Tour De Force: Empowering OFs Through Art
Aiming to empower and inspire overseas Filipinos, two world-class artists flew to Dubai to collaborate and uplift the Pinoys’ spirit through brush strokes and camera snaps.
On April 1, Paris-based, award-winning artist and photographer Ryan Arbilo and UNICEF artist Cesco Concepcion unveiled their masterpieces for the pilot exhibition of the month-old “Tour De Force.”
The exhibition, held at Kris with a View on the 19 th floor of Park Regis Hotel, displayed portraits of 17 inspiring UAE-based Filipinos excelling in their respective fields including Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Ambassador Constancio Vingo, Jr. and his wife, Yoko Ramos.
Vingno didn’t forget to commend the two artists for their ingenuity and brilliant works.
“Through this exhibit, we hope that the Emiratis and other expatriates in the UAE will also see a glimpse of the creativity and excellence which makes us uniquely Filipino,” he said.
Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes, internationally acclaimed fashion designers Furne One Amato, Michael Cinco and Ezra Santos, travel editor Josh Mangila, lawyer Barney Almazar, HR director Vagelyn Federico, PR maven Ian Borromeo and other inspirational Filipinos like Teng Roma, Antoinette Gaza, Melanie Limjoco, Rex Bacarra, Jef Anog, Michael del Mar and Lou Bunyi were cited at the event for their valuable contributions to the UAE and the Filipino community.
Arbillo was responsible for taking the photographs while Cesco managed to finish the backdrop of each portrait.
Seventeen-year- old Francesca Tania Concepcion also known as Cesco, a senior at Brent School International, Manila said it took her less than a week to finish all 17 portraits.
Upon choosing the personalities, Arbillo, who has been living in Paris for the last 13 years, said he and Cesco were greatly inspired by the selected OFs’ struggles and how they managed to overcome those challenges.
“If you examine and look closely, it is defined and reflected in all strokes, colors, shapes and interpretations that we have applied to each painting,” he said.
According to Mabu Concepcion, Manila-based director of Tour De Force, the exhibition was created to celebrate the triumph of OFs.
“Nobody knows their story so what do we do? We tell the story to the whole world that they are not forgotten, that they will always be supported, exalted and recognized. With that, we have carefully screened and selected personalities in the UAE community who have raised the bars of excellence in their respective fields,”
Concepcion said.
With the success of the Dubai stint, Concepcion said they are arranging a similar event to be held in Abu Dhabi.
Arbillo is also ecstatic about the future exhibitions of the team.
“We are also looking forward to having the same impact in other cities such as Paris, New York, London, Oslo, Hong Kong and hopefully, in our own special way, we bring hope and inspire Filipinos in every corner of the world,” Arbillo said.
(Source: FilipinoTimes.ae)