Lifestyle
Akeanon Youth Showcase Unique Fiber-Inspired Arts
KALIBO, Aklan โ Two young Akeanons, both 24 years old, are showcasing their unique forms of art using red Spanish pineapple fibers.
The two artists are presenting their distinct styles in back-to-back culminating exhibits at the Haboean Weaving Studio and Cafรฉ in Villa Peraz. The exhibit runs from March 22 to May 24, 2026, and is curated by Maria Theresa Sulangi.
The artists are HeShe Garms of Kalibo and Carl Parohinog of Boracay. The opening program was attended by officials from the Aklan Provincial Tourism Office, the Kalibo Tourism Office, and members of the youth sectorโmany of whom come from prominent families in the province.
Garms dubs her art โA Kind of Keeping,โ where she demonstrates her style through painting, assemblage pieces, and hand-drawn animations. Her early interest in cartoons and anime carries into her practice, where images are built piece by piece through repetition and careful mark-making.
Developed during her residency at Haboean, her practice also extends into the studioโs day-to-day life, contributing to its social media and public programs. Her work reflects close engagement with both the material and the shared creative processes within the space.
Parohinog, meanwhile, though a traditional artist, began painting as part of his mental wellness journey in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A graduate of Radiologic Technology, his academic background informs his evolving artistic practice. His work captures quiet, everyday moments, preserving fleeting memories through expressive storytelling.
His exhibition, titled โRemain Still,โ explores cyanotype on piรฑa seda, utilizing the fabricโs translucency alongside radiologic concepts of light and exposure to examine themes of identity and nature.
In 2023, Aklanโs piรฑa handloom weaving received official recognition from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The provinceโs unique craft was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
