Filipino visual artist, street muralist holds first solo exhibit in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO – Filipino visual artist and street muralist Venazir Martinez holds her first solo exhibit, “Hila-Bana: Espasyo Temporal,” at the Philippine Center in San Francisco.

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco has partnered with Sentro Rizal San Francisco and the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of San Francisco (UPAASF) in hosting the launch of the art exhibit, which runs until Jan. 30.

Consul General Neil Ferrer said the art exhibit is the Consulate’s prelude to the celebration of National Arts Month in the Philippines in February 2024.

In his remarks during the exhibit opening earlier this month, Ferrer said hosting “Hila-Bana” and other art exhibits at the Philippine Center “not only gives our talented Filipino artists a platform to display their artistry and creativity to the world, but also allows us to amplify the story of the Filipino and the Filipino American community to a global audience.”

Ferrer thanked Martinez for “generously sharing her creative talent with the community and for tirelessly showcasing Filipino arts and culture to a wider public.”

Philippine Consul General Neil Ferrer (right) and UP Alumni Association of San Francisco Board Chair Eric Golangco (left) join Filipino artist Venazir Martinez in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the “Hila-Bana: Espasyo Temporal” art exhibit at the Philippine Center in San Francisco. Photo from PCGSF

“I also express my gratitude to the UPAASF for its support to emerging Filipino artists such as Venazir, and for being a reliable partner in Philippine cultural promotion and diplomacy efforts in the Bay Area,” he added.

Community leaders who attended the exhibit opening included UPAASF Board Chair Eric Golangco and Board Member Sonia Delen.

“Hila-Bana” – rooted in the Tagalog term hilbanahan (temporary stitching) – is a series of artistic reflections that delves into the complex tapestry of the Filipino people’s collective identity.

The “Hila-Bana” exhibition was first staged at Duke University in North Carolina in October 2023 in celebration of Filipino American History Month.

“The pulang sinulid (red thread) analogous to the DNA that runs through our veins, becomes a vital strand intertwining with our indigenous traditions, echoing the threads that course through the heart of our ancestral heritage,” Martinez says on her website.

“Across lived spaces, the subjects weave tales of cultural exchange, their footprints retracing the rhythm of urbanity and the ever-evolving movement of its inhabitants.”

Venazir Martinez, a visual anthropreneur and street muralist, graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines Baguio.