Rellie Luciano Liwag: Essential artist

CEBU, Philippines - Not too long ago, Rellie Luciano Liwag was one of the country’s most sought-after ramp and commercial models. A regular cover girl of several women’s magazines and a favorite endorser of various products and services in the print and the broadcast media, she actively participated in the fashion circuit both here and abroad.

However, when she married her bank executive husband, the family opted to move to the United States, where they stayed for almost two decades. It was then that her successful modeling career was gladly set aside in lieu for her love for the arts.

In essence, passion speaks for one’s identity. One could defy odds to self express one’s visions. So when a subject of the camera lens no longer showcases reality, new paths are discovered as the situations awaits to be experienced and lessons are bound to be learned.

Since Liwag returned to our shores, she started to enhance her artistic craft molded by theoretical practices obtained from the academe and had her initial entry to the art scene by way of her first solo exhibit, Faces, Bodies and Places.

She furthered her studies as she took up extensive art courses in Japan and America and was more than ready for her second solo art exhibit where she expressed her maturity as an artist though her intricate ways of delivering emotions and actions.

Entitled The Land of My Birth held recently at the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue in New York, the well-attended exhibition depicted the artist’s perspective of the country where several portraits were inspired by the rural life as envisioned by the natural sceneries. In a glance, the paintings viewed a simple outlook of life, yet in deeper sense the pictures spoke of strong words that defined a genuine Filipino character.

Her art posseses a moving piece of advocacy. Albeit traditional in presentation of her subjects, Liwag’s works are reflections of societal issues where it celebrated feminism, praised faith, destroyed feudalism, denounced imperialism and promoted a nationalistic democratic line.

From the world of fashion to the artistic mileau, the artist was able to propel herself as a respected painter, whose works were well-received by Filipinos and expats residing in Manila and by Filipinos and other foreigners living abroad who witnessed her exhibit. (FREEMAN)