The Warrior Spirited Woman: Gina Apostol, visual artist, talks about Bahagreyna
The 'bahagreyna' refers to a warrior-spirited woman, an epitome of a carefree and daring warrior who had become Apostol's weapon in resolving her personal conflict
Gina Apostol and fellow members in the Ilonggo
Microentrepreneurs Multipurpose Cooperative,
Diday and Rose
The female specie has emerged as the stronger sex. This is because a woman has the ability to weather the storms that come in her life and then, she comes out stronger and wiser.
True, she can look physically frail and gets emotional when watching sad stories, but hidden behind that facade is a strong heart and spirit that cannot be broken.
Gina Apostol, visual artist and microentrepreneur is an example of such a woman. This sweet-tempered, active, creative and wise individual is no stranger to pain. During the lowest point in her life, she created her alter ego, the Bahagreyna. This refers to a warrior-spirited woman, an epitome of a carefree and daring warrior who had become Apostol's weapon in resolving her personal conflict.
Gina Apostol and Kathy Villalon
She celebrates this strength through an art exhibit called Bahagreyna at the second level of Robinsons Place Iloilo. Here, paintings and sculptures she has made since 2005 depict women and the issues one faces.
Her sculptures, for example show the diseases that plague women. She used this subject based on her observation as a Nursing student. "The sculptures are reflective of the patients that I attended to when I was taking up Nursing at West Negros College," she told The News Today. "I have seen how women are at their lowest when they know they have cancer. But there's one thing I noticed about female patients. They are so strong they seldom cry," she added.
Apostol is not only an advocate of women's issues, but she also teaches art to students every summer.
She is also an active promoter of microenterprises. She is the president of the Ilonggo Microentrepreneurs Multipurpose Cooperative, which covers food and crafts based in Iloilo. "We help improve the businesses of small businesspersons," she said, adding that by uniting, the micro entrepreneurs can generate more sales. One of their efforts is the holding of trade fairs in different malls in the city.
A bahagreyna indeed.