UST FINE Arts alumni showcased pieces highlighting a “new generation of Thomasian artistry” in an exhibit mounted by Grupong Tomasino on Nov. 6 at the UST Museum.
The exhibit titled “Pamana ng Sining” was first mounted in 1981.
Organizers aim to revive the exhibit to provide space to UST fine arts alumni and ensure the passing down of art and culture.
“It’s actually a venue for us to create a larger circle, connection… By having group shows like this, they’re (artists) able to talk to different artists as well, and we can share our ideas,” Asst. Prof. Pedro Felix Garcia II, chair of the Department of Painting, said.
Janus Dave Pana, a graduate of the College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD), featured his perspective of livestock in his piece “Uncooked Striploin Beef,” an 18×24-in. acrylic on canvas.
From his usual style of portraiture and character creation to focusing on detailed textures, Pana embarks on a new journey, reigniting his passion to paint.
“There are things that have raw potential…once you notice things, it feels like you have to speak them loudly,” Pana said.
Ronjay Soriano spotlights the fluid movement of a woman in “Seraphine,” a 16×20-in. acrylic on canvas with a nature-centric depiction of femininity.
Using nouveau as his art style, Soriano incorporates motions commonly seen in interior designs into his paintings on canvas through the use of shapes and symmetry.
Garcia displayed a painting of his own, titled “Uwian na,” an 18×24-in. oil on canvas. It’s an impressionist depiction of the Filipino jeepney, featuring vivid colors and subtle representations of Filipino culture.
Garcia highlights the duality of the jeepney, an icon of Filipino culture that’s beginning to decline. “Paano naman ‘yung kultura na nawawala? Nahahati tayo sa topic na ‘yan pagdating sa [jeepney],” he said.
Madeleine Anne Chua, who studied painting at CFAD, exhibited a 16×20-in. acrylic on canvas piece titled “Weaving the Threads of Time.” It features different textiles and designs from the Kiyangan Ifugao, a homage to her own culture.
Taking inspiration from the original design of the fabric and shaping the material into a spiral, Chua aims to revitalize the culture and bring it back to the mainstream, using the downward motion of a spiral to depict the loss of ethnic culture.
Another participating artist was CFAD faculty member Eunice Mariefranz Ching, who viewed the exhibit as a way to channel her skills after being unable to paint due to work responsibilities.
Ching’s “Loyalty and Unconditional Love” is an 18×24-in. mixed media painting, presenting a vibrant abstract background inspired by the “impasto style” of painting and her three beloved dogs.
For Ching, the painting serves as a test of her knowledge of color theory, as she explores different techniques to approach abstract expressionism.
“Hinahanap mo ‘yung sarili mo, hinahanap mo rin ‘yung style mo—you learn the foundation first, you can explore on your own by practicing,” she said.
Other participating artists were Manuel Baldemor, Jiana Sofia Parrocha, Mikki Shiu, Patricia Gabrielle Romero-Megano, Ma. Victoria Rondel-Flores, Patricia Niña Villaber, Romano Macaisa, Patrick Dotimas, Dane Marie Lacap, Mailah Balde, Danielle Concepcion, Carolina Torres, Maria Consuelo Salao, Danny Santiago, Jerry Macatuno, Chino and Chinita, Raniel Jr. Vicarez, Thomas Daquidag, Rica Cena, Marie Montajes, Jonathan Arzadon, Oliver Ramos, Ana Rhea Adonis, Enya Jenina Samia, Madeleine Jem Carreon, Hilarion Castro, Alice Bernados, Ayesha Chua, Eric Mendoza, Anjelo Flores, Rhea Benedicta Goodwin, Normie Dela Cruz, Pamela Lei Bermudez-Felipe, Annaliza Tungul, Sharlyn Candice Aguilar, Evelyn Barbin, Noli Vicedo, Jun Quinton, Adrienne Jade Castro, Anna Felicia Mariano, Rasheeda Leona Dela Rosa, Wille De Vera, Renmel Anthony Miranda, Tony-Rome Balde IV, Gammy Parazo, Mary Christie Que, Daryl Descallar, Edilberto Cunanan, and Derrick Macutay,.
“Pamana ng Sining” ran until Nov. 21.
