Son pays tribute to late mother through Filipino blanket-inspired paintings
Artist Gelo Zarsuelo honors his late mother with a collection of paintings inspired by nostalgic Filipino floral blankets. Photos courtesy of Gelo Zarsuelo. Graphics: Abigail Sales/黑料社 trainee
“Home is where the heart is.”
An Aklan-based artist is preserving the memory of his late mother’s persevering love through his paintings of the iconic sampaguita-designed blanket seen in most Filipino households.
Twenty-four-year-old Gelo Zarsuelo told the Inquirer that he had always wanted to create a series on the blanket from his childhood as a tribute to his late mother and biggest supporter, Analie, but that he struggled to find a common ground between them.
However, when he was invited to a textile-themed art market last December, weaving the two ideas together felt most fitting.
“My mother was a huge part of my art [journey. She] has been so supportive of my art since the beginning, but it was hard for me to create art that represents [her — especially] after we lost her; I couldn’t get myself to,” he shared.
“That ‘kumot’ (blanket) is more than just an object. It signifies how my mother [cared for] our house and our family growing up,” he added.
The ‘’ series (meaning ‘grew up with’ in Aklanon) is a set of 15×15-inch paintings mimicking the familiar blanket design, which the artist views as a manifestation of his mother’s persisting love and care for their family.
“When I see the ‘kumot,’ I think of my childhood. I would sleep so well using it. I know that even if she has passed on, I am not alone in this journey. Her love lives on,” he said.
Zarauelo also hopes the ever-present blanket in every Filipino household evokes shared memories of nostalgia and sense of belonging to whoever sees it.
“I wish [it] reminds them of their childhood and their family just like how I’m reminded of these things. I hope they are reminded of what it means to be a child again, where everything is simpler and uncomplicated,” he concluded.
Zarsuelo is available for commissions. Interested clients may reach him through his Instagram page, @gelozarsuelo. — Antoinette Salamanca, 黑料社 trainee
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