Daily TribuneRooted in Chinese-Filipino heritage and ancient feng shui traditions, Lizanne Uychaco’s Spectrum of Abundance transforms the horse and auspicious coin into richly textured meditations on movement, harmony and prosperity, unfolding as a contemplative celebration of fortune and forward momentum at Gallery C of Conrad Manila.
LIZANNE Uychaco’s Obras Gallops into Chinese New Year
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
LIZANNE Uychaco
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘LANTERNS of peace and prosperity,’ mixed media on canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023-2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘PROSPERITY tree,’ mixed media on canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023-2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘BOUNTIFUL conquest,’ mixed media on canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023-2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘MYSTICAL transformation,’ mixed media on canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023-2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘WEALTH and joy,’ Mixed Media on Canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023 - 2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘GOOD fortune,’ mixed media on canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023-2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘ORIGINS of wealth,’ mixed media on canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023-2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
‘REMINISCENCE of opulence,’ mixed media on canvas, 160 cm x 100 cm, 2023-2026.
Photograph courtesy of Conrad Manila
Lizanne Uychaco, with her visual collection together with her impressive reputation, is a painter widely acknowledged as the country’s first and only feng shui artist.
Intensely rooted in her Chinese-Filipino heritage, in Spectrum of Abundance, her latest body of work, she irresistibly presents a selection deeply ingrained in ancient beliefs, harnessing symbols associated with luck, strength, success, prosperity, and happiness.
Spectrum of Abundance, a much-awaited exhibit, portrays and studies the horse as a representation of freedom, mobility and perseverance. Presented with pride under the Of Art and Wine Series at the Gallery C of Conrad Manila, the show unfolds as a measured contemplation and meditation on movement, harmony and fortune.
Across cultures, the horse, usually highly alert with sharp memory, has carried layered meanings. In Lizanne’s deft hands, it becomes more than a metaphor. Its admirable posture and stance function as vessels of intention, embodying the momentum required to move toward success. When paired together with her much-loved motif of auspicious coins, the imagery suggests affluence.
The Chinese coin, a defining element in Lizanne’s treasured pieces, recurs throughout the exhibition. With its circular form and square center, it symbolizes heaven and earth, yin and yang, and the flow of good fortune as understood and appreciated in ancient Chinese cosmology. Historically used as currency from the Qin through the Qing dynasties, the coin carries both material and metaphysical weight. Within the gallery space, it frames the ever-changing nature of the horse.
Rendered in richly textured mixed media, the obras (works of art) reflect Lizanne’s extensive artistic training, which includes Chinese painting and calligraphy, sculpture, pottery, silvercraft, jewelry-making, as well as watercolor, oil and acrylic painting. This breadth of practice gives her pieces a deliberate tactile depth. Each distinct surface is an intermingling of several elements from Lizanne’s celebrated past, as it combines various art forms she has mastered.
Apart from the world of arts and culture, Lizanne is the executive vice president of SM Investments Corporation (SMIC). She is the president of the Sunshine Place, a vibrant venue founded by Felicidad Sy, designed for the welfare and creative stimulation of seniors.
Of Art and Wine: Spectrum of Abundance is curated by Nes Jardin, a consultant for SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation and the head behind its successful programs, which are dedicated to the masters of the craft as well as neophytes.
The exhibit will run from 20 January to 21 March at the Gallery C of Conrad Manila. The paintings are available individually for purchase.
