Sihay

As an advocate of the Philippine Botanical Art Society, I recently participated in my first exhibit of the year. The botanical art exhibit Philippine Flora in Toponyms features my botanical painting of Mauini (Strongylodon elmeri) from which the name of the place, Tamauini, Isabela, was derived.

From May 21 to 31, 2024, The Manila Hotel Art Gallery exhibited artworks of flora species from which some of the places in the Philippines were named. Philippine Flora in Toponyms is a collaboration between the Philippine Botanical Art Society (PhilBAS), the UP Manila Museum of A History of Ideas (UPM-MHI), and The Faura Project. It aims to educate our fellowmen about the rich natural heritage of our country and instill awareness about the importance of its conservation. Philippine Flora in Toponyms is the culminating activity of the UP Manila Museum of A History of Ideas’ 2024 International Flores de Mayo Festival and Conference, a celebration of both natural and cultural heritage through various activities such as academic conferences, art competitions, community fairs, and heritage trail walks.

There are ways to memorialize the fleeting beauty of the Philippine flora; visual arts and history (toponyms) are a few. Flores de Mayo 2024 celebrates both, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.