Monday, March 13, 2006
Cariño: Women artists at Maryknoll
By Linda Grace Cariño
IT'S that time of year again, one when we celebrate the eighth of March, International Women's Day. As a matter of fact, we lately have taken to celebrating March as International Women's Month. This year, we support the theme "Women's Voices, Women's Visions." At home in Baguio this weekend, the "First Northern Luzon Women Visual Artists" conference-workshop was held at the Maryknoll grounds.
As an ecological sanctuary, Maryknoll has become a hub for many an artistic gathering. The latest one is sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) organized by Grupong Damili, Inc. The event has drawn close to 40 women from all over Northern Luzon and is, of course, fashionably centered on "Self-Concept, Conception, and Rebirth."
As part of the first day last Friday, devoted to "Self-Concept," visual artist Karen Flores delivered a session on "The Space of Filipino Women Artists in the Global Art Scene." Sunday focused on "Conception," the NCCA's Alma Quinto did a session on "Artist as Woman, Woman as Artist." And today, one for "Rebirth," Professor Brenda Fajardo of the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Arts Studies faculty does "Reclaiming Ourselves as Women, Empowering Each Other Through Art."
Last Friday too, an art exhibit was opened, "Rebirthing the Woman II". Aside from an impressive set of paintings telling women's stories by women artists, there are these funky breasts (uh-huh) hanging from somewhere above and these even funkier dolls by the door. I love them.
As indeed I loved catching up with artist Karen Flores, daughter of Jamil, husband of my best friend Noreen. She and the Brenda each embody the woman as artist, totally comfortable with themselves as women, able to share, impart of their spirits and their art with ease and generosity. All these while taking in Baguio as erstwhile tourists, wagwagans included. Yes, women are complicated creatures.
Myself, I swing from one end -- the sublime -- of the philosophical/intellectual pendulum to the other as this goes to press. My next stop is this session at the Venus Park View Hotel. What about? Uh, fashion and makeup.
Choose your wild, woman.
(March 13, 2006 issue)
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