FEMME: Women in Art was an exhibition organized by the Naga City Arts and Culture Coalition in partnership with Zonta Club of Naga and Camarines Sur. It brought together twelve Bicolana artists in a powerful showcase of talent, identity, and purpose. Held at Villa Caceres Hotel in Naga City, the exhibit ran from March 16 to 31, 2025, with the artists reception on March 15. The exhibit’s opening was graced by special guests, including actress and singer Nadine Lustre, former Senator Leila de Lima, and former Vice President of the Philippines, Atty. Leni Robredo.

FEMME showcased twelve incredibly talented Bicolana artists, namely: Apz, Bidibidi, Cris, Deejai, Dapni, Dianne, Ezra, Gemm, Kaira, Katrina, Maria, and Patpourri. Each possesses a unique voice and vision, empowering and inspiring others to use art as a powerful tool for change. Held in time for the celebration of March 2025 Women’s Month, the exhibition will support the artists efforts in advocating women’s rights and empowerment. The event was conceptualized by Patricia Q. Yangco who also curated the featured artworks.

Curatorial Rationale

Credit: Josephine Bautista

These bodies of works follow the exhibition title: Femme. Historically, around a century back, femme emerged from nonbinary gender and a legacy of queer, working-class, and radical communities where gender expression is fluid and self-defined (e.g. not exclusively “fem”, shorthand for “feminine”; as a sexual identity). It is intertwined with the experiences of trauma survivors, sex workers, gender/sexuality liberation riots, disability, material accessibilities, and disability justice, working-class and labor organization, and antifascism (e.g. in “femme fatale” or ‘fatal woman’, following survivors of sexual assault; [its cultural context descending from trauma and pain: A way to set–and enforce–boundaries on how others are allowed to approach and interact with oneself]). Of the stories and conceptualizations, we tell ourselves under control and moving for the freedom and resistance against being controlled; Femme is not “determined”, but a matter of self-identity and community.

Femme is about taking control of identity and presentation—about saying, “I am this way precisely because I chose to, and no other reason.” It’s a rejection of social systems that try to and have tried to force people into narrow, reductive boxes—systems that are ableist, transphobic, segregative, homophobic, misogynistic, and fundamentally rooted in colonial control. Artificial systems that dictate what one can ‘only’ be, and not the living diversity that belies culture.

Femme imagines and forwards an exploration of identity, presence, and self-determination—what is personally valued and modeling the possibilities of what can be valued; an assertion that expression is not just aesthetic but a lived experience shaped by personal and collective histories unbound by conventional familiarity. Expounding on what femme meant leads to more insight into how culture has affected language and thus its depth of imagination.

In this exhibition, it is intended for the audience to join the artists on the journey of exploring the concept of identity. Through seeing the exploration of identity by the twelve artists’ works, it is hoped that the audience reflects on their own experiences and sees that mental space present to self-explore with their own identity and the identities of the people around them, especially concerning their cultures, curiosities, and the presence of one’s control in affecting one’s personal time for exploring these spaces. Imagination is a personal resource: Identity and culture are complex, living structures; in viewing art, moving into that mental space for self-reflection is intended. Art is inherent to all peoples; their value comes from living experience. Thus, it is hoped that this exhibition will create opportunities for the audience (of all ages) to remark more upon their own identities, and to appreciate the unique cultures and backgrounds that they all come from—since we are living in our own histories and are models of possibilities by existing.

The Bikol Artists of FEMME

Apz

Ako si Jang, admin of a Perfect Heart PH, an art and merch group, describes the artist Apz Cabalquinto, “Her art weaves together delicate femininity, dreamy florals, and a touch of gothic allure.” Expressing her fascination, she continues, “Although APZ is a self-taught artist, her mastery of watercolor techniques is evident in every brushstroke. Her process is one of quiet exploration and constant growth, as she pushes the boundaries of what watercolor can achieve in capturing both light and shadow. Her unique approach blends traditional styles with her own imaginative twists, inviting viewers into a world where beauty and mystery coexist.”

Bibibidi

Bernardette “Bidibidi” de los Santos is recognized for the bold, boundless, and vivid colors of her floral and abstract paintings. In her solo exhibit “This is It” at the Art Lounge in Manila, she showcased a more delicate side to her creations through colorful hand-made embroidery embedded in a soft lush scape of nature, lush foliage, and a subtle rendition of what the artist imagines to be a forest, above ground and underwater. Bidibidi’s passionate yet gracious personality is reflected in the art collection, creating a dynamic and engaging experience. Based in Baao, Camarines Sur, she describes herself as artist, a farmer, an environmentalist and an entrepreneur.

Cris

Cris Fragata Gomez is a versatile artist brimming with passion for her craft. She draws inspiration from her family. Motivated and encouraged by her spouse, visual artist Harold Gomez, she has first found profound fulfillment in painting and have expanded her repertoire to include sculpting. Progressing at her own pace, her works embody the essence of a woman who has blossomed into a mature artist and individual. Armed with oil and acrylics, she have crafted undulating asymmetrical lines, often mirroring flower stems and buds, vine tendrils, and other delicate, sinuous natural elements. Now she has turned her creativity to sculpting, even as she fulfills the myriad roles of an artist, wife, and mother.

Dapni

Abstract painter Neil Jordan N. Jerusalem has written about Dapni (Megan Daphne Victoria), an emerging self-taught pop-surrealism artist from Pilar, Sorsogon. In a FB post for “Parallel Worlds,” an art show by Pasakalye Black Box Art Studio, which featured the art of Dapni, he says, “Combining her love for baking and painting, she is slowly developing a style where two of her passions meet. Her work is mostly inspired by her childhood favorite movies and fairy tales. Dapni also likes to incorporate her fascination with eyes in her pieces. She wants the viewers to be lost in the depths of the eyes of her characters to fully experience what she truly wants to convey.”

Deejai

Art critic and culture advocate Dennis B. Gonzaga describes Dee Jai (Djoanna B. Tanji) as one noteworthy visual artist from Albay. She has become recognizable not only through her aesthetics but through her influence in social and cultural work. Her works on canvas have been translated and transmitted into other mediums and platforms, and she continues to be a prolific artist confident and secure in her visual signature and in her audience. She is a recent recipient of the 2025 Mukna Creative Award for visual arts (painting and drawing). She was a member of the Executive Committee behind the successful production of Joroan, A Bicol Musical, held in May 2024 in Legazpi City. (For health reasons, Deejai could not attend the art exhibit.)

Dianne

A Filipino-Scottish visual artist, illustrator and writer from Talisay, Camarines Norte, who has lived in different countries, Dianne MacGowan brings with her a multi-cultural perspective on her life and art. Her cotton-candy and surreal world is philosophically influenced by the strange and surreal universe of Alice in Wonderland. Niche Art Bazaar notes about her art that there is dark humor buried under the pastel colors, animal personification, poetic tone, flora and fauna throughout her whimsical paintings. Dianne is a full-time graphic designer and an undergrad at the Ateneo de Naga University’s Digital Illustration and Animation program. She did the graphic design and illustrations for the Femme event.

Ezra

Ezra Carullo writes about her craft, “My painting process has always been a roller coaster ride of emotions, a feeling of frustration and satisfaction in a matter of seconds. I always want to create art that portrays the feeling of being embraced by them—the desire to zoom in on every detail they hold. Lately, I’ve been really into dark hues, glowing effects, forests, lakes, and lilies, and in the future I want to continue exploring those elements and maybe, just maybe, that’s where my heart belongs.” She says of her featured painting titled Of Love and Other Shadow, “A story of hidden love and self-discovery.”

Gemm

Gemmalyn V. Padilla, born and raised in Sipocot, Camarines Sur, has been interested in drawings at a young age. Her influence includes comics and Japanese anime. After high school, Gemm developed her drawing skills in drafting, continuing to college at CSSAC, now Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), where she took up BS Industrial Technology. She worked in Studio D, an animation studio in Manila, a subcontractor of Toei Animation Philippines, where she contributed to animé shows like One Piece, Digimon, Dragon Ball Z movies. As a member of Salingoy Art Group since 2015, she has engaged in activities such as facilitating workshops and coaching students in comic art.

Kaira

Kaira (Kyla Ensoya) is a young self-taught artist who specializes in acrylic painting. Hailing from Calabanga, Camarines Sur, her artistic journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by Renaissance art and sculptures, she explores these themes in her work. She invites her viewers to connect with her paintings and feel a sense of curiosity and emotion. Through her art she hopes express feelings within her that can be hard to describe. She also creates pencil portraits, coffee painting, watercolor painting, charcoal painting (wood), and digital painting. She has participated in art exhibits in Calabanga and Naga City.

Katrina

Katrina Cabral, an energetic and ever-curious young artist from Naga City, enjoys using traditional and digital art mediums. Her canvas leans on realism and surrealism, whereas her sketchpads brim with animal, plant, and human anatomical studies and seascapes. She has been featured in multiple art exhibitions within and beyond the region. Her multifaceted aptitude has led her to work in medicine, print media, and journalism. Despite her meek nature, she has proven herself as a powerful speaker, journalist, student-scientist, and passionate artist.

Maria

Categorized as hand-built and high-fired stoneware, MariA Magdamit’s exquisite creations are characterized by allegorical themes and coralesque detailing that evoke a sense of enchantment and wonder. Her Diwata Series, inspired by Filipino folklore, serves as a tribute to the guardians of nature, embodying her deep reverence for the environment. Her works are characterized with dreamy impressionism and enriched with layers of vividness. The production of these fragile stoneware is rigorous, but the artist from Daraga, Albay, says she enjoys every meticulous step of the way.

Patpourri

Patricia “Patpourri” Yangco is a multi-disciplinary artist and illustrator. Passionate about creating beautiful and evocative art, she is proficient in digital and traditional mediums and wholeheartedly enjoys the creative process. Her educational attainment, achieved locally and abroad, attests to her steady and consistent work ethic. As a freelancer, she has undertaken both commercial and personal licensed work. Aside from the arts, she keeps busy with baking, gardening and swimming, but seeks relaxation in the company of her cats. She curated the art works featured in the Femme art exhibit.

Featured Art Works

The header features a photo by Kyna de Castro. This article was written by Jojo De Jesus for Dateline Ibalon based on materials provided by Patricia Yangco, the Naga City Arts and Culture Coalition (NACC), and the Zonta Club of Naga and Camarines Sur on their FB pages.

Art Purchase Inquiries

Please contact Patricia “Patpourri” Yangco, the exhibit curator – email: irruoptap@gmail.com; phone: +63 912 426-0988