León Gallery benefit blends art, love for animals

Insider Spotlight

• Filipino artists are turning their creativity into support for animals through León Gallery and Biyaya Animal Care Foundation’s Art Fur All Kinds
• Nearly 80 artworks from 65 artists will be offered, with up to 100 percent of proceeds from each work sold supporting the Bahay Biyaya capital campaign
• The week-long Makati exhibition celebrates two passions close to many Filipinos—the arts and treating animals as part of the family
  
  
  
  

A love for art and animals is bringing together some of the Philippines’ leading artists for Art Fur All Kinds, a charity exhibition and sale that turns creativity into tangible care for furry companions.

León Gallery and Biyaya Animal Care Foundation Inc. (BACFI) are mounting the week-long exhibition under the theme “Compassion Has an Address,” with nearly 80 works donated by 65 Filipino artists.

Art with a heart

The participating artists include Alfredo Aquilizan and Isabel Aquilizan, Annie Cabigting, Geraldine Javier, Kawayan de Guia, Manuel Ocampo, Maria Taniguchi, Mariano Ching, Raffy Napay, Rodel Tapaya, Winnie Go, Wire Tuazon and Yasmin Sison.

Up to 100 percent of proceeds from every artwork sold will go directly to BACFI’s Bahay Biyaya capital campaign, which seeks to build a permanent home and headquarters for the foundation’s animal welfare work.

"Compassion has always existed, and now we're giving it an address," said the Biyaya Animal Care Foundation.

Why it matters

Bahay Biyaya is envisioned not simply as another shelter but as a permanent center where animal prevention, treatment, education, training, adoption and community programs can grow.

For León Gallery, the partnership also taps into Filipinos’ long-standing affection for animals and the increasingly familiar place of pets within Filipino families.

"Filipinos are very much known for their love and compassion for animals," León Gallery director Jaime Ponce de Leon said. "Our history has shown that we have always held animals in high regard, especially during pre-colonial times when our ancestors revered and venerated them as great forces of nature. Even today, we treat our pet animals as our very own family members, and family is the most important in our lives."

The big picture

The benefit extends León Gallery’s use of art to support social causes, following charity initiatives for education, Filipino scholars, arts practitioners and persons deprived of liberty.

This time, the canvas becomes a bridge between two communities—people who value Filipino creativity and those working to give animals lasting care.

Art Fur All Kinds opens Sept. 21 at León Gallery in Legazpi Village, Makati City, with private gallery walkthroughs led by BACFI co-founder and president Rina Ortiz from Sept. 22 to 25. — Ramon C. Nocon | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma