In commemoration of the International Women’s Month, a team of young advocates mounted a special multi-site exhibition to empower women across artistic and creative practices within the community.
Dubbed as The Women Around Us, the show adopts the theme Inspire Inclusivity and features original works by artists from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) in different media to place the spotlight on the diverse narratives, experiences, and expressions of women creators.
Part of the roster is Helena Sharon Malinis, Benilde Culture-Based Arts Chairperson, whose VE series of rubbercut prints tackles the commercial price of the basic needs of the Filipinos.
The line-up also includes Ysshi Carla Caburnay, whose digital painting Be For All channels warmth and kindness to different identities. She is joined by Mikayla Shaine Alonzo, better known as shaine.png, whose Tampuhan Station exemplifies the power of photographs to create stories within the initial composition.
Chleia Zyrille Samson or ZYRIBUBUT, on the other hand, captures her distinct journey to self-discovery and childhood memories with her grandparents in a mixed-media work entitled UKAY KIKAY. Meanwhile, Angeline Ashlee Marquez aka Cheesy Tteokbokki calls ladies to celebrate each other’s’ individualities in her prose Girls Support Girls, Always.
The galleries likewise contain the pieces by Mary Ann Nagac (Boarders), Abby Jewel Joy Delos Trinos (Abbypisngi), Francis Ilyon Regalado (Alaska Feofrovna), Carmela Marie Campos (Cara Campsy), Maria Carmela Marfori, Jovy Arnesto, Elaisa Jazmin Almosara (eli.drawssss), Eritch Angela Torrato, Francesca Alyssa Rinen (Everyday by FAR), Maria Angelie Agonias (HeartsbyMarie), Illiyah Nicole Yu (Illya), Janine Mikyla Hung (Janine), Jovannah Palacios, Alyssa Crisostomo (Juvia Metamorphosis), Angeli Kristine Villamor (King Chrislee), Luni Simone Segovia, Maria Gabriela Zarate (rainbowette), Sophia Mikhaela Robles (SoMi), Williane Amandine Tobias, and Sofia Mae Dato.
“As arts managers, we frequently deal with context and space, the meaning of it, and the works with which we populate it,” the Benilde Arts Management (BeAM) organizational team explained.
“It is our enduring hope that beyond this month and our exhibits, women around us are emancipated from their economic, political, and cultural chains,” the group added. “Through The Women Around Us, we celebrate how far we’ve come while simultaneously taking heart for the work left to do.”
The initiative was organized in partnership with the Center for Social Action (CSA).
The Women Around Us is available on view at the Main Lobby of The Atrium @ Benilde and the 8F Gallery and 9F Gallery of the Benilde Design + Arts Campus until Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
