‘Appassionata III’ mesmerizes at Leon Gallery

If you remembered the first and liked the second, then you will definitely love Appassionata III! The name takes after famed composer Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Opus 57. With the knowledge that it is the Italian word for “passionate,” seasoned curator and critic Cid Reyes once described the exposition in past gallery notes as “their own tempest of creation.”

The all-women artists, composed of Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Leonore RS Lim, Susan Fetalvero Roces, and Marivic Rufino, was completed by the late Rosario Bitanga, who will not be missed due to her artistic presence in the show, which has now been dedicated to her.

Bitanga was hailed as one of the first Filipina abstractionists. Adept at both painting and sculpture, she has simultaneously dedicated her craft to both fields with no compromises whatsoever. Watch out for City Lights, which showcases her bright side, while Coda is a more subdued action painting.

Cajipe-Endaya is one of the forerunners of feminism in the Philippine art scene. She focuses on the Filipina in her quest for national liberation. Her works are often interspersed with folk symbols and infused with indigenous materials to keep our local heritage well and alive. Feel proud with Happy Mother’s Day, Tandang Sora, a dedication to Melchora Aquino, touted as the “Mother of the Katipunan,” whereas Portrait of the Artist as Babaylan is a self-portrait which depicts her as a healer, shaman and creator.

Lim is an expert in intricate processes such as woodcut, engravings, linocuts, drypoint, and screenprint. She is renowned in her circles and beyond, for she continues to integrate lost and forgotten techniques into new processes. Don’t miss Alaala, a somber love letter to a forlorn abyss in all black, while Lotus features barely-visible Chinese characters and serves as a gloomy yet thought-provoking glimpse into her deeper side.

Fetalvero-Roces believes that the viewer is as much part of the artwork as the creator. The audiences are always sustained by their own lived experiences. A crowd favorite I surmise will be Para Ti, a self-portrait which functions as a gift to the art appreciators, as she peeks through the curtains to witness their reactions. Meanwhile, Masks masquerades the symbolic accessories as a valuable part of her own life.

Rufino takes inspirations from nature and the divine. She often takes to the canvas to paint down her memories of the past and visions of the future. She does this in a contemplative manner — and most importantly, as a sanctuary. Watercolor is her preferred medium, as it transposes her own free-flowing and dreamy persona onto paper. For dreamers, feast your eyes on Fantaisie (Horse at Sunrise), a watercolor-backed digital print on glass, whereas Dreamscape and Duet both put the attention on a precious butterfly on top of a horse.

These five women constantly push the boundaries of fine art in the country, and it is here to stay that way.

Appassionata III will run from 4 to 15 September, at Leon Gallery International, located at the ground floor of Corinthian Plaza, Paseo de Roxas Avenue corner Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City.