A THOMASIAN physician paid tribute to St. Pio of Pietrelcina, popularly known as “Padre Pio,” and the Blessed Mother in “Pio et Maria,” an exhibit that opened last Oct. 18 at the UST Museum.
Dr. Dan Lerma, who finished medicine in 1983 and is a family medicine practitioner at the UST Health Service, depicted Padre Pio in the manner of introspection through portraiture.
“Padre Pio is a very strong intercessor, as far as my experiences are concerned. He’s a healer and a miracle worker,” Lerma told the Varsitarian.
Pio et Maria, Lerma’s second solo exhibit, featured 22 28 x 23 cm. oil pastel on sandpaper artworks, the artist’s trademark medium.
The centerpiece “Totus Tuus,” an acrylic on canvas, portrays Padre Pio offering his stigmata to the Virgin with assistance from the angel St. Raphael, while the Virgin dips her fingers on the stigmata to console him.
Lerma depicted Padre Pio reading the bible in “Reflections.”
“Where My Heart Is” illustrates Padre Pio holding the crucifix.
Lerma made use of a classical realism approach in his artworks, drawing inspiration from a 1600s baroque painting by Sir Anthony Van Dyck.
“It’s a narrative like his angel is helping him present his stigmata, his sufferings, and the Virgin trying to console him,” he said.
“Just like life, we will have so many trials and tribulations, but these are the things that will smoothen our rough edges and turn us into better and beautiful human beings,” he added.
“Pio et Maria” runs until Nov. 15.
