What is most personal is most universal.

Before Migs Villanueva became a household name in the Philippine Art scene, I had the privilege of seeing one of her earliest works in her home studio. Two girls holding hands. Simple. I was instantly drawn to it as I saw myself and my younger sister. I’ve had the painting for over a decade now, and it evokes the same feelings for me still, fondly seeing in it this most precious relationship. Over the years, even as her figures have evolved to have those signature dots for eyes, even as the children in her works have grown from toddlers and grade schoolers to teenagers, even as she has since tackled different mediums, new themes, color schemes, new stories… the strong emotional appeal of a Migs Villanueva piece has remained the same. You see yourself and people you love in those works. Those children are you.

The universality of Migs Vllanueva’s work makes for its undeniable magic and magnetic quality. With a newborn grandchild at the start of this new year, the young Lolli (for grandmother) marks this blessing of blessings with the paintings entitled “Sunday afternoon at grandma’s” and “Grandma’s day”. And what could be more universal and at the same time personal, than becoming a grandparent or being a grandchild?

This collection celebrates:
Special relationships…

“Little sister”, “My friend, your friend”, “Mother and son”, ”Who’s sweetheart are you?”, “I got you”
Special occasions…
“May the 20th “, “9th summer”, “Entourage”, “Confetti party”
And the seemingly ordinary and yet precious everyday events and things, that make up a life…
“Moon rise”, “Who gets to sit on the trundle stools?”, “Charms”, Girl things”, “Ribbons and tulle”
And for us who are no longer children, the joy of reminiscing through…
“Nostalgia”, “Reverie”, “A memory of blue”

The artist paints personal stories of her life… that are ours too.
What makes a Migs Villanueva painting so timeless and appealing? It’s universal.

Written by Chewy Yap