A community is often defined as a group of people living in the same place or having similar particular characteristics which set them apart, such as a common language, culture, physical traits or values. Our country boasts of hundreds of communities based on language groups, for example, which do not necessarily coincide with geographically and politically delineated territories of province or region.
One such community is that of our Chinese Filipino community which has contributed so much to our Pinoy culture that we often fail to see as many of their contributions have been so deeply ingrained. And yet, despite the more than half a millennium of constant integration and reintegration, and the direct and indirect participation of the Chinese Filipinos in our economic, political, and cultural patrimony, the Chinoy community still retain some cultural ways that still set them apart from other cultural communities in the country.
The Chinese Lunar New Year is one of those events which highlight how different the community is to other communities in the country. Celebrating the start of a new year based on the moon’s cycle, as opposed to the sun’s, shows a difference in orientation and in the celebratory customs as well.
The incoming year of the Water Rabbit is marked by Art Lounge Manila with the Chinoy community through “Auspicious Beginnings 8+8” to convey the wish of good luck, peace, stability, and prosperity that the year of the Rabbit is said to bring. Comprising of a great selection of Chinoy artists brought together by visual artist Addie Cukingnan, the audience is treated to the wide array of subjects and styles Chinoy contemporary artists, as opposed to their traditional counterparts who may be more focused on traditional Chinese visual art media of ink and paper.
The exhibition features the works of Cukingnan, Meneline Wong, Charlie Co, Ronnie Lim. Dexter Sy, Rudy Yu, Ed Uygongco, Seb Chua, Elena Coyiuto, Tracie Anglo Dizon, Jo Uygongco, Victor Ng, Kylo Yu, Winna Go, and Margarita Lim. It will run from January 18 — 31, 2022 at Art Lounge Manila — Podium, Ortigas Center.
