HERstory: Life from the Perspective of Women

CEBU, Philippines - In a time when the anchors of our rainbow connections are defined by the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, the sharing of stories has somewhat become a trivial affair - at times relegated as a form of entertainment for the bored and aimless.

From pointless selfies posted every five minutes to uninteresting photo-narratives of what someone had for lunch, one can't help but wrap a semblance of crass around the "hot topics" in social media threads - considering how most posts of such caliber are made to simply call for attention without any ties to sincere storytelling's metaphorical strings.

Thankfully, social media platforms are not the only avenues where stories can be heard - as exemplified by the art exhibit "HERstory."

Opening on June 14 in the 3rd level of the Ayala Center Cebu's new expansion, "HERstory" stems from its exhibiting artists' observations of the ongoing shifts and changes in the local creative landscape, where visual artists - regardless of gender - are maestros and superstars-in-the-making by their own accord.

Collecting more than 35 paintings and mixed media pieces, the show's overall presentation does not exactly revolve around the traditional markers of femininity, but is focused on the telling of stories that are worth retelling - "her" story, in particular.

In Karby Beloy's "Letter from Mama" - one of the exhibit's featured works - viewers are brought to a story where the fields of possibilities is its setting - a tale whose treatment and delivery is mirrored in Sonia de la Torre Yrastorza's "Living the Dream".

In "I Am Me" by Palmy Pe-Tudtud, audiences get to hear the story of the frail vessel of love; whose words may be young, but has passions that are ancient.

In Gigi Ocampo's "Usa sa Duha I," a casual observer gets to hear the story of the woman on the edge of everything; worn down by society's blustering mores and norms, yet is still keen on never giving up.

This tale is complemented by the companion piece "Usa sa Duha II," which tells the story of the woman who is tattered by her emotional shields; made too tired for fighting for a cause, too slow to live up to expectations, too empty for love.

Individually, "HERstory's" presented works have their own tales to tell, beholden to unraveling the masks that can be found behind well-groomed facades.

Collectively, however, the exhibit does not exactly tell a story, as it heralds how empowerment is not a privilege but a choice for everyone - regardless of one's gender. (FREEMAN)