Angels of Rendu art exhibit benefits Hospicio de San Jose

The Rotary Club of Manila will be launching this month its second art exhibit and auction featuring 70 paintings by the Angels of Rendu, who have special needs, to raise funds for the renovation of their dormitory at the Hospicio de San Jose in Manila City.

Ten artists from the Angels of Rendu and others who are non-members of this group collaborated to complete the paintings for the art exhibit entitled "Expanding Horizons."

This will be held on 14 September at the LRI Design Plaza in Makati City.

The Rotary Club members or Rotarians hope the art exhibit could raise at least P2 million to be used for renovating the dormitory which can accommodate 30 to 60 members of the Angel of Rendu who have special physical and mental needs.

The first art exhibit in 2019 was started by Phillip Ong, a Rotarian and painter, and "Angie," an armless 27-year-old female artist of the Angels of Rendu. Using her feet, she has been able to paint over 20 artworks, some of which helped generate funds to support people with cerebral palsy.

The new art exhibit will be participated in by other artists who are non-members of the Angels of Rendu, including actress and television host Solenn Heussaff, Maya Banawa and Spencer Ozo, among others.

Ong said the Rotary Club of Manila plans to make the art project permanent at the Hospicio de San Jose and teach more members of the Angels of Rendu to paint.

"Art is the highest level of self-expression, translating themselves into the canvass. Sometimes we can be imprisoned by our disabilities but we can empower them, uplift their spirit through art," Banawa, one of the artists, said during a media conference on Saturday at Hospicio de San Jose.