Soul Anchors of the Filipina

Event Date: October 17 to November 22, 2026

The Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago Museum (FAHSC) is thrilled to announce Soul Anchors of the Filipina, a duo exhibition of paintings by the late Lea May Rivera, and collages and mixed media works by Marea Cordero.

Soul Anchors of the Filipina is a joint exhibition featuring the works of Marea Cordero and the late Lea May Rivera. Centered on themes of grief, memory, and ancestry, the exhibition explores the spiritual resonance and enduring strength of women across time and loss.

​Marea Cordero’s work honors the Philippines as a matriarchal lineage, exalting female ancestors as the sacred pillars and enduring anchors of Filipino identity. Through the lens of ancestry and cultural memory, her pieces feature female ancestors looking back to the past while steadfastly gazing into the future, bridging generations of matriarchs who hold the community together.

​In conversation with this collective heritage, Lea May Rivera’s intimate work serves as a personal sanctuary of remembrance. Navigating her own soul anchors as a Filipina-American, Lea’s art channels grief into spiritual restoration, weaving personal memory with ancestral roots.

​Together, Cordero and Rivera transform grief into an empowering narrative—where memory acts as a bridge, ancestry serves as a foundation, and the Filipina spirit stands as an unwavering anchor across generations, distance, and time.

Written by Gracie Y. Essien

**Bring earphones to fully experience the exhibition.**

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