To genuinely empower female artists is the name of the game, and Appassionata III continues on that sincere promise, even more than a decade later.
Originally launched in 2013, the initial installment was born out of an impassioned conversation between Marivic Rufino and Deanna Ongpin–Recto. This no-nonsense duo tapped Susan
Fetalvero-Roces. The trio then eventually evolved into a formidable collective of five women artists, all accomplished achievers veterans in their respective callings.
With varied wide spectrum of arts, it would be seemingly impossible to contain them into a specific theme. After all, each artist had their own specialism. And so, the name Appassionata was proposed, a reflection of their lifelong love affair with art.
Leon Gallery in Makati City served as the prime space for the affair. It was a mini-reunion for the three Philippine-based — to borrow a term from Ongpin-Recto — “appassionartists” Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Susan Fetalvero-Roces and Marivic Rufino. With Leonore R.S. Lim, who found a second home on foreign shores, together dedicated the exhibit to their fifth member, the late Philippine abstraction pioneer Rosario Bitanga.
The stretched-out hall was elegantly transformed and stood witness to the personal journeys of the creators, as their profound pieces mirrored their lives and beliefs, struggles and triumphs.
Bitanga is considered a foremost painter and adept sculptor, who has mastered both forms. Meanwhile, Cajipe Endaya injects feminism and indigenous culture at the forefront with her folk symbol-inspired artworks. Lim revives and preserves printmaking techniques and integrates them into her modern-day creations to critical acclaim. Fetalvero-Roces enjoins the guests to be part of her artwork, as their own stories are as relevant to the interpretation as her own. Rufino soothes viewers into a sense of calm through her watercolor objet d’art, which all are a reflection of her life’s timeline, featuring one of her many muses, valiant horses.
The opening evening was well-attended by a stellar lineup of ambassadors and diplomats, industry magnates and business tycoons, artists and art lovers, the stalwarts of the social scene in a celebration of female empowerment. Since the exhibiting artists have dabbled in their respective fields since the 1970s, they certainly are considered to be deserving torchbearers!
