Mangga Guhit: An expression of an artist's heart
Dagas nga Mangga by Robert Vargas
The country of mangoes - Guimaras celebrated its 15th Manggahan Festival last April 9 to 20, 2008. Tourists have been splurging in the abundance of fresh and pure country air. Many were impressed with the panoramic agricultural farm's green landscapes marked with huge patches of the famed mango trees.
Adding vibrance to the revelry is the Mangga Guhit, an art and photo exhibit organized by Pinta Isla Company in collaboration with the Western Visayas College of Science and Technology Alumni Association Incorporated. The event featured the works of repected local and Ilonggo artists.
Childhood Memories
The paintings displayed were anchored on the theme " Kalikasan Pangalagaan, Gabay sa Kaunlaran," which evoked social realism and presented the culture of the Filipino people while the other depicted how flourishing the mango industry in Guimaras is, as well as the everyday living of the local folks. The pieces used different media, and were either in abstract, portrait, scenic, or idealistic in form. They conveyed the meaning of the artist's expression of beauty, culture, and imagination – a refreshhing view of a person's soul.
The artists said that a painting is a painstaking and meticuluos work that needs a lot of patience, but the end product is as fulfilling.
Aside from the exhibit, on the spot sketching was also done by the artists.
Magga Guhit art and photo exhibit was an avenue that brought closer artists of Guimaras and Iloilo as they connived with a common goal – to educate and share their skill in the arts to others.