Award winning painter Ana Algabre Hernandez is the featured artist of Asian Social Institute (ASI) as it opens its art gallery at the 3rd floor of its Leon Guinto campus on Friday.
Dubbed as “Paraluman,” on display are paintings depicting women in Filipiniana — a subject which Hernandez can easily connect and is confident about by heart.
“I create not as a hobby nor for profit, but for a purpose—to evoke empowerment, goodwill, and love for culture and identity,” she said.
Coming from a family of artists – with her dad a prolific sculptor and water colorist and her mom into fashion design during her time, Hernandez grew up literally breathing art.
A diplomat’s wife — the better half of former Foreign Affairs Spokesperson and now Philippine Ambassador to Oman Raul Hernandez — Ana is elated to top the list of ASI’s lineup of artists.
“I am happy to serve with their purpose,” she said.
A portion of her artworks’ sales will be donated to ASI’s scholarship fund and Ana is taking the lead with the hope that “more artists will follow and help ASI.”
ASI, an Asian graduate school of social transformative praxis towards justice, peace and integrity of creation opened its art gallery called “Hinga” (breathe) to serve as home to the many pieces and collections of artworks from the institute’s students and alumni, and a venue for art exhibitions such as “Paraluman.”
According to former National Commission for Culture and the Arts chairperson and ASI President Felipe De Leon Jr., art is a representation of one’s identity and will surely play a big part of ASI’s activity from hereon.
The Paraluman Exhibit, which runs until end June, can be viewed at “Hinga” gallery (located at the 3rd floor) of ASI.
ASI is located at 1518 Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila.
