Dabawenya artist Dadai Joaquin took a step forward last July 16 with “Guhit,” her very first solo exhibit showing works in pastel and in pen and ink.
Held at the Recuerdo of the landmark Legaspi Suites along Legaspi Street in Davao City, the exhibit showcased Dadai’s mastery of the more traditional medium of pastel and the new and rather unconventional gel pen.
Dadai has been painting and drawing for many years and has been part of several exhibits in the cities of Davao and Cagayan de Oro. She is noted for her works in soil, using the often unseen but very rich colors of common earth to create dramatic paintings.
With “Guhit,” Dadai returned to her roots in pastel, a medium with which she is adept but which still holds many surprises for her. This time around she focused on people – especially children – and gave them a fresh face through the contrast of pastel on black Strathmore paper.
She also tried out the new and whimsical gel pen – a medium few have ever used for serious art – which she discovered as she was pondering on what else to do with her black Strathmores. Marrying the two, she realized that she could create a “negative” effect that paradoxically results in “positive” drawings, that is, she draws in detail while leaving out the shadows.
“Guhit” was a one-night-only exhibit that celebrated Dadai’s uniqueness as an artist. Her goal, she says, was not to please the critics but to give her audience a reason to appreciate art once again. There were no hidden meanings here; viewers could stand back and know that, for once, they “got it.”
“Guhit” was made possible by GMA Network, Globe Telecom, Alexander and Joy Valoria, Dr. Arnel Joaquin, Veterans Bank, the City Mayor’s Office, The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Davao Light and Power Company, Union Bank, the English Doctors Academy, The Mindanao Daily Mirror, SunStar Davao, Edge Davao, and the Mindanao Times.
