MARCH 8 of each year is International Women’s History Day and in the Philippines, by virtue of Proclamation no. 224 series of 1988, the whole month of March is declared National Women’s Month. The celebration highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society.
Anchored on this year’s theme “We Make Change Work for Women”, the celebration aims to highlight the empowerment of women as active contributors to and claimholders of development. In the first Congressional District of South Cotabato, Representative Shirlyn Banas-Nograles marks the Buwan ng mga Kababaihan with a two-woman art exhibit Curated by artist Bing Cari titled “Kami, Babaye. Celebrating the Feminine” a two women art exhibit featuring The works of Jezza Mae Nuñez-Fuentes and Susana Felicidad Tambasacan, Gensan born women artists who, in the beginnings of their career has gone far in their art-making.
Jezza Mae Nuñez-Fuentes is a 25-year-old visual artist from General Santos City. She belongs to a family of artists. Jezza is a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in English at Mindanao State University, General Santos City last 2018. She is currently a full-time visual artist -- doing mural paintings, canvas paintings, and different art workshops in Soccsksargen.
Her current works, which mostly highlight body positivity, Normalizing Normal Bodies reflect her experiences on accepting great changes not only on her body but also with her outlook in life when it comes to mental health. She wants to imply through her works that all people deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape, size, and appearance. Having a personal negative body image has been frequently found to be predictive of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
In 2021, she became a National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Visual Arts Sineng Sining Gawad Grantee. Jezza is also a General Santos City Outstanding Youth Awardee last August 2021.
Susana Felicidad Tambasacan is a 21-year-old mixed-media artist from General Santos City, Philippines. With the influence of her immediate family, she found her interest in art at a very young age, and later on, became passionate about it.
Her vivid dreams and deep emotions inspired her to create her pieces combining abstraction and realism—two contradictory art movements that showcase the beauty of abstract art without compromising recognizable images.
Some of her works were featured in notable local and international art scenes, including the ASEAN Youth Forum Yuwana Zine 5th Edition, Mindanao Art Fair 2021, and Tam-Awan International Arts Festival.
The featured artists celebrate the power of the feminine by proposing that women go beyond stereotypes, overcome the odds and celebrate their being Babaye...advocacies relevant in the month of women. Jezza and Susana present works on canvas featuring their favorite subject women and women’s bodies.
The exhibit runs from March 3 to 14, 2022, at The Event Center SM City General Santos.