Beauty Gonzalez. Image: Instagram/@jericksanchez via @beauty_gonzalez
Beauty Gonzalez drew criticisms for supposedly “exhibiting impunity and crassness” after she used accessories made from excavated gold eye and mouth covers at the recently held GMA Gala.
The actress attended the gala donning a nude corseted gown and accessorized with reworked gold pieces, as seen on her Instagram page last Saturday, July 22.
“My look for [GMA Gala 2023] is an appreciation for Philippine Ancestral Gold,” she said in the caption. “My centuries-old gold neck piece and earrings are excavated eye and mouth covers from distant places like Butuan and Surigao…”
The actress also stated that the pieces she was wearing are around 800 to a thousand years old and that it can be seen in the Ayala Museum and the National Museum.
She further said in an interview with Philippine Entertainment Portal during the event that she wanted to “showcase Philippine gold” and that doing so “really speaks of who [she is].”
‘Fashion victim’
Gonzalez’s use of these gold pieces does not sit right with cultural critic and independent curator Marian Pastor Roces, who slammed the actress through a Facebook post on Tuesday, July 25.
“Someone tell this woman that the orifice covers she is paying ‘homage’ to are grave robber stuff. Because if these were legally excavated, the pieces would belong to the National Museum or the Bangko Sentral,” Pastor said.
“Or, if the pieces were excavated decades ago and therefore privately owned by sensible collectors before current restrictions, the question still remains: why death masks as necklace?” she continued. “Sure, the owners have been dead for a thousand years. BUT.”
Pastor also described the act of wearing archaeological gold death pieces and “flaunting excess” as “odious.”
“This fashion victim is wearing mouth and eye covers: around 10 of them. Which is to say that the necklace was fashioned from excavations of many individuals. That is an astounding number of desecrated graves!” Pastor wrote.
Screenshot of Pastor’s FB post
“How on earth is this an homage, exhibiting impunity and crassness?” she added. “Ignorance (blended with arrogance) can’t possibly be fashionable.”
Some netizens agreed with Pastor’s sentiment, who also aired their dismay and “disgust” through the actress’ comments section.
Image: Instagram/@beauty_gonzalez
Meanwhile, there were others who praised Gonzalez for “highlighting” and “appreciating” Philippine ancestral gold.
Image: Instagram/@beauty_gonzalez
Gonzalez has yet to publicly comment on the matter as of this writing. EDV