The multimedia exhibition showcases not only creativity and mastery, but also purity and poignancy.
“Halaman,” the latest exhibition at Art Lounge Manila – Molito, is a celebration of the creativity, skill, and artistic journey of Tess Ureta Aligaen.
With twenty-one watercolor paintings—some of which are quite large, at 72 x 24 inches, for the medium, and some with origami—three embellished tapestries, and four metal/ceramic metal sculptures, “Halaman” showcases the artist’s versatility and mastery of different media.
43 X 12 inches
Watercolor and Origami
2022
25 x 36 inches
Watercolor
The watercolor paintings, created between 2011 to 2022, present Aligaen’s consistency and evolution within the medium. The ethereal blue series center on lotus flower motifs, while her watercolor leaves are complemented with cutouts for three-dimensionality. Bird-themed works are expressed in both watercolor and origami.
ANG KORONA; 20.5 x 14 inches; Watercolor and Origami; 2022
I LABYU; 12.5 x 15.5 inches; Watercolor and Origami; 2022
Her brass sculptures of philodendron leaves feature pure bronze sheets shaped with her intimate knowledge of these plants, which grow in her garden in her Antipolo home—a foremost source of inspiration for the artist. Each bend and cut highlights not just the leaf, but also how it moves as it grows, flutters, falls with the breeze.
Her tapestries—a passion project which has its beginnings from almost three decades ago—are not just the product of cutting and stitching printed fabrics and lace, but also of her passion for patterns which allowed her to acquire textiles from all over the world.
Granted, “Halaman” may be seen as rooted in the artist’s art-filled childhood, Fine Arts background, or the passion to pursue art amid the demands of being a wife, mother, professional, and entrepreneur. More important, however, is that sense of purity and poignancy blooming from her life experiences and how she has navigated grief, loss, and healing toward art.
Halaman will run until September 27, 2022 at Art Lounge Manila – Molito in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City. For more information, visit the Art Lounge Manila website. You may also check their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for more details.
