I was in New York recently to formally open the art exhibit by world-renowned Filipino artist Manuel Baldemor at the Philippine Center in New York, with Consul General Claro Cristobal and Chargé d’Affaires and deputy permanent representative to the UN Kira Danganan-Azucena joining me for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Dubbed as Luzviminda (which is a portmanteau of the three major island groups of the Philippines namely Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao), the exhibit features over 20 of Baldemor’s acrylic and watercolor paintings that showcase the people from the different regions in the country with their everyday activities and celebrations.
Organized by the Philippine Center that also marked its 45th anniversary (with Consul Arman Talbo as the current designated manager and the Philippine Ambassador as chair), the opening of the exhibit was a great success with guests coming from the diplomatic circle as well as members of the Filipino-American community.
Visitors were wowed by the spectacular display of colors and the joie de vivre evoked by the paintings, proving why Baldemor is considered a multitalented artist. He can paint and sculpt, and is also known as a printmaker, book illustrator, as well as a writer whose poems and essays have been featured in various publications. As a matter of fact, he was also a columnist of The Philippine STAR for a couple of years.
The multi-awarded artist has made his hometown of Paete, Laguna popular by making it the subject of his works of art that portray the people, their everyday lives, the festivities and other activities. His depiction of rustic scenes in a style described as “simplified geometric forms” has given him international renown, with his artworks distributed the world over because the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has chosen to reproduce his designs for its Christmas greeting cards.
In fact, his 36” x 72” mural titled Philippine Skyworld adorns the UN headquarters in New York while another one, a 5 x 11-feet mural called Pasasalamat, is displayed at the lobby of the UN building in Vienna.
The Luzviminda exhibit, which runs until Nov. 29, is a great opportunity for art lovers to see for themselves just how talented Manuel Baldemor is — something that all Filipinos and Filipino-Americans can take pride in.