BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO

Twenty-five Negrense artists are participating in the Gibwang Art Exhibit in line with the 25th anniversary of the Negros Museum that opened Wednesday and will run until August 17.
They are Charlie Co, Dennis Ascalon, Rodney Martinez, Nunelucio Alvarado, Leah Divino-Samson, Sony Golez, Raymund Legaspi, Antonio Tejado, Erika Mayo, Angela Silva, Guenivere Decena, Tey Sevilleno, Edsie Sazon Valladarez, Stella Saturnino, Rosendo Aguilar, Roedil “Joe” Geraldo, Edbon Sevilleno, Barry Cervantes, Darel Javier, Fred Orig, Dennis Valenciano, Edmund Bacia, Daryl Feril, Revo Yanson, Ian Valladarez, Burog Alvarado and Liezel Lacsao-Dator.
Guests of honor at the opening were Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez.





Negros Cultural Foundation, Inc. president Lyn Gamboa said Gibwang is onomatopoeic for it connotes a journey through a narrow passageway only to burst out into a bigger space. Gibwang is a Hiligaynon term to describe the flow of one body of water into another like the river emptying into the sea.
Gamboa said the Negros Museum, just like the rest of the country, experienced a restriction of its world in 2020 and 2021.
“The standstill taught us to keep our hopes high, just to let be, and allow Divine Providence to show the way through this tight passage,” she said.





“Today, we officially celebrate our rebirth by flinging open our doors – the doors to the Cinematheque to make the public experience again film viewing in a real theater, the doors of our museum to guests hungry for real cultural venues, and the doors to the artistic expression of the world-renowned talents of our Negrense artists,” she said.
Gamboa added “We have all survived and even thrived. While the world was at a standstill, our artists have never laid down their tools, continued to produce, and supported the museum with our invitation to be part of their celebration.”*