ONCE again, we found ourselves gathered at La Herencia Davao Art Space to view a Commemorative Art Exhibition for Bina Balchand, this time on the first anniversary of her passing.
In May this year, we joined Bina’s family and friends in celebrating her birthday with an exhibition of her artworks. And since this day, July 11, 2025, was special, it was a bigger gathering of her family with the community to which she belonged.
After the celebration of the Holy Mass and dinner, we listened to close friends and relatives of Bina, who gave loving words as a tribute to her as an artist and as a person.
We would like to share a touching piece from Wilfred Dexter Tanedo at this memorable occasion: “I would like to quote the devoted husband of ma’am Bina, sir Pherbs Balchand, when we had her birthday art exhibition last May which I think will always resonate with all her art works: Bina’s paintings are her contribution to the world, her heritage, and her expression of her spirit. Her love, her gratitude, and her service to God.
“Today, we gather not only to view an extraordinary collection of artworks but to honor a life lived in devotion to creativity, meaning, and spirit. This commemorative exhibition of Bina Balchand’s works is more than a presentation of pastel strokes, acrylic textures, and layered mixed media—it is a window into a soul that saw the world through symbols, colors, and a deep connection to something greater than herself. Bina Balchand was, and always will be, a remarkable presence in Davao City’s art landscape—a woman of Indian heritage who brought with her a unique visual voice, and who made our beloved Davao City part of her journey. Her art was not merely about aesthetics. It was prayerful, thoughtful, and deeply symbolic. With every brushstroke and every chosen hue, she told stories of inner peace, sacred traditions, feminine strength, and the mysteries of life. She believed that art could carry the unseen—that beyond form lies spirit—and she invited all of us to pause, to feel, and to reflect. What we see here tonight is just a glimpse—a beautiful fraction—of her immense body of work. Bina was a quiet force who never ceased to create. Her home was a living studio, her hands always in motion, her heart always reaching into the unseen to bring forth something meaningful.”
Tañedo continued: “Whether through the softness of pastels or the vibrant strength of acrylics, her works never failed to speak. They whispered of the sacred, they cried out for beauty, they held silence with reverence. More than her prolific output, it is Bina’s unwavering dedication to the act of creating that moves us. In times of joy and in times of solitude, she turned to her art. It was her language, her meditation, and her offering to the world. And in doing so, she left us a legacy that goes far beyond what is displayed on these walls. Tonight, we do not simply remember an artist—we remember a woman who painted her spirit into everything she touched. A woman whose work reminds us to live more soulfully, more intentionally, and more openly. May this exhibition not just be a celebration of Bina Balchand’s art, but a call to look inward, to reflect, and to create with heart, just as she did.“
The program also featured video messages of Bina’s relatives and friends who could not be present at the celebration.
