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Sunday, March 19, 2006
Rebirthing the women artists
NOT A meaningless touch, the 'pat on the back' the women artists gave each other at the conclusion of the 1st Northern Luzon Women Visual Artists' conference-workshop leaves an indelible (re)birth mark, to remind them of their rebirthing existence.
Made possible by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and The Global Fund for Women, the conference was organized by the Grupong Damili Inc. in cooperation with the UP Baguio Kasarian Gender Studies Program and the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary.
Held from March 10 to 12, it became an extraordinary potent venue for the meeting of mind, soul and heart among women artists - where mentors the likes of Brenda Fajardo, Alma Quinto, Karen Flores, Luchi Ticzon and Liza Ann Acevedo-Ilagan shared their expertise and retold their own art and life stories.
The interchange held each other magical power that in the end, it was the mentor, not the mentored, who humbled herself and thanked everyone for their experience she named "gift", a special present in her "new" life.
Not unlike the metaphorical "Karayom' in Alma Quinto's presentations, the sharings-substantiated by other personages in Baguio City like Prof. Reynaldo Rovillos of UP Baguio Kasarian, Attorney Lulu Tabanda of the Balikatan sa Kaunlaran Baguio, Vice Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Sister Margarita Jamias of the Maryknoll Baguio Community and Madam Divina Bautista of the International Delphic Council-connected each thread strand to create a tapestry reflective of women participants' present perspectives and future visions-clearer, yet ever transforming and prophetic in its perceptions for growth as a distinct group as well as part of the larger art scene.
Evoked from the three-day gathering was the artists' reclaiming of their "babaylan" status as life-shapers, memory keepers, nature-preservers and healers. Most importantly, the artists expressed the power of their art as acts of love, caring for one another, and as powerful tools for consciousness awakening. This last item was actually reflected in one message, when Professor Rovillos said: "... the women artists are now reclaiming and proclaiming their rightful space in the male-dominated world of mainstream art and in society as a whole. This is why I find the theme of the exhibit, 'Rebirthing the Woman', a very appropriate theme. I take this to mean that women artists want to (re)define 'woman', beyond the constricting stereotypes by society. This also shows that women artists are shifting the discourse, from the periphery towards the center".
Towards the center, the group led their other friends from other art disciplines. The Tanghalang Bayan ng Kabataan and the UP Tayaw, Jannifer Patricia Cariño as composer/singer/poet, friends from the Pi Sigma and Pi Sigma Delta with Professor Toto Colongon, Joanne Sotto and Portia Aquino, the Saliw group led by Raffy Kapuno - whose musical beats and rhythms struck deep and soulful heartstrings.
Our gustatory buds were stimulated by a taste of traditional chocolate 'eh', made by a process valued and practiced during the Rizal era. The demonstration of the "Batirol" method of chocolate making was shared by Jojo Castro.
The art exhibit dubbed "Rebirthing the Woman II" remains in the Maryknoll Sanctuary Gallery until April 11. The art created inside the conference participant remains, to be expressed little by little, a little at a time, in many different ways, always finding expression, transforming, living.
So we give kudos to all who joined the conference. Bless yourself. Place your right palm behind your nape and say to yourself, "believe in yourself", place your palm over your head and say, "celebrate your gift", and on your forehead, with the words, "dwell in your creativity". (Mercy Dulawan)
(March 19, 2006 issue)
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