To mark the opening of Hiraya, Belmont Hotel Manila and ArtisteSpace held a special cocktail night attended by hotel guests, artists, and friends from the media. Department of Tourism-National Capital Regional Regional Director Sharlene Batin (2nd from left) was present to cut the ribbon and deliver a short message.
BELMONT Hotel Manila, in partnership with ArtisteSpace, has launched its first-ever art exhibit titled “Hiraya, A Visual Feast of Filipino Culture.” The exhibit features 20 watercolor paintings and 15 sculptures created by five award-winning artists, namely Joel Ajero, Wilfredo “Yeye” Calderon, Rene Canlas, Rolan Guina, and Joie Pabilando.
The art pieces are strategically placed at the lobby and Café Belmont restaurant, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the hotel.
BELMONT Hotel Manila, in partnership with ArtisteSpace, has launched its first-ever art exhibit titled “Hiraya, A Visual Feast of Filipino Culture.” The exhibit features 20 watercolor paintings and 15 sculptures created by five award-winning artists, namely Joel Ajero, Wilfredo “Yeye” Calderon, Rene Canlas, Rolan Guina, and Joie Pabilando.
The art pieces are strategically placed at the lobby and Café Belmont restaurant, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the hotel.
The exhibited artworks capture the essence of Filipino culture in a contemporary way. The artists are all part of the Kulay sa Tubig Competition Hall of Fame, a prestigious category reserved for the best of the best in watercolor who have won at least three times over the past 35 years.
The showcased watercolorists at Hiraya have a distinct style and focus on different aspects of everyday life. Award-winning watercolorist Joei Pabilando’s paintings capture the beauty of rainy days as seen through a clear glass window. His works display blurry, vivid, and lifelike images of his main subjects, such as the tricycle crossing the wet and busy streets of Manila in his masterpiece, “On His First Day.”
Roland Guina’s hyper-realistic paintings highlight everyday life with highly detailed paintings of random daily sightings, such as the “Morning Climb” of a boy climbing a coconut tree or the “Abandoned” painting, which illustrates a neglected truck in the midst of wild grass.
Filmmaker and artist Wilfredo “Yeye” Calderon’s landscape paintings show beautiful waterscapes that can be found in the country. He likens watercolor to a wild horse because of its difficulty to tame, and adds that one should have an understanding of the nature of water as it touches paper.
Rene Canlas, another multi-awarded colorist, both here and abroad, considers himself a contemporary-representational visual artist. His work “Dalangin” shows the religious side of the Philippines, illustrating people praying in a Catholic church.
Joel Ajero, the only featured sculptor, is known for his functional art pieces made of old wood and wrought iron. His abstract sculptures are made from mahogany and other Philippine hardwood. Ajero’s sculptures are instant conversation starters, especially his whimsical wrought iron candle holders with fruits displayed at the Front Desk of Belmont Hotel Manila.
The exhibit will be open for viewing 24 hours a day until September 16th. For more information on the art pieces, please contact ArtisteSpace at info@artistespace.com or call 0915 8209700. You may reach Belmont Hotel Manila at info@belmontmanila.com or call 5318 8888.
See original post at: https://malaya.com.ph/news_special_feature/belmont-hotel-manilas-art-exhibit-features-watercolors-and-sculptures/