Art exhibit for a cause

Perpetual Succour Hospital’s Cebu Cancer Institute invites you to an Art Exhibit for a Cause at the 2nd floor lobby of their SPC Medical Specialty Bldg. The proceeds will benefit Perpetual Succour’s Cebu Cancer Institute. The art exhibit features the touching works of Bart Carvajal Kiamko, a celebrated Cebuano artist who has had over 20 one-man shows locally and abroad. His unparalleled talent for capturing human emotion on canvas has been exhibited since 1983, through shows in Cebu, Davao as well as in Europe and California, USA. He returned recently to Cebu and this Art Exhibit for a Cause marks a homecoming for him and the output of two years of creativity.

The artworks vary in subject but many feature the theme of mother and child. When asked about this, Boy Kiamko shares, "The mother and child is a universal theme. It is easily understood and it represents mankind because from it you can see humanity. You can see love, protection, security, devotion, warmth and affection." He further shares that art is precious because it’s an international language and through it, people are brought closer together because art communicates emotion.

The art exhibit features works of acrylic, pen and ink and oil paints. On display are works of both realism and modernism, the latter being more interesting because it taps into one’s creativity and plays with one’s imagination, Boy Kiamko elaborates. For the first 10 years of his art career, he mainly did realism, featuring the beauty of nature. Then he moved on to modernism, which he now focuses on.

When asked what inspires his work, he wisely shares his sources: "As an artist, I consider 3 elements as my sources of inspiration. The first is God because He gives one the talent to work with. The second is nature because it represents beauty. Who hasn’t found the sunset beautiful? It’s inspiring to observe nature. The third is man, for the encouragement. The encouragement helps artists go on with their work. One thing I’ll never forget was when a couple once told me that they feel like they’re part of my painting. Comments like that really encourage me to do what I love to do and that is art."

He emphasizes what he considers his artistic cycle: "Art is love. Love is life. Life is art." For an artist, his art is what keeps him alive. It’s what he lives for. It was striking when Boy Kiamko explained that artists know that they won’t get rich. But they’re not into art for the money. He reminds us, after all, money is not the root of happiness. Artists do art because they love it and they’re happy with their life.

Boy Kiamko’s burning passion for art is evident in his art and in the way he speaks of it. A great artist with ripened talent, Kiamko expresses his imagination and raw emotion on his canvas. Each art piece is a testimony to the passion put into its vivid details. For viewers who truly appreciate art, each piece opens one’s floodgate for human emotion and becomes a force that one’s heart can reckon with.

(The Art Exhibit for a Cause runs until today, at the 2nd floor lobby of Perpetual Succour Hospital’s Medical Specialty Building. You are invited to come and experience the exhibit.)