St. Joseph the Worker Chapel, Victorias

The St. Joseph the Worker Chapel, commonly known as the Angry Christ Church, is a Roman Catholic chapel located inside the Victorias Milling Company residential complex in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. It is considered as the first example of modern sacred architecture in the Philippines. It is dedicated to St. Joseph the Worker.

St. Joseph the Worker Chapel
Angry Christ Church
LocationVictorias Milling Company complex, Victorias, Negros Occidental,
CountryPhilippines
DenominationCatholic
History
DedicationSt. Joseph the Worker
Dedicated1950
Architecture
Functional statusactive
Heritage designationImportant Cultural Property
Designated2015
Architect(s)Antonín Raymond
Architectural typechapel
StyleModern
Years built1948-50
Main entrance
Mural on the rear wall

The church was designed by the Czech architect Antonín Raymond, himself already recognized as the founder of modern architecture in Japan. Raymond designed the church to be earthquake-proof since the Philippines is in the earthquake belt. The St. Joseph the Worker Chapel is made up of two sections, the nave and the tower. They are connected by movable beams holding the building up well even during earthquakes. Raymond also took into consideration the climate in the Philippine thus he designed the structure to allow maximum air circulation in the hot and humid climate. [1] The church was declared Important Cultural Property of the Philippines in December 2015.[2]

The church is also known for its modern altar painting of so-called "Angry Christ" painted in vivid colors by Alfonso Ossorio, Filipino-American abstract expressionist artist.

History

It was built between 1948-50 by the Ossorio family thus it is sometimes called the Ossorio's Chapel [3] The Ossorios originally planned to offer the job to the then young Filipino architect Leandro Locsin,[4] but later changed their mind and selected then-already internationally acclaimed Antonín Raymond. Raymond then had designed buildings in the United States, Japan, India, Indonesia and other Asian countries. This event caused Locsin to change his style to more modern architecture, which made him famous later.

Art in the church
Angry Christ Mural by Alfonso Ossorio

The mural inside the church, commonly called “The Angry Christ”, is by Philippine-born Alfonso Ossorio, friend of Jackson Pollock and Clyfford Still. Mosaics are by the Belgian Adelaide de Bethune. The materials and talents were provided by the local artists Arcadio Anore and Benjamin Valenciano.[5] Arcadio Anore executed Bethune's designs for the brass plates in the pulpit and baptistery while Benjamin Valenciano did the wooden image sculptures inside the church including the images for the Stations of the Cross.[6] Their works were recognized by the Philippine religious arts for introducing a "Filipinized" version of religious themes[7] depicting Mary, Joseph and the characters in the Fourteen Stations of the Cross to have brown skin in traditional Filipino attire.[8]

References
  1. https://www.experiencenegros.com/angry-christ-church/ Angry Christ Church: An Icon of Modern Liturgical Art & Architecture in the Philippines
  2. Vila, Alixandra Caole (25 December 2015). "National Museum bares 2015 list of cultural treasures, properties". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  3. https://coconuts.co/manila/features/works-alfonso-ossorio-close-friends-pollock-and-dubuffet-leon-gallery/ Alfonso Ossorio - close friend of Pollock and Dubufet
  4. http://www.archdaily.com/790290/ad-classics-parish-of-the-holy-sacrifice-leandro-v-locsin Ossorio offering the project to Locksin
  5. Laya, Jaime (22 June 2015). "A treasure: Victorias' Chapel of St. Joseph the Worker (Part I)". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  6. http://www.benjielayug.com/2014/04/chapel-of-st-joseph-the-worker-victorias-city-negros-occidental.html
  7. http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/lifestyle/2015/09/10/vmc-nurturing-arts-negros-429454
  8. http://outoftownblog.com/church-angry-christ-victorias-city/

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