"Liwanag" Art Exhibit Opens at the Philippine Center in New York

(L-R) Exhibit curator Mr. Leif Miguel Martinez, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. and featured artist Maria Mari Murga during the opening reception of Liwanag. (Photo by Maria Murga)

New York City - “Liwanag,” an art exhibit by renowned Filipino- Spanish artist Maria Mari Murga, was successfully launched in the evening of 24 September, at the Lobby Gallery of the Philippine Center. The opening night was attended by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr., Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, DFA Undersecretaries Enrique Manalo and Brigido Dulay they were in New York for the UN General Assembly. Mr. Henry B. Howard of the US-Philippines Society, Mr. Luca Parolari of Pintô Museum, art enthusiasts and members of the Filipino-American community in the tri-state area likewise attended the opening ceremony.

Maria Mari Murga shares her passion for the arts during her speech at the opening reception of “Liwanag,” her solo art exhibit. (Photo by the Philippine Center New York)

“Liwanag” detailed Mari Murga’s journey to the rural parts of the Philippines, portraying Filipino farmers, fishermen and indigenous peoples going about their daily lives. Murga said that “she used her skills to showcase the daily lives of the people and scenes and put them on spotlight for the rest of the world to discover.” She hopes that her art will serve as a reminder of how vibrant and beautiful the Philippines is. Her artworks used a beautiful selection of hand carved frames from Zamboanga City.

(L-R) Exhibit curator Mr. Leif Miguel Martinez, Vice Consul Tanya O. Ramiro, Maria Mari Murga, and Potri Ranka Manis during the opening reception of Liwanag. (Photo by the Philippine Center New York)

Secretary Locsin congratulated Murga on the success of the exhibit and encouraged her to continue promoting Philippine culture and art through her works.

(L-R) Exhibit curator Mr. Leif Miguel Martinez, Maria Mari Murga, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, and US-Philippines Society Director Henry B. Howard. (Photo by the Philippine Center New York)

Murga thanked Secretary Locsin and Ambassador Romualdez for their support and for the collaboration and assistance extended by the Philippine Consulate and the Philippine Center.

DFA Undersecretary for Policy Enrique Manalo (L) with Maria Mari Murga(R) during the opening reception of Liwanag. (Photo by the Philippine Center New York)

Maria Mari Murga is a Filipino Spanish artist based in London whose origin hails from Zamboanga City. She’s the granddaughter of a WWII Bataan Death March survivor.

Maria Mari Murga during her speech at the opening reception of “Liwanag,” her solo art exhibit. (Photo by the Philippine Center New York)

The exhibit, which was co-sponsored by the US Philippine Society and co-presented by the Philippine Center New York, is open to the public until 11 October 2019.


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