by Noel Sales Barcelona
Five women artists, collectively known as the Cinco Artists Group, hold their first-ever group exhibit at 1159 Creative Space in Makati City on November 11, 2023.
Entitled “MasaGana,” Hannah Castalone, Janina Sanico, Zol Domingo, Joyce Perez, and Fern Abalona celebrate their passion and love for the arts by showcasing their works to a greater audience through 1159 Creative Space, one of the leading contemporary art hubs in the country today, established at Philippines’ financial and business district, Makati City.
In a message sent to this writer by Janina Sanico, a former Mathematics teacher and visual artist from Batangas, Cinco (five in Spanish) is a relatively young all-female artist group founded in 2022.
“United by a shared passion for storytelling through their various art styles, each member of CINCO brings a unique perspective and creativity to the group, just like the five fingers of a hand, working in perfect harmony to create art that resonates with the soul. CINCO contributes its individual artistry, coming together to craft a vivid tapestry of creativity that bridges tradition and innovation,” shares Sanico to Agimat.net for this exclusive interview.
Masa + Gana
The exhibit’s title, according to Sanico, is a wordplay. Based on the exhibit note, it is the combination of the words “masa,” which means masses, the ordinary folk, and “gana,” or passion, drive, or appetite. The word masagana is the Tagalog/Filipino term that means abundance.
“This showcase celebrates the connection between shared community dreams and the passion that drives them, much like the anticipation of a bountiful harvest. Through vivid colors, textures, and brushstrokes, “Masagana” unveils the shared yearnings that unite us and the richness of life born from our collective spirit, inviting reflection on the parallels between a bountiful harvest and our collective dreams while honoring Filipino culture,” the exhibit note read.
Feminine and Powerful
Looking at the artworks in the exhibit, this writer can say that the title truly captured the essence of the show—a harvest of genuine and unadulterated talent of these five women, whose styles and themes honor the modern and contemporary art movements as well as the power and mystery of femininity and nature.
Earth and Nature are considered “feminine” in spirit and nature. Thus, the terms “Mother Earth/Gaia” and “Mother Nature.” In classical Chinese spirituality and mysticism, the female energy and principle are characterized by the “yin,” which is passive yet sustaining.
In their works, Castalone, Sanico, Domingo, Perez, and Abalona have proven their creative powers by effectively capturing the very essence of creation and sustenance, represented by crops, fish, flowers, and other symbols of plenty. Moreover, the softness of the images and the choice of colors emanate a strong sense of femininity and its potency.
Meanwhile, MasaGana had run until November 17.
