Fish Vendors
signed and dated 1977 (lower right)
tapestry
76” x 38 1/2” (193 cm x 98 cm)

In 1952, Anita Magsaysay-Ho bagged the second prize in the second watercolor exhibition of Graphic Arts for her piece “Fish Vendors”. It is a subject that she would later revisit, particularly in the mid to late seventies, where she painted women by the seaside, fishnets at hand. (In fact, one of Anita’s favored subjects were Filipina women in the countryside, chinky eyed, and busy at work)

The resulting look, as described by Alice Guillermo, is one of “serene and static forms with a minimum of suggested movement to be able to define and articulate the figures of women in a more conscious and deliberate manner…”

Tapestries are considered textile art, typically woven on looms. Anita, as an artist, immersed herself not just in painting but in other endeavors, including arts and crafts, which can explain her foray into other mediums such as textiles.

As to her choice of subject matter, Anita relates:

“I enjoy markets wherever they may be -- Quiapo, Paco, Pasig, Subic or Hongkong. You see so many interesting types of people and scenes in the market. It’s a very dynamic place -- the people there are always in a frenzy. I get many ideas from the marketplace and i have a lot of admiration for the hardworking market vendors.”