3 Filipina artists in New York City exhibition

Soledad by Greta Lood. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

NEW YORK CITY — An ongoing art exhibit dubbed “Res Ipsa Loquitur III,” a Latin phrase meaning “the thing speaks for itself,” is currently showing the recent works of artists Greta Lood, Rellie Liwag and Joyce Herrera-Wong at the Philippine Center here from September 8 to 18.

The first of the Res Ipsa Loquitur series was conceptualized in 2005 by Greta Lood, a Manhattan-based, Philippine-born artist who was then curator for the Gardens Memorial Park in Boca Raton, Florida. Res Ipsa Loquitur II was launched in Makati, Philippines, in 2013 for the Michael Acosta, Christina Acosta and Cristalle Acosta-Laurel photography exhibit. .

A scene from the Mountain Province by Joyce Herrera.

Lood, whose second solo “Bakit Bilog?” was opened by Mrs. Imelda Marcos in Manila in 1999, will now present the RKBC series, standing for her three inspirational masters, Mark Rothko, Gustav Klimt and Ben Cabrera. Her paintings feature women dressed in traditional 1900 fashion, embellished with 22K gold leaf in Klimt’s ornate, flat form patterns, superimposed on Rothko’s floating color fields.

The titled female subjects, with quaint names such as Soledad, Purificacion and Amparo, harken back to a more pristine moment in the Philippine culture. As such, the viewer, while absorbed by the abstract, minimalistic aura of the Rothko horizons, will experience a somewhat mystical counterpoint between the modern century and a time gone by, evoking a sense of serenity and spirituality.

Autumn by Rellie Liwag.

Wong’s colorful, exotic works reflect her worldwide travels and appreciation of nature, while Liwag’s realistic portraits, singular interpretations of still life and Central Park scenes round out a highly eclectic and interesting array of paintings.

Guests during the opening were led by the Philippine Consul General of New York Mario Lopez de Leon, Art Student League ‘s Robert Cendella, philantropist Loida Nicolas Lewis, Josie Natori and Jerry Sibal of Design Fusion NYC.

The private opening was attended by more than 100 guests and was universally acclaimed as one of the more elegant and successful cultural events in the history of the Philippine Center.

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