Manuel A. Rodriguez, Sr. (MARS) Center for Printmaking

Print, Process, and Place as Creative Inquiry

The Manuel A. Rodriguez, Sr. (MARS) Center for Printmaking operates under the Artistic Research Center (ARC) of the Philippine Women's University (PWU) for public-facing programs, and supports printmaking instruction and studio activities within the School of Fine Arts and Design (SFAD). Named in honor of Manuel Antonio Rodriguez, Sr., the Father of Philippine Printmaking, MARS is a developing platform for printmaking education, artistic research, and creative inquiry rooted in hands-on practice and material exploration.

Background

The roots of the MARS Center for Printmaking trace back to the 1960s, when it began as a series of off-campus workshops at PWU. These were led by the pioneering artist Manuel Antonio Rodriguez Sr., affectionately known as Mang Maning and honored as the Father of Philippine Printmaking. Reinaugurated in June 2023, the center was envisioned as a cornerstone of PWU's progressive approach to art education—empowering students to carry forward the country's printmaking legacy while encouraging innovation, critical inquiry, and creative growth.

Public Programs

Programming at MARS develops gradually based on available resources, partnerships, and shared studio access. Current focus areas include:

Workshops and Masterclasses

Introductory to advanced printmaking workshops that explore traditional, experimental, and sustainable approaches to printmaking.

Artistic Research and Studio Exploration

Printmaking as a tool for process-based research, material experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Documentation and Publications

Digital documentation of workshops and projects, with the long-term goal of producing manuals, guides, and print-related publications.

Community and Cultural Engagement

Community-oriented workshops and participation in ARC-led cultural exchange initiatives that use printmaking as a platform for dialogue and learning.

Workshops

Basic Printmaking
- Half-day workshop (4 hours)
- 4 sessions (4 hours each)
Printmaking Masterclass
- 8 sessions (4 hours each)

SY 2024 – 25:

1T: Program Planning and Preparation; ITP Research and Printmaking Exploration; Studio Rental (by visiting printmaker/s)
2T: Basic_Introduction to Monotypes, Monoprints, & Relief
3T: Basic_Introduction to Intaglio

NOV 2024: Workshop Output E- Catalogue

SY 2025 – 26:

1T: Masterclass_Monotypes, Monoprints, & Relief
2T: Masterclass_Intaglio
3T: Basic_Introduction to Serigraphy

NOV 2025: Workshop Output E- Catalogue or Annual Exhibit/
Open Portfolio Show (Collaboration with JCB)

Continuing the Legacy

Rooted in the legacy of Mang Maning and PWU’s history of printmaking education, MARS supports students, educators, and practitioners while sustaining printmaking as a site of learning, experimentation, and cultural continuity.

The PWU School of Fine Arts and Design proposes to rename its Creative Visual Printmaking Room into the Manuel S. Rodriguez Sr. (MARS) Center for Printmaking to honor the legacy of Rodriguez to Philippine printmaking, the School of Fine Arts and Design, and all future printmakers. We want to continue the fine tradition of printmaking and make MRSCP an integral presence in the Philippine printmaking landscape.

With today’s renewed fascination with printmaking as espoused by leading contemporary Filipino artists, art fairs, webinars, and exhibitions, we believe the medium has undergone a rebirth. Given the other genres and media fighting for space in this fast-paced, technology-dominated world, this focus on printmaking reiterates not only

the lasting value of prints but also the enjoyment a printmaker undergoes in the process of doing and the art audiences’ pleasure in witnessing the pieces produced.

The PWU SFAD, in recent years, has launched The JCB Award for Printmaking inter-school student art competition to nurture the talents of our young printmakers.Our JCB Gallery has also mounted Ukit, an exhibition that paid tribute to Rodriguez on his 100th birth anniversary. This is where a portfolio of 30/30 prints was gathered featuring works by Ambie Abaño, Aviado, Benjie Torrado Cabrera, Cuizon, Fil dela Cruz, Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Brenda Fajardo, Vic Fario, Jess Flores, Raul Isidro, Lenore RS Lim, Angelo Magno, Sam Occena and Josephine Turalba. With the help of the MRSCP, new workshops in this center will further inspire students to create outstanding works. As a continued learning laboratory, we will also welcome currently practicing Printmakers to teach short courses to supplement the classes already in our curriculum.

Mang Maning’s sole status as Father of Philippine Printmaking is uncontested and should never be forgotten. This is the stance of PWU SFAD, as history and the contemporary meet in each print. We are hoping that MRSCP will serve as a continuation of Rodriguez’s fine tradition of printmaking and discover more luminaries in this field worthy of following in the footsteps of not only our beloved Mang Maning but all the trailblazers who followed his lead, like Virgilio Aviado, Ofelia Gelvezon Tequi, Rodolfo Samonte, and Jess Flores, among others.

The programming for MARS Center for Printmaking related to ARC initiatives is administered by Mellanny Arguzon-Aquino, whose research is centered on printmaking, sustainability, and experimentation with methods and materials. Mellanny has a diverse background from her work in the automotive, advertising, publishing, and multimedia arts industry as either a product or graphic designer. She discovered printmaking through the Philippine Association of Pinoy Printmakers (PAP) in 2011 and has participated in several exhibitions both locally and internationally. Her recent works of art are inspired by nature, and they aim to inspire viewers to find beauty and harmony through the use of graphic forms and mixed media. She specializes in relief printing techniques such as rubbercut and mokuhanga, which is Japanese woodblock printing. Mellanny has an undergraduate degree in Industrial Design and a graduate degree in Marketing Communications.