Transformed

CEBU, Philippines - Merriam-Webster defines metamorphosis as “a striking alteration in appearance, character, or circumstances.”

This is exactly what mother and daughter Chona Marie and Beatrix Marie Tan’s show at the Art Center of SM City Cebu was all about, in almost every aspect of the exhibit. So, it was not surprising when they called the show Metamorphosis.

First, the circumstance that led them to mount the exhibit was a total alteration from the original plan.

Chona professed that running the exhibit came as a blessing to them. The slot was originally reserved for Kolor Sugbu, of which she was a member of. But fate would have it that the members scheduled to mount the exhibit were given another opportunity to do an exhibit in Malaysia late October, and so they offered the slot to her. Without blinking an eye, she accepted the challenge.

The sudden opportunity had mother and daughter artists cram to come up with at least 20 artworks each. But despite the short time to prepare, the duo was able to pull through with 40 great works, each reflecting their versatility of style, medium, and subject; a show of transformation, which Chona would credit to their growth in their craft.

Chona, who is an architect by profession, said that her interest in art was sparked early in college. “Back then, we were taught how to paint as part of our course in architecture,” she said.

Beatrix, on the other hand, started painting when she was enrolled by Chona to a summer art class with art legend Kimsoy Yap. “She was seven then,” she said. “But even at that time she won a prize in a national art contest.” Art classes then became a common summer activity for mother and daughter, lending to their growing desire to metamorphose into their own styles.

Now in junior high school, Beatrix continues to draw, paint, and experiment especially when there is something that she wants to buy for herself. “She would try to earn it through her works,” Chona said.

The works

The first paintings at the exhibit showcased Chona’s mastery of her medium of choice, watercolor. In her works Aso Sa Dagat (watercolor) and Kids at the Dock (watercolor), one would see a hint of Yap, with the choice of color and the impressionistic style. But as you proceed to the next works, the diversity of the subjects and styles reflect the artist’s transformation.

“I used to like painting flowers, but now I am trying to explore on other subjects,” Chona said.

In Metamorphosis, Chona also showed beautiful landscapes like Busay (watercolor) and the Flowers of Busay (watercolor). Still flowers were the predominant subjects, making her landscapes even more alluring and unusual. And in terms of style, Bougainvillea (watercolor) showed a hint of cubism, which is contrasts Chona’s realistic approach to painting flowers.

“I like the Bougainvillea because I could explore with the shapes,” she said.

Beatrix’s exploration in different styles and art discipline bore fruit to a variety of paintings, each entirely different from the other. Her two abstracts that would take most of your “eye space” are Farmville (acrylic) and Concrete Jungle (acrylic). The works would bring in the elements of the subject and in a doodle kind of way, placed in the most unlikely spot of the canvass. The choice of color covers the extreme ends of the color spectrum, adding a youthful vibrancy to her works.

But what impressed me the most were Beatrix’s pastel works. Southern Charm (pastel) is a landscape that could be of any mountain barangay in Cebu. The play of colors gives the work an impression of warmth and, yes, southern charm. I was reminded of the rustic old world Mexican colony with the walls of its buildings vibrantly painted in different colors, mostly warm and earthy colors, like red, orange and brown.

Chona revealed that as they grow in their craft, they would expect change to be present. Whether these changes are subtle or drastic, that still needs to be seen. So far though, I would presume that change in this exhibit is not as drastic as that of a worm waking up a butterfly.

Metamorphosis ran from November 13 to 29.