Mothers’ Views of Life and Beauty
One of the metro’s longrunning artist groups, together with one of Cebu’s pioneering beach resorts, celebrated Mother’s Day this year in presenting an exhibit that features artworks made by artist moms.
Opening on Mother’s Day and titled “Ang Pangindahay Ni Nanay,” the exhibit consists of works of Lida Maria Aguilar, Betsy Alterado, Tina Marie Gandionco, Fe Madrid Pepito, Pilar Sala and Sonia Yrastorza – six Cebu-based artist-moms whose takes on traditional-representational and contemporary-impressionist styles gives the show a past-meets-the-present flair.
Focusing on subjects that the presenting artists deem as meaningful, the show is different from most Mother’s Day art exhibits in the sense that it shies away the cliché mother-and-child-themed works. Instead, it collects landscapes, flowerscapes, still lifes and iconography-themed pieces that espouse its exhibiting artists’ aspirations as mothers who are creative daubers, which curatorial leaning primes the exhibit as a presentation of where artist-moms are bringing their art to.
In the show, Lida Aguilar presents works that convey her fascination with details, while Betsy Alterado conveys her interest in fishes and bodies of water. Tina Gandionco’s penchant for sunrises and sunsets are brought to light in this show, just as Fe Pepito’s love for flowers and the innate beauty of nature is very much discernable.
Faith plays a central role as Pilar Sala’s motivation to make art, and this can be seen in the pieces she included in the exhibit. For Sonia Yrastorza, who currently serves as the president of Cebu Artists Inc., her optimistic views in life are evident through works that evoke a sense of fresh starts and new beginnings.
Ongoing at the Bluewater Maribago Gallery in Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City until June 8, the show is the gallery’s first featured exhibit after it went on an operational hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Curated by Celso Pepito and presented by Cebu Artists Inc., ArtPortal Cebu and Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, the exhibit, outside of presenting artworks made by artist-moms, hopes to inspire and enjoin more mothers to explore and act on their creative impulses.