Famous watercolorist and Chinese painter Norman Chow and his son, Chino Chow, a DJ at KLite FM Baguio, will showcase their works of art in the upcoming Chinese painting exhibit titled “BiYao/碧瑶” at the Baguio Museum. The exhibit opens on Oct. 4 and runs until Oct. 29.
The father and son Chinese painting exhibit features Baguio’s natural landscapes which are fast disappearing because of the city’s rapid development. Here’s what Chino had to say about the upcoming exhibit.
‘Baguio’s Unseen Natural Landscapes’
Chino describes the collection of Chinese paintings they made for the exhibit as one that focuses on the “unseen natural landscapes” of Baguio. The exhibit is also appropriately titled “BiYao” which is Baguio in Chinese. He says that since most people no longer hike and explore the mountains, some of these landscapes may have been missed. Other landscapes, on the other hand, are in danger of disappearing because of urban development.
This exhibit hopes to give the public a different perspective of Baguio’s natural environment so that these can be appreciated and valued.
Chinese Painting At Its Best
Norman Chow considers himself a “true blue Baguio boy,” according to son Chino. He is a second-generation Chinese born in the city, after his parents settled here from Canton (now Guangzhou), China. Growing up, he saw firsthand how the city grew from a former colonial settlement to what it is now.
He is considered to be one of Baguio’s creative talents and a master of Chinese painting, having mentored many students and young artists. Chino, on the hand, has been dabbling in the arts since his elementary and high school days. He is also known as DJ Parker Young on KLite FM Baguio.
The exhibit will also showcase how different Chinese painting is from Western-style painting. According to Chino, Chinese artists aim to invite those who look at their art to “imagine themselves flying over mountains like birds to observe landscapes.” Because of the influence of Taoist philosophy, Chinese artists also depict “harmony with nature.”
For more details about the exhibit, visit their event page on Facebook. The exhibit runs from Oct. 4 to 29, at the Baguio Museum. Museum hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays to Sundays.