Filipina artist Marina Cruz's solo exhibition opens in Taipei

Taipei, July 27 (CNA) A large solo exhibition that explores the themes of family, belongings, and home, by award-winning Philippine artist Marina Cruz, was launched in Taipei on Tuesday, when the Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts reopened after 10 weeks.

The "Tide Table" exhibition highlights Cruz's work over 20 years, focusing poignantly on her personal relationship with her home in Bulacan, a province in the Philippines about 24 kilometers north of Manila, according to the museum.

The 94 artworks on display at the Kuandu museum include canvas paintings, fabric collages, laminated photos, and embroidery, according to contemporary art platform Mind Set Art Center, one of the organizers of the exhibition.

Cruz developed a deep connection to the historical objects in her family's home, where her maternal grandmother also lived, the art center said.

Known for her photorealistic paintings of vintage clothes, Cruz highlights vintage dresses that show the fabrics' folds, creases, patterns and stitches.

Her artworks depict handmade clothes, sewn by her family, and record details of their residence, which is part of her personal history, the art center said.

In a pre-recorded video, the Philippine artist said she works with mundane objects, such as clothes, because she thinks they provide insights into human frailties, beauty and vulnerability.

"I hope people who see the works will ponder upon the idea of what a home is, or examine the belongings that we have and the ideas of being able to belong to a family or to someone." she said.

The exhibition's title "Tide Table," reflects calendar markings of high tides, which frequently cause flooding in her village, Cruz said.

"The flood doesn't come unannounced, it comes at an expected time," she said. "We just look at the table on the calendar and we know what time and how high the flood will be. It's all there."

Born in 1982 in Bulacan in the Philippines, Cruz graduated with distinction from the University of the Philippines.

In 2012, she was named as one of the 13 Artist Awardees by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She was also the Grand Prize Winner of the Philippine Art Awards and one of the Philip Morris Awards in 2008.

Her solo exhibition in Taipei, scheduled to run until Oct. 17, is curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, who will serve as the chief curator for Taiwan at the 59th International Art Exhibition, Venice Biennale 2022.

Online appointments are required to visit the Kuandu museum, because of Taiwan's current COVID-19 prevention protocols that limit indoor gatherings to 50 people at any given time.

The Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts re-opened to the public Tuesday, when Taiwan lowered its COVID-19 alert to Level 2.

The museum had been closed since May, when a national Level 3 COVID-19 alert was implemented amid a surge in domestic cases.