Khristina Manansala paints her own path while honoring her grandfather’s genius

By Monsi A. Serrano

Legacy can be a burden, or a brushstroke of inspiration. For Khristina Manansala, granddaughter of National Artist Vicente “Enteng” Manansala, it’s both.

Few surnames resonate as deeply in the Philippine art scene as Manansala. The late Vicente Manansala, hailed as a National Artist for Painting, is revered for his distinctive transparent cubism and his depictions of Filipino life. His works have become visual testaments to the values of resilience, hospitality, and humility.

Forty-four years after his passing, the Manansala name continues to command reverence, both in the Philippines and abroad. And yet, Khristina Manansala, one of his two granddaughters following in his artistic footsteps, chooses to take the quieter, more deliberate road.

THEPHILBIZNEWS caught up with Khristina through none other than the country’s only Master Watercolorist, Popoy Cusi. A reserved yet warm presence, Khristina has kept her creative practice largely out of the limelight because she wants her art to speak on its own terms.

“There’s no question that Manansala is in my vein. I am proud and humbled, and my Lolo Enteng knows that,” Khristina shared. “However, as an artist, I don’t want people to think I’m living under his shadow… whether I like it or not, consciously or subconsciously, what I am now as an artist, Lolo Enteng has a great influence in it because my DNA is Manansala.”

Khristina isn’t alone in carrying forward the family’s artistic torch. Her sister Ronna, a professor at a state university in Manila, is known for her ballerina-themed paintings and has also reinterpreted some of Vicente Manansala’s iconic works. But while both women are proud heirs to their grandfather’s legacy, they have cultivated distinctly personal styles.

“I lean toward cubism and vibrant colors. That’s my personality, just like my sanguine nature,” Khristina said. “I have painted some Japanese-like features and character because I am amazed by their personality, prim and proper, simple and their enigmatic beauty is lasting.”

Khristina has also lovingly recreated some of her grandfather’s masterpieces to preserve and share his legacy.

“There’s only one Vicente Manansala and anyone below his genealogy would not be able to equal his accomplishments and recognitions here and abroad,” Khristina said. “When I did the remake of some of Lolo’s works, the end in my mind was not to imitate him. Nor did I think that I was better than him. Nor did I want to prove that I can do better. No one does it best than him.”

As direct descendants and practicing artists, Khristina and Ronna are among the very few who can confidently authenticate Vicente Manansala’s original works.

Beyond style and provenance, what endures in Manansala’s legacy is his spirit: a quiet, powerful insistence that Filipino culture is worthy of celebration on canvas. This is the same spirit that Tina carries in her own work.

“Just like many other National Artists, his works inspire and remind us that behind every painting, there’s a story. For instance the Barung-Barong, the flat metal art piece Lolo created in 1967. It was not created for the sake of it. Definitely, there’s something deeper than what meets the eye.”

And that, perhaps, is what defines the true art aficionado, not just a collector of names or canvases, but one who can feel the narrative pulse in every stroke, the soul behind the subject.

“In my case, I’ll continue to paint to inspire,” Khristina said. “Art is a good vehicle to appreciate and respect the uniqueness of one’s culture. Lolo Enteng’s masterpieces captured the richness of the Filipino identity. They still speak to so many of us today.”

Her voice softens, but her conviction doesn’t waver:

“Yes, I am a proud Manansala. But there is only one Vicente Manansala. Neither Ronna nor I can replicate what he did for art and for this country. What we can do is honor him by telling our own stories.”