?A MARIAN exhibit, Our Lady and the Saints of the Rosary,? will open September 24 at the UST Parish of Santisimo Rosario on the vast University of Santo Tomas campus along España Boulevard.
The exhibit (tel. 731-3062) runs until October 11 at the Parish Hallway. Reverend Father Franklin Beltran, OP, the new parish priest, is the project chair.
Rei Nicolas, an alumnus of the UST College of Fine Arts, is in charge of the entire design and layout of the exhibit. It will feature various images from the collections of Tom Joven, Jerome de Jesus, John Enriquez, Noel Abquilan, Jun Manahan, Doctor Norby Martinez, Father Aloy Aliño, Father Roland Castro, OP, and Father Roland de la Rosa, OP.
The exhibit is Nicolas? fifth show in UST after a successful series of seven exhibits during the La Naval Centennial celebrations. Nicolas, a production designer by profession, has mounted 30 exhibits since he started in 1980 at the Oblate Church of Our Lady of Grace in Caloocan City.
Unique to this year?s exhibit are commissioned works never before seen in public. They include Navotas master carver-encarnador Beto Panganiban?s San Alberto Magno in polychrome wood; and a bas-relief of the martyrs of China by Luis Ac-ac of Paete, Laguna.
Ac-ac?s 24 mini-versions in bas-relief of the images that participate in the grand La Naval procession of Sto. Domingo Church will also be a part of the exhibit.
Adding a bit of nostalgic charm to the visual presentation are various representations of the Sto. Rosario from the primitive to the classical style both in wood and ivory. Rare prints and paintings from the 19th century, a few pieces of Peruvian Cusco paintings and some La Naval memorabilia in ivory will also be shown.
Bishop Rodolfo Beltran of Bontoc-Lagawe will inaugurate the exhibit to be assisted by the prior of the St. Thomas Aquinas Convent, Father Rodel Aligan, OP, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, and Representative Trisha-Bonoan David.
Tenor Rheez Chua will render arias of Santiago and Buencamino in honor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
The project is supported by the Parish Pastoral council headed by Didi Rabuco and assisted by Matt Bonifacio and Peter Paul Nicolas. Overall coordinator and graphic artist is James Patrick Jaring.
