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T Galleria to host Marianas art gallery in Sept.
The Marianas’ Cultural Art Gallery will be up all month long at the T Galleria, with nightly activities such as live performances or demonstrations by local artists. (Contributed Photo)
The Marianas’ Cultural Art Gallery, featuring creations of the indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian people of the Marianas, will open at T Galleria on Saturday, Sept. 8.
With September being celebrated in the Commonwealth as Cultural Heritage Month, the Marianas’ Cultural Art Gallery will be up all month long at the T Galleria, with nightly activities such as live performances or demonstrations by local artists.
“DFS is proud to be a partner with [the Department of Culture and Community Affairs] in exhibiting locally made masterpieces and supporting our local artists,” said DFS president Marian Aldan-Pierce.
The art gallery is the first of its kind, with most items on display available for purchase and will be accompanied by live demonstrations and performances. Demonstrations will occur nightly from 7pm to 9pm and includes mwar making by Polla Aguon, Del Lieto, and Patricia Mareham; various jewelry making by Martin Castro, Mike Naputi, and Melchy Billy that use beads, shells and sinahi; weaving by Patrick Romolor; and wood carving by Mike Finey. Live musical performances and dances will be done on select evenings by FMS Middle School, Polksai, Uuralis, Man Antigo Dancers, Refaluwasch Warriors, Iune Wabol, Abby Kaipat, Ben Laniyo, and Marco Peter.
“Long before luxury brands were introduced to the world, our ancestors were delicately weaving coconut leaves into fashionable baskets and carving beads out of shells to make Refaluwasch necklaces called the Lúghatutur,” said a visitor of the gallery. “The juxtaposition of the Marianas’ Cultural Art Gallery between such worldly brands brings an organic energy to T Galleria as beautifully handcrafted items and original paintings done by local artists are displayed for tourists to see up close.”
The official launch of the Marianas’ Cultural Art Gallery is this Saturday, Sept. 8, from 5pm to 6pm at the southern end of T Galleria.
The gallery is made possible in partnership by T Galleria by DFS, Marianas Visitors Authority, and the Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture of the DCCA. For more information, call 664-2587 or 322-9982. (PR)
