Speaking To The Heart

Speaking To The Heart

Cape Town-based artist Hari Lualhati was born and raised in the Philippines. The year that she graduated from high school, her father lost his job and subsequently retired. She wrote and passed the entrance exams for University, but her sister, who was the family breadwinner, told her that they couldn’t afford the fees. About to give up hope, her cousin told her about a Talent Test at The College of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines – widely regarded as the most prestigious school in the Philippines. Hari took the exam and passed.

“I was a quiet and shy type of kid with very low self-confidence maybe because I was very skinny with big ears. One thing I was sure about was that I wanted to be working in the field of arts, working with my hands: drawing and painting. I was often chosen to be the school representative for art competitions for which I received awards, and this boosted my confidence.”