"L E G A C Y. I N. B L O O M" Sining sa Konsulado Spring Exhibit at The Philippine Consulate Calgary ( May 15to Jun 17, 2025)
- Krystelle Creations
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
“Legacy in Bloom: Second Generation Traditions:” – Live Legacy Painting by Krystelle Celestino Wurtz at Sining sa Konsulado Salingpusa Spring Exhibit at The Philippine Consulate Calgary
(May 15to Jun 17, 2025)
As a second-generation Filipino-Canadian artist, “Legacy in Bloom: Second Generation Traditions:” is my personal offering to the sacred celebration of Flores de Mayo: a vibrant tradition that honours the Virgin Mary through flowers, prayer, and devotion each May in the Philippines. While I didn’t experience the full pageantry of this festival growing up in Canada, I’ve come to realize that its values were deeply rooted in the everyday traditions my family carried with them when they immigrated: kindness, care, community, and faith.
This painting is a reflection of my journey in reclaiming and rediscovering my Filipino heritage; not just for myself, but for my children and future generations. As I raise my own children, I find myself asking: What traditions shaped me? How will I transform and pass these on in a way that feels true to who we are as a family? It is a visual meditation on what it means to inherit culture across oceans and generations, and how I now teach and reimagine these traditions in my own way. My family’s “courage to immigrate” yo this land became the ripple in which my identity could root and bloom. I now pass on that legacy through art, storytelling, and love.
The floral elements in this piece are inspired by the traditional flowers of Flores de Mayo, each chosen with intention and thoughtfulness:
Sampaguita, Gumamela, Kalachuchi, Waling-Waling, Ylang ylang, and Santan.
Together, these flowers bloom in dialogue: between past and present, between generations, between two homelands as a transcendent “ripple through generations.” This painting is not just about honouring traditions; it’s about transforming them, rooting them in community, and making them visible for others who, like me, may feel between worlds.
My parents always taught me that “together, we can create beautiful things.” This piece is a reflection of that promise and the courage it takes to become yourself, so that others may do the same.
-Krystelle Celestino Wurtz
About the Exhibit:
The Sining sa Konsulado Spring Exhibit at the Philippine Consulate in Calgary celebrated the rich cultural tapestry of Filipino heritage through a vibrant collaboration between visual art and poetry. As part of this unique exhibit, each participating artist was paired with a Filipino poet who created an original poem in direct response to the artist's work.
Krystelle was honored to have her paintings featured in this meaningful pairing. Her artwork, rooted in storytelling, symbolism, and the lived legacy of Filipino identity, was interpreted through a poetic lens by PJ de Leon and Marcus Madelo. The poets drew inspiration from the colors, themes, and narratives in her visual pieces; infusing the imagery with emotional depth and lyrical expression. The result was a beautiful, cross-disciplinary dialogue: one where brushstrokes and verses met to honor cultural memory, emotion, and the Filipino spirit.
This thoughtful pairing of art and poetry allowed viewers to experience the works on a multi-sensory level; visually through the paintings and emotionally through the poems; deepening the connection between artist, poet, and audience.
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