentation of knowledge. 

“My intent is for art to proliferate, to radiate like the blue of lapis lazuli, imbued with spirituality, traversing places and souls. My vision elevates art to a sacred conversation with the Absolute, capable of guiding humankind toward the mystery of transcendence,” he said. 

The Italian artist also explained what "grattage" art is.

“Grattage is a surrealist painting technique that involves scraping layers of color to reveal underlying forms. This gesture can be interpreted as a metaphor for ‘uncovering’ what lies hidden beneath the surface — a concept well suited to represent the cultural and historical complexity of the Philippines, a country with a “layered” history of indigenous, colonial, and modern influences,” he said. 

“Grattage is a powerful expressive medium for representing themes such as memory, identity, and post-colonial trauma, which are central to many Filipino artistic narratives. My art can engage in dialogue with local works, creating a meaningful exchange of techniques, themes, and approaches,” he added. 

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