A collection of historic ceramics from Cebu is now on display at the KWUM Studio Ceramics Museum and Gallery in Fiskars, Finland.
The exhibition features 46 pieces from the Bahandi Collection, built from the holdings of the late Rosita R. Arcenas. The ceramics include trade ware from China and Southeast Asia, with some pieces recovered from Philippine soil and sea after centuries of travel across regional trade routes.
The exhibition came about through connections between Arcenas’ son Raul, who spends part of his time in Finland with his wife Johanna Klinge, and Finnish ceramics figure Karin Widnäs, founder of KWUM. Their discussions led to the idea of showing the Cebu collection alongside Finnish ceramic art.
According to the report, the transfer of the ceramics to Finland required extensive documentation, proof of ownership and approval procedures for privately owned cultural property. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines helped guide the process.
The “Bahandi – The Rosita R. Arcenas Collection” exhibition runs at KWUM in Fiskars through 29 March.
