The exhibit Pushing Up Flowers is a profound and deeply personal reflection on resilience, memory, and the quiet, enduring strength of human connection. In this evocative collection, artist Pancho Alvarez confronts themes of loss, recovery, and the storms — both literal and metaphorical — that shape our lives.

The genesis of Pushing Up Flowers lies in a moment of emotional desolation. In August 2018, Alvarez stood in an empty parking lot in Naga City, burdened by the remnants of a life uprooted: A suitcase of clothes, bags of books, and the chaos of his own unsteady mind. It was a moment of reckoning, catalyzed by heartbreak, betrayal, and a longing for a way forward. This vulnerability echoes throughout the exhibit, drawing viewers into a shared understanding of struggle and survival.

Alvarez’s art draws heavily on his lived experiences in Naga City, in a region marked by its unique relationship with nature. Frequent rains and typhoons — metaphors for both devastation and renewal — become recurring motifs in his works. These storms, which ravage and cleanse in equal measure, mirror the tumultuous cycles of human existence.

The titular flowers symbolize hope and reconciliation, serving as both an offering and a testament. In the wake of his mother’s cancer diagnosis, Alvarez embarked on a fervent journey to paint the blooms she had long requested. This act of creation became an emotional lifeline — a way to atone, to connect, and to grapple with impermanence. As he painted, Alvarez captured the tension between urgency and serenity, between the transient beauty of life and the resilience it demands.

Pushing Up Flowers invites its audience to confront the aftermath of their own storms. Alvarez’s works resonate with a raw yet tender energy, a reflection of his belief that shared pain can foster collective healing. The exhibit is as much about what has been lost as it is about what endures — a poignant reminder that even in our most fragile moments, there is strength to be found.

Pushing Up Flowers runs from 25 January to 22 February at the Altro Mondo Creative Space, 1159 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City.