The perspectives of four female artists as they reflect on nature, culture and connection are currently on display at an art exhibit titled “Rooted,” which can be viewed at the Guam Museum in Hagåtña through April 6.
The exhibit, which opened on March 1, features four prominent artists in the Guam community.
Monica Baza and Donna Birn are rooted to the island through heritage, while the other two, Dawn Lees Reyes and Judy Flores, are rooted to Guam by choice.
“In our own unique ways, we each are expressing our personal feelings about our connection to Guam,” Reyes said.
Hosting it during Mes CHamoru was also timely.
“An extra layer of importance is that March is a time set aside for special celebrations surrounding Guam and her people and culture. There is so much beauty in one room! It really is not to be missed,” Reyes said.
Supporters of the arts and friends of the artists eagerly walked through the exhibit space and examined the pieces on display while conversing with one another on opening day.
Birn said to be rooted implies a genetic legacy, a cultural inheritance consisting of a set of values and beliefs, or a connection with a place that comes from having spent time there.
“Its culture, its values, its landscapes – they inspire me daily,” Birn said. “Here, in the heart of this island, I am truly Rooted.”
As a painter, her work is a direct reflection of the beauty that surrounds her.
“Each piece is born from the colors, textures, patterns, and the ever-shifting light of nature. These elements, familiar and constant, are the essence of my artistic practice. Through them, I capture the quiet, often overlooked moments that define our world,” Birn said.
Birn is CHamoru, and her maiden name is Borja. She was born and raised on Guam and graduated from Notre Dame High School in Talo’fo’fo’. She’s currently the art teacher there.
In her acrylic painting “Beneath”, Birn pays tribute to her daughter’s beloved cat whose passing has left a void. Most of the canvas is filled with an earthy brown while bright greens and blues add pops of colors. The imagery symbolizes significant memories for her.
“I would like to think that he (the cat) is playing in the light under the ginger plants where he is buried. The ginger roots resemble the toys and yarn he loved to play with. The ginger plants look like green onions as they sprout from the ground. Green onions would bring our cat running to the kitchen in hopes that they were being chopped for a tuna dish, ever hopeful he would get some of the fish,” she said.
Anne Gorby is passionate about art. She has even taken classes from Flores for several years. She was strolling through the exhibit space and paused to admire Flores’ batik creation, “Puntan and Fu’na (In the beginning) on display at the exhibit.
The image is inspired by the CHamoru creation legend that tells how the world was formed.
“I like how they’re (subjects of the painting) leaning into each other and how they’re at peace with their community. I love the colors and the way the design blends into it. Everything flows,” she said.
Forever home
More than 30 years ago, Dawn Lees Reyes and her CHamoru husband made the decision to make Guam their forever home. She has no intention to live anywhere else. From the beginning of their marriage, she made the effort to know and understand his culture.
“I used to jokingly call it a survival tactic, but in reality, I think that I was destined to live here and by understanding how the CHamoru people think and feel about things, I was preparing myself to be a contributing member of the Guam community,” Reyes said.
She feels deeply connected to Guam and that connection is rooted in three important areas: relationships, community, and environment.
“I feel it is impossible as an outsider to establish any kind of roots unless you are engaged in a meaningful way in those three areas,” she said.
Reyes’s work has been focused on three prevailing themes: The feminine, nature, and culture, and no matter where she’s lived in her life, these three themes seem to emerge most often.
In her acrylic painting, “Magicians”, Reyes conveys that the ocean is a major reason she’s attached to Guam.
“The Magicians are magical women that embody the seaweeds and sea grasses that are a big part of the reef area near my home. I’ve walked through them and snorkeled through them and just sat in them. I’ve felt them caress me as they wave in the surge. I’ve seen them bow in repentance during low tide,” she said. “The ocean is a sacred space, and it has been where I have truly experienced the magnificence, power and beauty of nature.”
Reyes’ mixed media collage, “Rooted” was created from her visit to the Valley of the Latte last year. At the time, a tour guide pointed out the Langasat Tree. Reyes got lost in the beauty of the bug-eaten leaves and heard nothing the guide had to say about the tree itself.
She asked the guide if she could take the ruined leaves home. He broke the branch off for her and she thanked the tree for her offering.
“Those leaves sat in my studio for at least a month and by the time I got to them they were so dry; I was afraid they would disintegrate when I touched them. But they were surprisingly resilient. Like the CHamoru culture. Like all of us who live a long time and are brave enough to continue. This piece speaks to pain, yes, but also, and more importantly, to resilience,” she said.
The exhibit wraps up on April 6. Museum opening hours are generally Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and sometimes on Saturdays.
“Rooted” is supported by The Guam Museum Foundation and FlameTree Freedom Center. For more information, contact Dawn Reyes at dawnleesreyes@gmail.com or (671) 727-7665.
