“Threading Through Time, the solo showcase of Winna Go, is the artist’s tender attempt to reclaim the precious bits and pieces of self that, in the absence of conscious effort to preserve, may erode and become obsolete. What the artist threads through time are the delicate, luminous strands that connect her all the way to her ancestors who braved the waters and called these islands home.Stitched into their resolve were their many stories and symbols of an enduring civilization, which these works at once express and extol: emblems of identity that can be worn with pride and dignity, like the robe of an emperor,” curator Carlomar Arcangel Daoana writes on artist, Winna Go’s current exhibition at the Art Cube Gallery.

Winna Go with Perpetuities「天龍」, a painting she created for Threading Through Time at The Art Cube Gallery, where she also shows archival material from her studies in Taiwan. Courtesy of Art Cube Gallery

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In this show, Go depicts an interpretation of her Chinese heritage through robes that portray various objects that are pregnant with Middle Earth iconography and symbolism: delicate chrysanthemums, fabled dragons and the fanciful Qilin. In these works, the artist displays careful, even obsessive attention to detail with brush strokes that are steady, precise and intentional. Painted in soft hues, these robes render a lightness of hand, quietly telling the state of contemporary affairs as Go sees it. A closer inspection of her paintings betray these stately robes, allowing the viewer to witness that she renders them in a state of deterioration. As their threads cut loose and fray, Go’s robes are relics of their former glory, tributes to a past that was once glorious, and now diluted via contemporary influences.

(L) The Yellow Emperor「應龍」and (R) The Red Empress「鳳凰」by Winna Go. Courtesy of Art Cube Gallery

“I take inspiration from the history of the Chinese diaspora, the richness of Chinese and Filipino culture, contemporary issues, my identity and position in society,” the artist tells Metro.Style.

Not to be mistaken as merely decorative pieces for their pretty and stylized qualities, Go uses her medium as a means to explore her identity as a Chinese-Filipino.

Transmigration「蝴蝶」 by Winna Go - 72x60 inchesOil on CanvasCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

Equipoise「麒麟」by Winna Go - 72x60 inchesOil on CanvasCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

(L) The Yellow Emperor「應龍」and (R) The Red Empress「鳳凰」by Winna Go. - 72x60 inchesOil on CanvasCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

Fortitude「地龍」by Winna Go - 72x60 inchesOil on CanvasCourtesy of Winna Go

Equatorial - 30x24x4 inchesAcrylic on Paper FoldingCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

'Threading Through Time' by WInna GoCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

Installation, 'Threading Through Time' by Winna GoCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

Installation, 'Threading Through Time' by Winna GoCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

'Threading Through Time' by Winna GoCourtesy of Art Cube Gallery

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“Through art, I was able to learn more about the history of my identity and displacement of my ancestors. Aside from this, I also had a new found appreciation for my Chinese-Filipino heritage. When I was in college, I underwent a form of identity crisis because all my life I was surrounded by fellow Chinoys. It was the first time (back in college) when I was treated differently because of my Chinese heritage. My Chinoy friends, who I grew up with, also experienced the same dilemma. This is the inspiration behind my award-winning piece for Philippine Art Awards entitled “Embroidered Thoughts”. I also pursued this phenomena as my research topic for my Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis. It was through art where I realized that being Chinese Filipino is not an either/or kind of situation. One identity is not above the other. The existence of being both Chinese and Filipino is what makes the subculture so unique. I want my artwork to resonate to people, to commence discourse about the issue at hand, to make my viewers question, and to inspire people. Despite the particularity of my works, the audience can still relate to it since it tackles the notion of identity, hybridity of culture, and displacement,” she shares.

'Threading Through Time' by WInna Go Courtesy of Art Cube Gallery

Complementing her paintings in Threading Through Time is a soft sculpture work that echoes her interest in the exploration of culture through embroidery and fiber art. She shows archival materials culled through her completion of her masters degree in Taiwan, validating her ties to her heritage and her destiny.

Installation, 'Threading Through Time' by Winna Go Courtesy of Art Cube Gallery

“Art is powerful because it is a means that can be used communicate to people, regardless of the time period that they are in. Art withstands time and outlives the artist. Therefore, an artist can still be commemorated even centuries after his/her death,” contemplates the artist, who has affectionately paid tribute to her ancestors, via the stitches she depicted on her robe paintings, each one a reminder of her culture, its stature and grace.

Winna Go participated in the Xavier Art Festival 2022 and donated a portion of their sales to the ABS-CBN Foundation. Threading Through Time is on view at the Art Cube Gallery through May 27, 2023. Visit Art Cube Gallery at OPVI Center, Unit 104 G/F Building 3, OPVI Centre, 2295 Chino Roces Ave, Makati. Call (02) 8816 7758.