THE first thing that comes to mind when I think about art, nature and imagery is color. Color, in scientific terms, is simply a manifestation of the full spectrum of light. In more creative terms, color means everything else. It has the ability to portray emotions. It has the ability to consume you, drown you, uplift you. It makes people happy and feel good about themselves—or the opposite of these. Color helps one express his deepest thoughts and carry a message across without words. Put together the earth and all the imaginable colors possible, color is that which makes the world beautiful.
Tucked in a home studio on top of a hill in Batanes overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a memorial that was once the home and studio of an artist whose life work had been mostly dedicated to color. Pacita Abad (1946-2004) always saw the world through color, “although my vision, perspective and paintings are constantly influenced by new ideas and changing environments,” she once said. Her artworks are hopeful and inspiring as bursts of color fill each canvas, projecting a positive, joyful mood that “helps make the world smile.”
Pacita Abad was born in a post office in Basco, Batanes. Although well-traveled, she always considered her roots to be Ivatan. Throughout her life, she explored the world, lived in 48 different countries and connected with people through her colorful paintings. Her works explored and meditated on the socio-political landscape, and she expressed her opinions and emotions through art. One of Pacita’s most notable works is the Alkaff Bridge in Singapore which she painted before she passed away. A passage in her biography reads: “Pacita was finally laid to rest on a wind-swept hill in Batanes, next to her stone studio, Fundacion Pacita, and, fittingly, as her grave was being covered, a bright rainbow burst over Mount Iraya—to say a colorful goodbye to one of Asia’s foremost contemporary painters.” Today Fundacion Pacita is her legacy to her beloved family and the Ivatan people. Once the artist’s home and studio, it was lovingly refurbished by her brother, Butch Abad, and now stands as the best boutique hotel in Batanes. Mr. Abad’s daughter Patsy, whose charming demeanor is reflected in the quaint personality of Fundacion Pacita, runs the quaint lodge. In it, Pacita Abad’s life is celebrated and nurtured. The quaint stone house sits majestically on top of a hill in the Tukon region of Basco, Batanes.
This incredibly picturesque tableau brings together the mountain, the sky and the sea, the emerald green landscape a backdrop to the heritage of the Ivatans. The lodge is filled with Pacita’s artworks and the rooms pay homage to her creative roots as a native of the province.
Upon entering, one is greeted by a lush garden and a pathwalk that leads to the front door of the traditional Ivatan stone house, which was designed to withstand the strong, battering winds that have defined the province. These stones were once collected from the beach following the Mount Iraya erupted. The foyer of the lodge leads to a spacious living and dining area that typically reminds one of home. The lodge has very limited rooms, so booking ahead is a must. No two views from the rooms are alike as the rooms are located in different areas within the confines of the lodge. The rooms are aptly named after the local terms of wind direction, as the environment and nature have long informed Ivatan living.
Local elements and a touch of art embellish the interiors, blending with the views of the spectacle outside. Each room has a veranda overlooking the sea. I strongly advise guests to take at least a morning to watch the sunrise at the balcony—after all, how often do you get to do so at the very tip of the Philippines? Further down along a hidden path, there is a private beach that provides a stunning welcome in reward for one having managed a hefty number of steps. The trek is definitely worth it. Allow the shimmering water and the wind to sweep you away to bliss.
A visit to Fundacion Pacita is not complete without dining at Café Du Tukon. Since Batanes is mainly composed of lush vegetation, the restaurant’s gustatory offerings are a showcase of vegetables, beef and pork that are organic and free-range. As part of Fundacion Pacita’s social empowerment projects, the local fare is produced by the farmers around Sitio Tukon. A must-try is the Lunis Pizza inspired by the local delicacy lunis, a traditional Ivatan dried adobo, and Pacita’s Pizza for dessert.
The café overlooks the rolling hills and Batanes’s highest peak, Mount Iraya—because you simply can never get enough of the view.
Fundacion Pacita is charming all around—and that is because it is authentic to its inhabitants. It is authentic in its culture and in its soul. It is true. It has no frills and does not try hard to impress. It just does. Fundacion Pacita speaks for itself and in it and in the community surrounding it, still lives the legacy of Pacita Abad—a woman of color.
****For inquiries, contact Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge at inquiries@fundacionpacita.ph.
Image credits: Nikki Boncan-Buensalido and Fundacion Pacita