(2024 December 15). Vancouver, CA – As part of the annual 18-day campaign to end violence against women, the National Museum of the Philippines showcases a powerful art installation highlighting women’s strength and resilience in adversity. In this year’s campaign, themed “VAW Bigyang Wakas, Ngayon na ang Oras!” the museum uses art to inform and educate the public on the pressing issue of violence against women.
Highlighting the poignant work of artist Lenore R.S. Lim, the museum presents Comfort House—a moving tribute to Filipino comfort women who endured horrific abuse during World War II. Featured in her retrospective Leaves, Lace, and Legacy: The Art of Lenore R.S. Lim, the installation at Gallery XVII uses translucent prints to depict the trauma of wartime sexual violence.
The installation, surrounded by symbolic ginkgo leaves representing healing, invites viewers into a sombre dialogue between pain and recovery. It’s a visual memorial that contrasts the delicate nature of Lim’s signature materials—delicate veils and floral prints—with the harsh realities of history.
Lim’s work, deeply rooted in the women’s rights movement, also sheds light on the experiences of comfort women, a history too often silenced or distorted. As the exhibition continues through March 2025, it stands as both an act of remembrance and a call for justice, amplifying the voices of women who have long been overlooked.
Leaves, Lace and Legacy: The Art of Lenore R.S. Lim runs until March 2, 2025, at Gallery XVII on the 3rd floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts. FREE ADMISSION. (MBB)
By Bella Balisi-Bevilacqua