ART CAPITAL 2025
Art Capital is a prestigious art fair that unites four iconic salons — the Salon des Artistes Indépendants, the Salon des Artistes Français, the Salon Comparaisons, and the Salon du Dessin et de la Peinture à l’Eau. Held at the Grand Palais, this unique event highlights both emerging talents and established artists, offering the public, gallery owners, collectors, and art enthusiasts an exceptional opportunity to discover the diversity and vitality of contemporary creation.
This year, one particular corner of the exhibition drew more than its fair share of attention.
Beneath a banner reading “EAU La La! ART for Life in the Ocean,” a kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and stories unfolded like an underwater tapestry. The exhibit was more than a showcase; it was a call to action — a plea whispered in paint, ink, and canvas.
At the center of it all stood two Filipino artists, Margo Calderero-Le Lain and H.E. Junever Mahilum-West.
Their hands paint-speckled and hearts brimming with purpose. For them, this was no ordinary exhibit — this was a conversation with the sea itself. Margo and JC’s bold composition swirled like currents, their canvases capturing the delicate dance between humanity and the ocean. In deep blues and star-like paint that dances underneath the seas. Beside her, Junever’s fish-inspired works shimmered like scales in the sunlight, each piece a silent tribute to Kumataro Ito, the Japanese artist who once documented the rich marine life of the Philippines. Through Junever’s hands, those species came alive once more — ghostly reminders of what we stand to protect.
But they were not alone in this creative tide as fellow artist from around the world participated under one advocacy.
Cici Lane, the Filipina-British illustrator and UST Alumni, attracted visitors by her abstract piece mimicking the vast deepness of the ocean. The last unknown territory on earth.
From Marseille, Corinne Pirault painted the sea in bursts of tropical hues, drawing on her love for Central American art.
A self-taught painter, whose main influences come from Niki de Saint Phale, Frida Kahlo. She has always been very inspired by Mexican murals, Guatemalan, Caribbean painting, Haitian, and Congolese painters. Like them, she relies on bright, joyful and sparkling colors to soothe the scenes she paints and to lead to reflection and exchange.
But they were not Nearby, the mother-son duo Edd & Skopit
The tandem creates a mesmerizing piece of sea creatures that also symbolized a community within. Each fragment a reminder that what happens on land always touches the sea.
Undeniable talents hailing from the South-East
From Singapore, Hai Hiang Lee offered bold works that shouted for unity, while Hong Mooi Chuan let her elegant calligraphy flow like tides across the page. Hwee Tiong Lim, with his mastery of watercolor, captured fleeting moments of ocean serenity — precious because they are vanishing.
At the center stood Harold Khan, his Filipino-Singaporean heritage evident in his vibrant, anime-inspired works.
Depicting Amansinaya, the fisherman’s deity of the early Tagalogs. Legends tell the story of Amansinaya being the soul of a maiden who was drowned and became an anito (deity) of the water. The belief is that a prayer is recited to Amansináyà by fishermen. Before they cast their net or their line, they whistle and say: “Kasumpâ akó; nawáỳ diriyán. = I am your sworn friend; let it be there.” A stark reminder that the sea is our friend that should be respected and treated well.
The day also marked Philippine Art Month, celebrating the country’s rich creative history
Filipinos from around the world joined this years Art Capital serves as a reminder that cultural heritage and environmental stewardship walk hand in hand. Participating artists such as Karen Fabie Concepcion, Myse Salonga, Day Pajarillo, Bong Canuel, Chelony Mercado-Lelieveld, Aurea “Oyette” Calanog, Jovelyn Medalle, James Ryan C. Buenacosa, Atty. Tei Leonardo, Marietherese Villa, Carmela Geisert, Marievic Beaune contributed in making this prestigious event much more memorable.
Sandra Distabile, a talented artist from Comiso, Italy
Her commitment to the arts is evident through her active participation in various international exhibitions. Notably, she was among the 61 artists from 12 different countries who showcased their work at the “Beniamino Gigli” International Collective Art exhibition in Comiso.
improntamagazine.it Her contributions to the art community have been recognized with several accolades, including the International Critics Award at the “La magia dei colori nel cuore del Gattopardo” biennale.
quotidianodiragusa.it Sandra’s artistic journey reflects her deep-rooted passion and the recognition she has garnered on international platforms.