Babaye, ang aton Kalibotan
Our World, A Woman
We don’t believe in Feminism.
We believe that women are naturally born to give care and bring tenderness to the world. It is not about the equality between men and women – an ageless dispute; it is about the very essence and unique role of a woman.
In the recent works of Harry Mark Gonzales, a sculptor, he celebrates the pregnant women carrying and protecting the next generation who will shape the future. The woman is beautiful in her vulnerability as depicted in the paintings of Noel Epalan Jr. – they are bare and at home with femininity. In the current times though, a woman must wear several faces beyond her softness – taking different roles in society – Jana Jumalon’s paintings capture these complex, dynamic, and even mysterious layers.
As the man-made world inflates, the natural world shrinks: making it difficult for care and tenderness to thrive. Nature is delicate and intricate; it provides a system that balances elements in the world like how a woman does to her family. Nature has always been regarded as a woman for it is very giving to other
forms of life around it – this is how Alex Ordoyo looks into her and immortalizes through watercolor.
Apart from her natural quality, the Nature/Woman has the powerful mystical side connected to the spiritual world: energies, alignment and intuition; elements that strongly affect and shape culture. These are evident in works of Marrz Capanang and Raz Salvarita.
Our world is a woman.
Today, more and more women become leaders, artists, community organizers, changemakers and are taking up space in a seemingly structured world. Their voice is relevant if we are seeking the softer world.
The nature of woman as a healer, maker, caregiver, and leader points back to the origin of the world, the reason why we have a beautiful world – Pachamama: the Earth.
Exhibiting Artists:
Jana Jumalon-Alano, Marrz Capanang, Noel Epalan, Harry Mark Gonzales, Alex Ordoyo, and Raz Salvarita
