A New Beginning

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu's pioneering art organization - the Cebu Art Association (CAA) - opened its most recent show last May 22, heralding a newfound beginning for one of Cebu's oldest special interest groups.

Presented by Qube Gallery at The Henry Hotel, "A New Beginning" gathers more than 25 works of the members of CAA, showcasing different art pieces that are set on being bigger than the local creative scene they epitomize.

Highlighting works crafted on the baselines of varied creative techniques, themes and styles, the show illustrates how graceful contemporary art pieces can be if they took a break from the bombast of crass - apart from proving an understated fact about the local art scene: it does not have a precarious relationship with relevance.

From the abstract expressionist-themed works of Dennis "Sio" Montera to the contemporary impressionist views of Jose "Kimsoy" Yap, CAA's "A New Beginning" is both progressively meandering and intently straightforward in its overall presentation - elemental with the way it deals with metaphors, candid in the way it delivers its message.

Founded on August 22, 1937 as the Independent Artists Guild, CAA has influenced the development of the city's artistic growth with gusto, inspiring different artists in pursuing their creative goals.

With original members Jose Trinidad Alcoseba, Fidel Araneta, Ricardo Avila, Oscar Figuracion, Julian Jumalon, Emilio Olmos and Silvestre Orfelia, the group opened its first painting exhibit at the Fort San Pedro grounds in 1938.

This exhibit was said to be the group's first painting exhibit in Cebu, marking the organization's historic role in the local art scene.

By the 1950s, membership grew in number. Among the new recruits then were Martino Abellana, Maria Avila (the group's first female member), Virgilio Daclan, Alejandro Dacoycoy, Jose Ignacio and Mel Tamayo.

Though the group has been inactive for some time - its last exhibit prior to the current one was in 2010 yet - "A New Beginning's" presentation comes to effectively cause new shifts for the group.

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A New Beginning will run until June 12, 2014 at the Qube Gallery at The Henry Hotel, No 1 Paseo Saturina, Maria Luisa Road, Banilad. For more information, visit www.qubegallery.com or like Qube @ www.facebook.com/qubegallery