The heart of art

In a time when almost everything was torn by war, the gifted Purita Kalaw Ledesma helped shape the horizon of the Philippine visual art scene and fortified the spirit of the Filipino people for the appreciation of the arts by patronizing its different forms. To celebrate her passion, an exhibition entitled A Vision of Philippine Art: Selections from the Purita Kalaw Ledesma Collection is now available for viewing until May 3 at the Third Floor Galleries of the Ayala Museum in Makati City. Viewers will be able to track the development of art in the country through the different works of artists such as Fernando Amorsolo, Fabian Dela Rosa, Fernando Zobel, Arturo Luz, Magsaysay-Ho and that of Purita Kalaw-Ledesma.

Cheers!

(For more information, call 757-7117 local 10.)

Welcome the Tiger!

The Mandarin Oriental, Manila, in partnership with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, recently hosted a grand Chinese New Year welcome by celebrating the annual event with a rich showcase of art and culture. No less than Mandarin Oriental, Manila GM Mark Bradford and Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao warmly welcomed Manila’s veritable who’s who in society to a festive evening of merriment, art and culture at the chic Captain’s Bar, which was elegantly decorated in shimmering red and gold. To celebrate years of Philippine-Chinese cultural relations, the auspicious event also marked the launch of Emergent Energy, a special two-week art exhibit held by Galleria Duemila featuring magnificent Chinese New Year-inspired works by Ramon Diaz, Cesar Caballero and Roberto Robles. Throughout the night, well-heeled guests were in a jovial and celebratory mood as bilingual master of ceremonies Max Tiu kept them entertained while they delighted in a delectable array of Chinese creations, excellently prepared by Mandarin Oriental’s brilliant executive Chinese chef Hann Furn Chen. Adding spice to the colorful occasion was the superb performances by musical ensembles from Chiang Kai Shek College and the Philippine Cultural College Chinese Orchestra graciously arranged by their respective presidents Bee Ching Ong and Polly Sy. What a fantastic welcome to the Year of the Tiger!

Cheers!