‘BEHIND THE CANVAS’

1 of 4

By John Noel E. Herrera

Many visual artists consider canvas as another world where they could translate their creative interpretation of things and other surreal scenes in the community into a masterpiece with in-depth meaning.

However, while artists consider that piece of cloth a world where they can show their feelings and emotions through shades, colors, and multiple patterns and lines, behind the canvas is a different realm where they find courage, hope, and inspiration, and where artworks start to breathe and have a purpose.

But what or who are those they consider behind the canvas?

For Althea Villanueva, one of the members of Himbon Contemporary Ilonggo Artists Group, what lies behind the canvas, serving as its frame, are the artists’ support system, who give life to their artworks – just like Daily Guardian, which amplifies the message that their art pieces want to tell to the community.

“Daily Guardian helped us in connecting and communicating our art and advocacy to the larger community in the city and province,” Villanueva said, noting that DG became a constant partner for them, not just in featuring their talents, but the meanings behind their artworks.

“The stories you wrote helped Himbon to grow our audience, connect with new partners, build relationships between artists and client-friends. This also allowed us to thrive more in the art that we are making as an individual artist and as an art group,” Villanueva added.

Take for example, when Himbon launched the Pinasahi exhibit in March 2023, wherein they highlighted the impact and contribution of women in society, Villanueva said that Daily Guardian was there to let the public know the importance of tackling gender equality in the community, which is one of the goals of the exhibit.

She, as well, noted the group’s ‘Ilig sang Kabuhi’ exhibit, which raised awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding, stating that DG helped them present a sensitive and scientific topic that was probably less-talked about in public.

Through the event, DG was not only able to feature delicate images of a mother’s love, but explained the benefits of breast milk and address the “stigma and pressure from people who think the breast is for sexual purpose only.”

Villanueva also revealed that Himbon launched another project, not just only found through the stroke of their brushes and on the shades and colors painted on canvas, but through the purpose of their project called Pag-ulikid – which DG could be a tool to achieve their noble cause.

“Pag-ulikid”, which means ‘to care’, Himbon is currently conducting an art sale for a cause that will benefit two children who are suffering from a rare blood condition.

“These children are in need of regular blood transfusion in order to survive and desperate to save the lives of their children. The family asked for help from one of our artists and thus our art exhibit was launched at SM City Iloilo,” Villanueva said.

Now, these advocacies and meanings that lie behind the artworks which Himbon painted out of their creative juices and the realities in life also represent some of the problems and stories that society is facing, which the media, like Daily Guardian covers daily.

These artists, like Villanueva, have their own method of conveying different issues or topics to the public, by filling the canvas with colors, shades, patterns and lines.

And Daily Guardian, being behind the canvas, will continue to give life to these artworks by amplifying the vital and critical message they wanted the public to realize.