Art-Full Abstract: Pacita Abad at MOMA PS1

On August 3rd, I had the pleasure of guest hosting a group of art-full women for brunch and a visit to an incredible retrospective of the works of visual artist, Pacita Abad, at MoMA PS1 In Long Island City.

Mostly self-taught, Abad is best known for her trapuntos, quilted paintings made by stitching and stuffing her canvases instead of stretching them over a wood frame. After escaping political persecution in the Philippines from the Marcos regime in 1970 she arrived in the United States and her work reflected the political refugee plight. 

She interacted with the various artistic communities she encountered on her travels, incorporating diverse cultural traditions and techniques—from Korean ink brush painting to Indonesian batik—into her expansive practice. Her work changes as her perspective of the world grows and each room was a 'new' experience for the viewers. Each room was a new bold, expressive, colorful journey. 

Pacita’s spirit and work is still relevant today and highlights the injustices and spirit of marginalized communities worldwide. I was glad to guest host this event and learn about an artist who was previously unknown to me. I love that this community is always helping me to discover new artists, or connect more deeply with those with whom I am already familiar, while also socializing with fellow art-full New Yorkers and discovering new restaurants and neighborhoods in the city!

-- Joanna Matthews, Art-Full Ambassador