Arts & Culture (05/27/26)

Celeste Lecaroz displays nine-work cycle on Maria Callas

PAINTER Celeste Lecaroz has unveiled Many Marias: Callas by Lecaroz, a new cycle of five paintings and four pen-and-ink drawings focusing on the operatic soprano Maria Callas at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium Lobby, RCBC Tower, Makati. The ongoing exhibition runs through May 30 and is held in conjunction with the Philippine Opera Company’s production of Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning play Master Class, with Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo in the title role of Maria Callas. Ms. Lecaroz will be holding an artist’s reception on May 30 at 5 p.m. This being her 11^th solo exhibition, it will have an accompanying monograph published by San Anselmo Press.

Asia21 Young Leaders hold book reading, discussion

THE ASIA Society Philippines and Manila House are hosting an afternoon of conversation and storytelling on May 27, 5 p.m., at Manila House in BGC, Taguig. The event will feature Asia21 Young Leaders Quintin Pastrana, author of Ashura, and Darwin Mariano, author of Namwaran and the Golden Tara. Through a book reading and discussion, the authors will share insights into their works, creative processes, and perspectives on storytelling and contemporary Filipino literature. Light refreshments will be served. Registration rates are P500 for Asia Society Philippines members and Manila House members, and P1,000 for guests. Register via this link: https://bit.ly/TheAuthorsTable.

Salcedo Auctions opens Finer Pursuits auction exhibit

SALCEDO AUCTIONS will hold the vernissage of the Finer Pursuits exhibit on May 28, 5 to 8 p.m. The exhibit will showcase important Philippine artworks and rare collectibles, to be auctioned off in June. The event will also feature a Ballet Philippines pas de deux from the piece “Filipinescas” by National Artist Leonor Orosa Goquingco. With a dress code of cocktail chic, the vernissage will take place at the Salcedo Auctions, NEX Tower, Ayala Ave., Makati City. RSVP with Luis Espiritu at 0956-132-4784.

Joel Reglos exhibits at Gateway Gallery

FILIPINO visual artist Joel Reglos has mounted his fifth solo exhibit, Reminiscence, a visual homecoming that explores the intersection of artistic evolution and spiritual endurance. In partnership with Altro Mondo Creative Space, the exhibit serves as both a retrospective of Reglos’ foundational aesthetics and a deeply personal testimony of the faith that has sustained him. The exhibit is on view at Gateway Gallery, Quezon City, until May 29.

National Museum to hold Sansó exhibit

SANSÓ: PUSONG PILIPINO, a historic exhibit honoring an icon in Philippine Contemporary Art, Juvenal Sansó, will open on June 9 at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Luneta, Manila. The exhibition will feature 100 works by the artist, reflecting his life, times, lyrical sensibilities, and love for his beloved Philippines.

Ayala Museum hosts Agnes Locsin lecture

NATIONAL ARTIST for Dance Agnes D. Locsin will be tracing the path she took to neo-ethnic choreography in a lecture this June. It will chronicle her early exposure to Filipino dance traditions and formal training, as well as the artistic process behind her distinct movement language. She will also share stories behind key works Igorot, Bagobo, and Moslem, and her latest exploration into Neo-Ethnic Tap Dance, as part of the Ayala Museum and Filipinas Heritage Library’s heritage education series, Pamanang Pilipino. The event is made possible with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts through the Order of the National Artist program. It will be held on June 11, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Ayala Museum, Makati City, with tickets priced at P150 for students and educators, P320 for PWDs and seniors, and P450 for regular attendees, inclusive of one-day access to the museum.

9 Works Theatrical to stage mythical play

9 WORKS THEATRICAL has revealed the cast for its upcoming production, Yemaya, a Filipino translation of the play Yemaya’s Belly by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the Tony Award-winning musical In The Heights. Through a translation by Eljay Castro Deldoc and with direction by returning theater practitioner Ed Lacson, Jr., Yemaya will transform a young boy’s epic journey into a unique blend of Hudes’ vibrant Latin American roots and the shared archipelagic experience of Filipinos. Jesus/Mulo will be played by Tommy Alejandrino and Benedix Ramos; Maya will be played by Sheena Belarmino and Ness Roque; Yemaya/Inay will be played by Bituin Escalante. They will be joined by Herbie Go, Sheenly Gener, and Anthony Falcon. Yemaya will be performed on all weekends from June 13 until July 5 at The Black Box at The Proscenium Theater, Rockwell, Makati. Tickets are available on Ticket2Me.net.

SinagLarawan opens 2026 national photo contest

THE nationwide SinagLarawan Photo Contest inviting photographers across the Philippines to take part in its 2026 edition with the theme “Pagbubunyi,” asking them to capture everyday victories and the many ways Filipinos celebrate them. Now on its fourth year, the SinagLarawan Photo Contest is a Community Investment initiative of JTI Philippines. The competition aims to recognize the caliber and creativity of Filipino photographers in documenting history, preserving the different aspects of the culture, and capturing the traits and traditions that shape the Filipino identity. This year, entries will be accepted until Aug. 10. The winner will receive a P150,000 cash prize, with their photo club receiving P30,000 and a certificate. For more information and detailed contest mechanics, visit the official website at jtisinaglarawan.com.

HABI opens national piña and abaca weaving competitions

HABI: The Philippine Textile Council opens the call for entries to two of the country’s most prestigious textile competitions: the 9^th Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition and the 5^th Eloisa Hizon Gomez Abaca Weaving Competition, continuing a long-standing commitment to safeguard, celebrate, and advance the artistry of Philippine handwoven textiles. The competitions are the centerpiece events of the 16^th Likhang Habi Market Fair from Oct. 9 to 11 at Space at One Ayala, Makati City. Named after educator, cultural advocate, and author of the landmark book Piña, the Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition celebrates the craftsmanship and artistry of pineapple fiber weaving. Entries are accepted in the following categories: Liniwan, plain weave demonstrating fineness, uniformity, and technical excellence; Pure Piña, highlighting the beauty and creative potential of pure piña fiber; and Natural Fiber Blends, encouraging innovation through combinations of piña with silk, jusi, cotton, or abaca. All entries must measure at least two meters in length. Meanwhile, the Eloisa Hizon Gomez Abaca Weaving Competition welcomes entries in these categories: Resist Dye on Abaca, featuring ikat and related resist-dye techniques; Abaca Craft, showcasing craftsmanship through macramé, crochet, tatting, bobbin lace, and related techniques; and Abaca Nipis, recognizing fineness, uniformity, and weaving skill in sheer abaca cloth. All entries must be made from 100% abaca fiber and measure at least two meters in length. Winners in each category will receive cash prizes and special citations. Separately, the competition also confers two special distinctions: the Nadres Young Weaver Award and the Filip + Inna Innovation Award. All accepted entries will be exhibited at the 16^th Likhang Habi Market Fair, with the awarding ceremony for the Piña competition will be held on Oct. 10, while the Abaca competition awarding will take place on Oct. 11. The competition is open to all Filipinos residing in the Philippines. Interested parties can send their creations to the Habi office at 962 May St., Mandaluyong City before the deadline on Aug. 15. Full competition details and entry forms are available on the HABI website at www.habiphilippinetextilecouncil.com.