THE legacy of Thomasian alumni in the arts was recognized in a group exhibition featuring over 50 artists, at the Art Lounge Manila in Alabang and Ortigas on Aug. 18.
The “Vision: Compendio” exhibit organized by the UST Atelier Alumni Association, Inc. showcased more than 90 works by Thomasian artists.
“[This] is, I think, the biggest number or group of artists that we have ever hosted in a single group show here at Art Lounge Manila. This is quite a feat,” said Marissa Pe-Yang, the alumni association president.
The Atelier Alumni Association Inc. is the alumni organization of the defunct College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA) and successor colleges College of Architecture and College of Fine Arts and Design.
“[This is] an impressive showcase of artistic talent cultivated within the venerable walls of UST. The exhibition honors the legacy of UST’s historic academe, celebrating the diverse styles and imaginative visions of its distinguished members,” the Atelier Alumni Association Inc. said in a Facebook post.
In an artists reception on Aug. 22, the alumni association recognized 10 “extraordinaire awardees”: Remy Boquiren, Richard Buxani, Joe Datuin, Fil Delacruz, Anita del Rosario, Edgar Doctor, Raul Isidro, Derrick Macutay, Nemi Miranda, and Ramon Orlina.
Among the works featured in the exhibit was Boquiren’s “Flower of my Race,” a 36×24-in. acrylic on canvas painting depicting two women holding sampaguita flowers and a rosary.
Boquiren, an advertising arts graduate and former Varsitarian art editor, said the light radiating from her painting refers to her faith.
“The light is here in the heart…Once [Jesus] resides in our hearts, you’ll see the light coming from the heart [and] that will radiate from the chest, face, and everything,” she said.
Meanwhile, del Rosario used her experience in jewelry design in making “Mother and Child,” a 17x10x8-in. sculpture made from copper, resin, and brass.
“Love is my concept most of the time–lovers and family,” said del Rosario, an advertising arts graduate.
Isidro turned to nature for inspiration in his painting “Remains of the Past 4,” a 24×24-in. acrylic on canvas.
The advertising arts graduate said growing up in the province inspired him to make abstract landscapes.
Other works featured in the exhibit were Orlina’s glass sculpture “Limestone Hills of El Nido,” Datuin’s metal rings sculpture “Dancing Rings,” and Buxani’s copper and brass sculpture “Swept.”
Doctor’s “Selebrasyon III” and “Selebrasyon IV,” Delacruz’s “Imusyon” and “Ayumi,” Miranda’s “Fish Catch” and “Papaya Harvest,” and Macutay’s “Sto. Niño: Baptism Gift to Queen Juana” were also on exhibit.
The Atelier Alumni Association, Inc. also held a series of talks and demonstrations on Aug. 27 by artists Thomas Daquioag, Wilfredo Calderon, Janos Delacruz, and Miranda as part of the exhibition.
Miranda discussed how art can influence tourism and transform communities, recalling how his hometown Angono, Rizal became the “Art capital of the Philippines,” which he attributed to national artists Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Lucio San Pedro.
Meanwhile, Daquioag talked about the process of art restoration and conservation and underscored the need to merge scientific understanding and artistic sensitivity.
Calderon and Delacruz held live demonstrations of watercolor painting and printmaking, respectively.
The “Vision: Compendio” exhibit, which was curated by the Art Lounge Manila, ran from Aug. 18 to 31. Jan Alyanna G. Tamaray and Sofiah Shelimae J. Aldovino with reports from Niña Angelica M. Rodriguez and Hannah Joyce V. Andaya
