Noy says Cory’s paintings ‘a small part of her legacy’

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino fondly remembers the selflessness of his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino, as he led the opening of an exhibit of his mother’s paintings Monday night.

The exhibit, titled, “A Gift of Self,” showcases around 90 paintings of the late president, including those from the  personal collection of her daughters Ballsy Cruz and Viel Dee, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Metrobank founder George Ty and his wife Mary, and businessman Manuel Pangilinan.

The President also unveiled a painting of Mrs. Aquino by Emi Mercado during the opening of the exhibit. 

The paintings are on display at the Lobby Lounge and Roma Salon of Manila Hotel until Aug. 2.

In his speech, the President said the paintings were a “small part of the legacy” that his mother left behind.

“It is a legacy we feel every day as we live and work in a society now free from the iron fist of the dictator and from a military and police force who existed to serve one man alone,” he said.

He said the exhibit was aptly titled, noting that “we would not be here if it were not for Mom’s selflessness.”

“This is more than just an art exhibit, and my family and I are humbled and honored by your presence here, by the way the entire nation continues to cherish Cory Aquino and her legacy. And it is our deepest hope that your love for Mom does not stop with gratitude – that you choose to live out her example every day, and do your part in building a better country,” Aquino added. 

Flowers and rosary

The President said he also keeps his mother’s painting of flowers and a rosary at his office at Malacañang.

He said the painting is “on loan from the family” since his mother did not give him any of her paintings, fearing that as a politician he would just give them away.

Aquino said the painting does not only give him assurance that his parents are always close by, but also reminds him of his duties as president and Filipino.

“Our parents were extraordinary people who did extraordinary things, but the lessons they taught us were very simple: live with honor and follow your conscience. Always make the most of opportunities to alleviate the suffering of your countrymen. And, perhaps the simplest lesson of all: have faith, in both God and the people. It was because of faith that Mom found the courage to stand up against the dictatorship. It was because of faith that she was able to keep putting other people before herself, to keep giving until the very end,” the President said.

Aquino said his mother valued her privacy, but she was never a solitary or selfish person.

“Whether in prayer, in service, or in art, the thought of other people was never far from her mind. So, even when she found a hobby she could truly indulge in, she chose to instead give of herself just a little more. She held joint exhibits with friends, and sold some of her paintings to raise funds for her advocacies. And she also gave away many of her works to friends and colleagues,” he said.

Aquino said his mother took to painting after her presidency ended.

He said Mrs. Aquino worked with oil and acrylic under the guidance of Jeff Consumo to produce studies on her favorite subjects of women and flowers in bright colors starting in 1996.

“I believe that what those books and CDs are to me, painting was to Mom – a president who, in light of the enormous challenges she faced, had to defer simpler pleasures for a later time,” he said.

“Looking back, I cannot think of an activity more appropriate for Mom – someone who wanted a quiet home life, who would have been content with being a wife and partner to Dad, and a mother to us. So, even if she could never fully withdraw from the public sphere, Mom took the opportunity to revert to quiet things on her own time,” Aquino said.

Quoting his oldest sister, the President said painting was “an extension” of Mrs. Aquino’s deep and abiding spirituality. 

“It was only natural for this to come to life in the canvases she filled with images of optimism and hope, expressions of her appreciation for the simplest, and yet the most beautiful things in life,” Aquino said.