Aileen Lanuza is opening her first solo exhibit at Galerie Raphael on Saturday, June 28. Titled "Expressions," the exhibit will feature nine large paintings in acrylic that are distillations of the artist's life experiences and her take on popular icons of her generation.

Before this solo exhibit, Lanuza, a member of the Guevarra Group of Artists had already participated in numerous group shows in Manila and Singapore. Her works have also been included and sold in the prestigious Larasati and Masterpiece auction houses.

An honors graduate of the UP College of Fine Arts, Lanuza 25, majored in visual communications and had a brief stint in an advertising agency. After graduation she decided to take a leap of faith and go back to her real love - painting. "Even as a child I've dreamed of one day being a painter and I had to focus. Mahirap pagsabayin," she says.

For Expressions, Lanuza's debut as a solo artist, the characters on her large canvases are bolder, upfront, even naughty. "They're empowering," she says. Those who've seen her earlier works will also notice a marked shift in her subject matter. Her previous works depicted portraits of pensive or wistful women in traditional attire. "That was my Maria Clara phase," she adds.

In her new works, Lanuza is more sure of her medium and is audacious as she deftly works around popular images while giving it her signature stamp. In the 48" x 72" work "In the Beginning," for example, Supergirl is poised for battle and there's a black hand that's huge enough to squash her. The icons are clear, Supergirl dares take on the mighty King Kong. Even as she juxtaposes these images overtly, the artist also dares to take off from one of the most popular works of art. This work is "choreographed" straight out of the creation scene in Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco.

In "Rivalry," Supergirl is fighting her mirror image who is also her nemesis. Here we see irony at work and a self-deprecating wit that is a trademark of most of the current works on exhibit. In "Eew!" Catwoman is updated into a young coquettish and vain Kikay girl down to her boots but her claws are not poised to strike, she's scared of the tiny rodent at the corner.

By the way, Supergirl and Catwoman bear a striking resemblance to the artist. Queried about this Lanuza readily admitted "Yeah, they are self-portraits."

The exhibit Expressions will run until July 13 at Galerie Raphael which is located at Unit 2C-06 second level, The Piazza Serendra Mall, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City For more information, visit www.galeriejoaquin.com.