Bold and Beautiful in Penonome

By Yolanda Van Der Kolk.
The park in Penonome was full of local color and music filled the air. My strawberry ice cream sandwich never tasted better.

It was a tasty complement to a one day event Arte en el Parque; A valiant exhibition where students of the Penenome Art College are invited to display their works alongside the professional artists of Cocle Province.
Not one crafty item could be seen. No painted feathers, woven baskets, hammocks, garden gnomes or molas were present in this contemporary exhibit. However the Kuna were a colourful topic in many of the paintings, ranging from realistic to abstract in nature, leaning heavily towards surrealistic colorful dream like works.
My spirits were lifted as I viewed the familiar painted country scenes of Panama reminding me of what I had fallen in love with; the beauty of the people, small towns, colorful foliage and terrain, where time runs half speed, and on occasion backwards.
So you can imagine my surprise as I entered the center of the park exhibit and found myself staring up at Mother of the Mountain and the un-censored works of Adonay Moreno Gordon.
Happily I had finished my strawberry ice cream so stepped in for a closer look at the detailed, bold and possibly controversial works of Senor Moreno Gordon. I watched him talk with his hands, excitedly trying to share his artistic message.
Senor Moreno Gordon was passionate. As an artist, who had been censored unfairly at the Stirling Arts Festival in Canada, I related to his attitude and was delighted to see full figurative works openly on display.
That said I also recognised the value of a jury as the very original works of Senor Moreno Gordon were hung alongside blatant copies of Gustav Klimt’s famous painting “The Kiss”, melting clocks of Dali and a cherub bust that has been reproduced more times than I can count, and all were signed and displayed as original art…buyer beware.
The prices of the works, mostly unframed, were reasonable. If you know what you like and know a bit about art, there were pieces well worth collecting.
My favorite was the painting by Eliezar Martinez. He shows a distinctive style and understanding of his subject matter, sharing with us his impressions of someone who has grown up in the Interior. Visitors will easily recognise Penonome’s markets and people, mingling with dappled light, colour and flowers. Senor Martinez captures his home town with honest eyes.
An art teacher and artist for 15 years, Senor Martinez, 36, is married with a four year old daughter. He supplements his painting income by driving a taxi. This keeps him in touch and provides him with constant impressions for his painting.
All in all, the event which opened Friday night with festive music was well organised. In its fourth year the making Arte en el Parque has big dreams and the committee is working hard to create a bold contemporary event, that helps get fresh young artists into the market.
“More artists join each year” said committee member Senora Elitza Sanchez,. If you are an artist livingin Cocle Province, you are welcome to submit your work next year for a small fee. Ten percent of art sales go to the art student scholarship fund. To find out more visit: www.artenelparque.wordpress.com