First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos reprised her role as a patroness of the arts as she graced the opening of the new exhibit of Filipino artist Demi Padua dubbed “Layers and Shadows” at the National Museum of Fine Arts on Tuesday.

She was accompanied by members of the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Philippines Foundation.

“What a joy to open Demi Padua’s Layers and Shadows exhibit at the National Museum of Fine Arts, together with our friends from the ACC,” the First Lady said.

“For the last 25 years, the ACC has been a bridge for Filipino artists—helping them dream bigger, explore new worlds, refine their craft, and share stories with audiences far beyond our shores,” she added.

According to the National Museum, Padua’s exhibit features 14 artworks that use the trompe l’oeil technique, where artworks appear realistic or three-dimensional, exploiting the use of lights, shadows, and optical illusions.

Apart from the celebration of the 25th founding anniversary of the ACC, the exhibition also serves as a fundraiser for the ACC Fellowship Program, which provides opportunities to Filipino creatives for development and global collaboration.

Art’s transformative power

Padua described the exhibit as a “testament to the transformative power of arts and the human spirit.”

Mrs. Marcos expressed her support for Padua’s latest artistic venture and thanked ACC for its enduring support of Filipino creativity.

“Congratulations, Demi, on this remarkable showcase. And my heartfelt thanks to the ACC and the National Museum of Fine Arts for continuing to champion Filipino creativity and keeping our cultural flame burning bright,” she said.

The Layers and Shadows exhibit will run from 13 to 26 August at the President Sergio Osmeña Hall, 2nd floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts. Visitors may view the exhibit every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, the First Lady held a separate meeting with the ACC board to discuss providing more opportunities to Filipino artists to showcase their art from the Philippine stage to global recognition.

“Fresh from an inspiring showcase of homegrown talent, the ACC board is brimming with ideas to open even more doors for Filipino artists to shine on the world stage,” she said.

“Here’s to building bridges, sharing our stories, and creating moments that make us proud to say: ang galing ng Pinoy! (Filipinos are amazing!)”, she added.