Artists from Lopez, Quezon are holding the exhibit, “Gango at Suwi tungo sa Pagtuyag,” at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Gallery in Intramuros, Manila.

“Gango” is a Tagalog word which means mature; it especially refers to the coconut, the main product of Quezon province.
“Suwi” means a very young plant, or a shoot, like the banana’s.

The artists chose to be represented by these words as their place is naturally rich in agriculture—to showcase their art and culture that had been preserved from precolonial time up to the present.

It is also to give tribute to their ancestors who petitioned the Spanish government in the Philippines for the town of Talolong to be separated from the then mother town of Gumaca on June 30,1857.

This year marks the 160th anniversary of the town of Talolong, Tayabas, which is now known as Lopez, Quezon.

Mature and young

“Gango” and “suwi” stand for the mature and young artists whose works are in this exhibition. “Pagtuyag,” on the other hand, is a Tagalog word meaning “to soar,” meaning both old and new artists are working for Philippine and local culture and arts to soar.

Exhibition also celebrates Lopenze’s indigenous Tagalog as many of their words are not yet included in any Filipino dictionary. The words are the main focus of this exhibition that employs the ancient art of ekphrasis—literature and words inspired the paintings which in turn produced ekphrastic poems using Talolong Tagalog, now popularly known as Salitang Lopez.

The 13 artists and their disciplines are Tres Roman (figurative expressionism), Mariano Sayno (expressionism in mixed media), Melo Valencia (cubism), Analuz Reynales (realism), Justine Olivarez (realism), Lhane Arenque (surrealism), Cherryl Valencia (realism), Jopz Bunag (figurative expressionism), Tito Loreto (abstractionism), Jaymar Valdoria (figurative abstract expressionism), Neil Folloso (figurative abstract expressionism), Anod Arroyo (expressionist sculpture) and Gem Suguitan (literature).

“Gango at Suwi Tungo sa Pagtuyag” joins the nation in celebration of Buwan ng Wika (Proclamation No. 1014) and the 138th birth anniversary of President Manuel L. Quezon, known as “Ama ng Wikang Pambansa” after who the province of Quezon was named. —CONTRIBUTED

“Gango at Suwi Tungo sa Pagtuyag” is on view at the NCCA Gallery, G/F NCCA Building, 633 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila. Call 5272205; e-mail [email protected]. Exhibit runs until Aug. 31.