A man admires one of the many paintings of Muslim Tausug painter Rameer Amilasan Tawasil on display at the gallery of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City which will run until March 27, 2010. (Photo by NONOY E. LACSON)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A Muslim Tausug painter, who became famous for his many paintings depicting Islam and peace, opened on Wednesday his 5th Solo Art Exhibit at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in this city.

Rameer Amilasan Tawasil displayed his numerous art works at the gallery of the Peninsula and the Archipelago building of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

Dubbed “Tawasil: In retrospect. Celebrating 20 years in Visual arts, Architecture, and Design,” the exhibit also coincided with the celebration of the National Arts Month.

Tawasil and Ateneo de Zamboanga University president Fr. Antonio Moreno led dozens of guests in the opening of the exhibit which will run until March 27.

“This is an event that everyone must see. The works of Rameer Tawasil will really inspire us all,” Fr. Moreno said.

“All these works are special to me and I wanted everybody to see the exhibit and I just hope that these works will inspire more people to love arts and spread peace through pieces of arts they make,”

Tawasil said as he thanked the Ateneo de Zamboanga University for allowing the holding of his art exhibit.

Tawasil was born in the village of Karungdung in the town of Kalinggalan Caluang Sulu, whose inhabitants are called Tausugs, and obtained his Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree at the Western Mindanao State University.

The multi-awarded Tawasil is best known for using bright, strong, and bold colors in his paintings, and his art is described as “okkil” in Tausug, and “okir” in Maranao, a design from indigenous Muslim groups in Mindanao as seen in their woodcarvings, brassware, and textiles, among others.

His masterpieces adorn galleries in London and Kuching in Malaysia, and private collections in Germany, Korea, the United States, and the Philippines.

Tawasil has been involved in more than 30 art group shows in abroad and the Philippines and his local exhibitions have been held at the various galleries of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Vargas Museum in the University of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts Gallery, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and other private galleries.