Kapitolyo Art Space’s Women’s Month exhibit, titled “Bloom,” presents how women continue to thrive and flourish amid all adversities.
“Our small efforts, when done consistently and collectively over time, can significantly change our country.”
This profound impact of women is what artist Maan De Loyola sheds light on at the Women’s Month exhibit in Kapitolyo Art Space in Pasig. With her paintings “Hukbo ni Selang” and “Hukbo ni Oriang,” the painter and musician aims to highlight the underrated power of Filipinas, along with other 12 female artists participating in the exhibit.
Titled “Bloom,” the art display is set to run until April 5, featuring paintings and mixed media art illuminating “the power of women to break free from limitations, to rise and to fully blossom,” the show notes read.
“The women in this exhibition capture these complexities in their work, reflecting not only personal but the collective journeys of women throughout history,” it continued. “Each speaks to a woman’s ability to persist, challenge, and embrace change, while boldly asserting her place in the world.”
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For her two acrylics on canvas, Maan drew inspiration from two unsung Filipina revolutionaries: Selang, better known as Marcela Marcelo, and Oriang or Gregoria de Jesús, the wife of Katipunan founder and “Father of Philippine Revolution” Andres Bonifacio. Oriang was the founder of the Katipunan’s women’s chapter, where Selang was also a member. Together, the fierce female combatants fought for the Philippines’ independence during the tumultuous Spanish colonial rule.
Her paintings depict the two women as modern-day Filipinas dressed in loungewear and sitting on the ground of what appears to be a lower-class barangay. At first glance, the two women seem to be relaxing on a normal weekday in the side streets of Manila. But a second look will tell you that behind their softness and laid-back aura, there lies two strong souls burning with passion for the country.
Maan depicted both heroines to be holding a bolo, with flames of fire casting a shadow on their faces. On the left side of Selang is a grayscale portrait of herself in traditional Katipunera attire, while Oriang has a cup of coffee on her left, with the smoke forming a picture of her first husband, Bonifacio.
Maan told The POST that these paintings intend to present the correlation between our founding mothers and Filipino women today. “These are symbols of what Selang and Oriang would typically do when they’re not in battle, but I added a domestic feel to them. For Oriang, specifically, legend has it that she loved coffee so much. That’s why I placed a cup of coffee beside her,” the artist said. “This is just a small detail about her, but what the heroine herself did for the country then, and even until now, is truly immeasurable.”
“And just like Oriang, Filipino women today should keep on fighting for things they are passionate about,” Maan added. “Come to think of it, we are just like these heroines who continue to stand firmly on the ground despite life’s challenges. That’s the symbol of my artworks—tuloy-tuloy lang ang pakikipagrebolusyon natin.”
Besides her desire to empower fellow women, Maan’s works are inspired by her own experiences of “displacement, hardship, and instability.” She is one of the daughters of renowned artist and freedom fighter Gene De Loyola, who fought for the rights to land sequestered by the government in 1997. His murder two decades later devastated their family, but his undying passion for serving the community continues to live in Maan’s artworks.
“My message for women is to never stop creating—continue doing things for the betterment of our community. Our small efforts, when done consistently and collectively over time, can significantly change our country. Kaya tuloy lang. Laban lang,” she said.
Joining Maan and other female artists empowering fellow women at Kapitolyo Art Space’s “Bloom” exhibit is Racquel De Loyola-Cruz. A multi-disciplinary artist, Raquel showcased a soft fabric sculpture providing an intimate look at the female reproductive organ, the vagina.
Titled “Oasis Series,” the striking art piece was fashioned from mixed mediums, including soft fabric for its surface and resin for the centerpiece. Racquel told The POST that “Oasis Series” aims to emphasize the crucial role women play in building our society.
“The sculpture, as a whole, represents home, while the one in the middle is a very feminine symbol. It’s like a womb—an oasis and a sanctuary,” she said. “I want to portray the critical role women play in providing a home for everyone, from reproduction to nurturing mankind.”
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Racquel’s works are focused on women’s issues, identity, capitalization, globalization, and—just like her sister Maan—displacement. Racquel, however, had to cope with the feeling of unbelonging not only during their family’s experience of expulsion from their land but also at the start of her career.
“I’ve experienced the struggles in the creative field as well. It’s very challenging for women to get into the art scene, for example, and even in other fields,” she recalled to The POST. “Good thing is that I became a member of Kasibulan, a group for women in art. I think working with my fellow female artists is a very empowering part of the process. That’s when I really started working and focusing on my identity as a woman.”
As an artist and a woman advocate, Racquel then hopes that her works like “Oasis Series” would encourage ladies to make a strong effort to support other women as well. She elaborated: “Women do multi-tasking, we do everything, and I think that’s one of the most challenging parts of being a woman. So empowering each and every one in the community is very important. Dialogue, exchanges, and talks are key to understanding each other. Just hold your ground, stand with your passion, and continue working, most especially together, because women can drive lasting change.”
Other artists featured at the “Bloom” exhibit are Rara Carillo, Grace Corpuz, Camilla Dela Rosa, and Melanie Libatique, among many others. It will run until April 5 at Kapitolyo Art Space in 23 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig, It is open from 10 am to 8 pm daily, with free admission to the public.
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