ABOUT THE WORK

The image is the artist’s take on the subject of Flora the Greek goddess of flower. The artist gives it a Filipino context with the portrait of a Filipina surrounded by hibiscus rosa (gumamela), a common tropical flower. As consistent in her portrayal of the woman, the artist tackles the ‘image’ of the Filipina, the brown race, asserting a sense of strength and substance in all its femininity in the way she portrays her. One important element in this work as in her other portraits is again the mysterious gaze of the woman. Abano, a printmaker is known for her large format woodcuts. To date, this is yet her biggest work printed on handmade paper specially produced by Japanese paper maker, Asao Shimura. This particular work is her first print among a limited variation prints of four in various shades, printed from a 6 feet by 4 feet wood. Only three were printed on handmade paper.