Exhibitions

If there is a living embodiment of the Expressionism branch of Philippine Modernism, it is Juvenal Sanso. The 86-year-old artist, a towering figure in art history, is currently being honored by a year-long retrospective on his vast and pioneering career, serving as an influence to countless of artists who have been touched by his fantastic approach and innovative techniques. His abstractions, in particular, have a certain emotional weight that is impossible to walk away from without a sense of awe and wonder.

Abstractionist Caress Banson is one such artist who has been swayed by Sanso’s oeuvre. Her use of color, evoking the Master’s own ability to parlay palate to expressive depth, is perhaps the most telling aspect that connects both their practices. Now, she honors Sanso in his retrospective year by holding a tribute exhibition at The Podium Atrium.

This latest exhibition, "Tribute to Sanso" will be on display from Tuesday, March 29 to Wednesday, April 6 at the 2/L Atrium of The Podium Mall, on ADB Avenue in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. The exhibit is organized by Galerie Joaquin and is for the benefit of Feeding Metro Manila, a hunger relief charity for the impoverished and the abandoned of the metropolis and its suburbs.

For more information about this exhibition, please contact Galerie Joaquin Podium at (632) 634-7954. You can also email them at podium.galeriejoaquin@gmail.com. Galerie Joaquin Podium is located at Unit B12-13 Lower Ground Level, The Podium Mall.

The overarching theme of the exhibit is the sense of hope each painting conveys. Color is the dominant abstracted component of the exhibition, with Caress Banson using geometric patterns and bold swaths of brushwork to convey a lively and dynamic impression. Aside from Sanso, Banson draws on the traditions of Bauhaus, Paul Klee, and even abstract-expressionist Mark Rothko, to imbues her canvases with a sense of buoyancy, springing each abstracted object alive with her fantastic eye for detail.

Her grasp of abstract technique is one reason why we’ve seen Banson’s profile increase in the art community. But it’s her dedication to socio-civic issues that have earned her widespread admiration throughout all sectors of society. Through the sales of pieces from this exhibition, FMM will be able to continue its important charity work and help make a mark on the alleviation of hunger in Metro Manila. For both the art and the good cause, this exhibition is definitely a must-see event, organized to highlight a brilliant abstractionist at her prime.