By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
WOMEN empowerment and art are two different aspects in a society.
World Vision, a global Christian humanitarian organization devoted to improving the lives of children, their families, and their communities, defines women empowerment as a way of promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and their right to influence social change for themselves and others.
On the other hand, art, Britanica.com says, is a visual object or experience consciously created through an expression of skill or imagination.
The term art encompasses diverse media such as painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, decorative arts, photography, and installation.
Mixing both – women empowerment and art – is a complex doing, but worth noting.
On September 25, I was invited to witness the launching-slash-opening of the five-day art exhibit at “Balay Puti” of Megaworld Bacolod. The 27-painting, 12 or all-women exhibit was astonishing in “Filipiniana” theme.
Initiated by Feminine Touch Negrense, a group of women artists in Bacolod and Negros Occidental, the art exhibit coincided with the group’s 38th anniversary.
But beyond the glamour of paintings, with Negros’ floras and faunas as subjects, is the essence of such exhibit – women empowerment.
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, NARRATIVE
Quite hard to define how this art exhibit is linked to women empowerment. But for Gov. Bong Lacson, such an activity was a showcase of Negrense women’s unique perspectives and narratives of their lives.
Too, the governor said, it was a vivid reflection of how women empowerment is necessary in preserving the province’s cultural heritage as its best through art.
What a statement indeed coming from the top honcho of the province.
For Negros Occidental Provincial Council for Women chairperson Andrea Lizares-Si, women in the art world are a rare truth.
Never that she heard that there are women in the world who are famous in painting such as those done by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet, among others.
But seeing the current art exhibit of Feminine Touch Negrense, Si hopes that, in the near future, one of the great women painters in the world maybe from Negros – and that is women empowerment per se.
‘MORE SPACES’ FOR WOMEN
Lumping women’s creativity, empowerment and artistry could be complex, but really worthy, said Tere Manalili, Bacolod tourism officer.
But again, for the governor, having credible and great women behind the exhibit is a reflection of a society wherein women used their artistic prowess to challenge many societal norms and concerns – they’re empowered hence.
Thus, the governor stressed: “Women cannot be underestimated because their resilience and creative voices through art can even represent women in underrepresented communities.”
So, Gov. Bong said there is really a need now to create “more spaces” for women as it is always great to celebrate women empowerment and achievements.
REMARKABLE IMPACTS
In sum, the “Filipiniana” exhibit might be an ordinary sight at first glance. But the meaning of every flower, every leaf, every bird, every animal in every art piece is deep.
The beauty of each art piece and the inspiration behind create remarkable impacts swak to be attributed to women’s innate prowess beyond praise.
Each art work speaks of how beautiful a woman can be, and how intense her power would be.
Women empowerment through art is, therefore, a breakthrough in an always branded male-dominated society.
Art is genderless and could empower even the perceived powerless.
Art is power in the real sense!/PN
