Exhibited:
Art Venue Gallery, Boundless Realms, Mandaluyong City, 1998

ABOUT THE WORK

In 1998, Prudencio Lamarroza mounted a solo exhibition at the Art Venue Gallery in Mandaluyong titled Boundless Realms. Among the works showcased in the show was Diwata of the Blue Mountain. Here, the diwata is as legendary as its fabled existence in the Filipino folk tradition. In Philippine mythology, the diwata is a breathtakingly beautiful woman who acts as the guardian spirit of forests and mountains. Inherently benevolent unless provoked by human greed, the diwata is the native archetypal image of Mother Earth. Emmanuel Torres writes in the exhibition catalog: "Queen or diwata, she represents a time when mankind was inextricably bonded to nature and the myths that pay homage to her largesse." The diwata is a recurring subject in Lamarroza's oeuvre. She is always shown at close range in the artist's works, emphasizing her head and upper torso. She is set against a backdrop of a mountain landscape, symbolizing her spiritual custody over the natural world. Lamarroza's diwata is rendered as a dignified, full-bodied figure, indicating her crucial role in nurturing and safeguarding her dominion and those who depend on its blessings for survival.