Agnes Arellano Holds Pleiades Exhibition at Pinto Art Museum

From November 6 to December 6, Pinto Art Museum welcomes Agnes Arellano's new renditions of one of her important sculpture series dedicated to the Sacred Feminine

Known as the most visible constellation in the night sky after Orion, Pleiades is dubbed as the "Seven Sisters" since ancient times. Renowned Filipino artist Agnes Arellano made this constellation her inspiration for her continuing sculpture series that began back in 2017 and was seen again the year after. For the sculptor who has been known in the Philippine art scene as one of its stellar icons, her pursuit of understanding and interpreting the Pleiades is a manifestation of her lifelong search for the Sacred Feminine.

Six of the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades constellation can be seen with the naked eye every night. Thus, Arellano interpreted the stars as personifications of the Sacred Feminine across world cultures, but having the same face and cast from the same body which is hers. "Each one bears a message from the heavens," Arellano wrote in her exhibition notes. She started in 2017 with just four and now has two more additions to complete the six.

Above Children tossing stars (loose rhinestones) at the pregnant lost pleiad Haliya. Behind are sister Pleiads Kali (in blue) and Dakini (in vermillion, hovering above). (Photo: Windi Tapawan)

Children tossing stars (loose rhinestones) at the pregnant lost pleiad Haliya. Behind are sister Pleiads Kali (in blue) and Dakini (in vermillion, hovering above). (Photo: Windi Tapawan)

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Dakini, the tantric sky dancer, is the female embodiment of enlightenment. For this new exhibition at Pinto Art Museum, Dakini dons a vermillion colour for the first time. Below her on the ground is an inverted triangle.

In literature, particularly in some Hindu and Buddhist traditions, dakinis are feared to be flesh-eating demonesses. However, in Tantric literature and Tibetan Buddhism, Dakinis is the name of a goddess often associated with one of the six chakras of the human body. She is referred to as the fierce-looking female embodiment of enlightened energy. Because of this, Arellano would always make her in every exhibition hovering in the centre above.

Above "Kali" Goddess of Death and Destruction and Time, after her rampage, wields a Kalinga axe. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

"Kali" Goddess of Death and Destruction and Time, after her rampage, wields a Kalinga axe. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

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Kali, meanwhile, proudly stands in blue colour. This Hindu goddess is considered to have the ultimate power of time, destruction, and change. Emerging from Shiva, Kali is known as the Mother of the Universe and is believed to destroy evil in order to protect the innocent.

Arellano portrays her not with her usual protruding tongue but with fangs. She is blue from having consumed the poison of the monsters that she had just defeated. "At her feet lie the limbs of young children killed in her rampage," Arellano wrote.

Above "Inanna", cast stone, verdigris and gold wax. Multibreasted tamaraw goddess Inanna carries a Sacred Knot and a conch shell to signify Sound, the beginning of all creation (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

"Inanna", cast stone, verdigris and gold wax. Multibreasted tamaraw goddess Inanna carries a Sacred Knot and a conch shell to signify Sound, the beginning of all creation (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

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Arellano's horned and hooved Inanna with many breasts bears the colour of nature, which is green. Having tamaraw hooves and horns, she is interpreted as a representation of the critically endangered species of tamaraw. Hence she stands above a mound of tamaraw horns, a reminder of the slaughter of this species. In ancient Mesopotamian tradition, Inanna is the goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also known as the "Queen of Heaven" and as "Ishtar" in other nations.

Above The "Black Magdalene" with the wounds of the crucifixion on her palms. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

The "Black Magdalene" with the wounds of the crucifixion on her palms. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

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Magdalene in this Pleiades exhibition wears the colour Black, in correspondence to the ancient tradition of the black colour symbolising wisdom. Arellano interprets her as the Egyptian goddess Isis reborn, with a serpent cradling the cranial protuberance on her head. "Her hands and feet bear the wounds of Jesus Christ after Crucifixion; her belly, his fruit. At her feet lies a mound of skulls," Arellano wrote.

Above Billy Bonevie laying down Eshu's bed of red volcanic cinder. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

Billy Bonevie laying down Eshu's bed of red volcanic cinder. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)

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Eshu, the Lady of the Crossroads and mediatrix between gods and men according to West African, Caribbean, and South American traditions, lies on a bed of red volcanic cinder surrounded by lizards that symbolise memory. "Eshu holds a cigar and a wine bottle, for tobacco and alcohol are habits she has retained in order to be better attuned to the astral plane of humans. Her living trident is used for lifting human garbage."

Lastly, the Moon Goddess of Bicol lies on a bed of white crushed marble near Dakini. She is pregnant, bearing the child of her union with the earthman from the sacred spring. "Her hand rests on her belly while she contemplates the fate of the demigod inside her," Arellano wrote.

Above The artist reviews the layout of her floor altar entitled "Song of Haliya". The Bicol Goddess of the Moon lies on her bed of crushed marble surrounded by ripples forming a musical stave with omphalos notes that compose a melody. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo.)

The artist reviews the layout of her floor altar entitled "Song of Haliya". The Bicol Goddess of the Moon lies on her bed of crushed marble surrounded by ripples forming a musical stave with omphalos notes that compose a melody. (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo.)

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Arellano needs no introduction. The award-winning artist who came from a lineage of revered architects carved her own name in the Philippine art scene as founder and president of the artist-run space Pinaglabanan Galleries, which was only active in the '80s but launched the careers of many artists today, and also designed memorable stage sets for Anton Juan's Death in the Form of a Rose at UP Diliman, Trilohiya, a dance theatre on lahar, and a Neo-Filipino ballet of Denisa Reyes. Her sculptures have been exhibited locally and internationally, with some now part of permanent collections in distinguished museums like Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, the Singapore Art Museum, and the APEC Sculpture Park by the Naru River in Busan, South Korea.

"In a world that has long been dominated by patriarchal values, the Pleiades hopes to awaken the Sacred Feminine in all of us," Arellano wrote. "The goddesses are here to help us recall ancient values of nurturing, inclusivity, generosity, compassion and caring. War is everywhere, and the only way we can counter it is to delve deep within ourselves to rediscover the importance of Love over intellectual pride and supremacy."

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Franz Sorilla IV

Art and Culture Editor, Tatler Philippines

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Before assuming the Art and Culture Editor position, Franz has always had a penchant for visual and performing arts. He is passionate about exploring and writing about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright.

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Franz earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas. He writes about local visual and performing artists and their craft; drinks wines, liquors, and spirits and talks about the creativity of their respective winemakers and master blenders; tries to learn more about business and investments; respects the tradition and artistry that go behind the making of watches and jewellery; and appreciates the genius of architecture and creative design.

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