USF Filipino American Arts

Project 3 artwork, cont'd

2008-05-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

More of the art generated for Project 3, the final project of the semester in Fil-Am Arts.

Project 3 critique

Project 3: Daniella Murphy

With the use of appropriated photos from pop culture, fine arts, and multicultural iconography, I've created a pseudo-curatorial assemblage installation, meant to create a discourse between contemporary social standard(s) and natural sexual representation/expression. Each image holds its own recognizable weight, as used in various prior fashions, but with that said, I've taken the liberty of pairing and teaming these images into separate groups, to create a singular question or statement, per level.

The installation is meant to work on a linear scale, from top to bottom and left to right throughout, hoping to question the contemporary concepts of femininity (and its place), masculinity (and its many possible definitions), with the opposing attributes of certain signifying icons to open up more questions options, in the face of what we take for granted as fact.

In a sense, I've engaged in the guilty pleasure of curating my mini-exhibition, by way of the work of others, however, manipulating and recreating the images themselves to form my own world with them. By reappropriating these photos, I've given them new singular meaning and helped them to serve my own means, as if a museum curator had the power and gall to change the artwork to suit her message, helping the viewer to become the artist.

Project 3: Jocelyn Dumlao
"The Greatest Gift"

What is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of something that is beautiful or strong? For some, beauty is skin-deep and can only go as far as the color of one’s eyes or attractiveness of one’s physique. For others, strength is measured by how “manly” or “down” one can be. This project, although simple in concept, has challenged me to look beyond what we normally associate with beauty and strength and highlight that which is beautiful and strong in its own right.

The inspiration for my piece came from this idea of how beauty and strength is portrayed in one’s ability to rise to the challenge and transcend beyond one’s limitations. I think its amazing how people, no matter how hard their lives are, have the capacity and audacity to go above and beyond what others expect of them and achieve things far beyond anyone’s imagination.

This project hits home for me as it is a tribute to my grandfather who passed away when I was a sophomore in high school. My grandfather is my epitome of what it means to be beautiful and strong. He was the greatest father figure that anyone could ever ask for. He was intelligent, witty, and compassionate. He cared for everyone and anyone. He worked every single of day of his life without complaint or remorse. He carried himself in such a way that was so full of life that you couldn’t help but gravitate towards him. Many people have at least one person that has touched their lives in the most positive way possible. My grandfather was this person for me. He was my cheerleader, tear-wiper, and best friend.

The idea of my project revolves around the idea of hands – my grandfather’s hands. My grandfather loved to work with his hands, whether it was fixing a broken door or building a tool shed. I can recall one night when he and I were sitting at the dining room table. He looked at me and said, “You see my hands, Ashley? You see how hard and rough they are? I work hard so that your hands don’t turn out like mine.” To this day, I remember these words and I am forever thankful for all the sacrifices that he has made for me.

The execution for this project was somewhat difficult. I have never really worked with clay and sculpture before, so I was a little apprehensive when beginning this project. I really wanted the hands to come out realistic and indicative of hands that are labored. It took a few days of experimentation before I truly started working on the hands.

I placed the hands in a box with tissue paper and a bow, making it look like a gift. For me, my grandfather’s sacrifice and hard work is the greatest gift that he could have every given to me.

This project was very emotional for me because it required me to get my hands dirty – just like how my grandfather did with his around-the-house projects. I like to think of this project as coming full circle. He really is one of the strongest and most beautiful people that I know because of his zest for life and willingness to share that with others, and I only hope that I can be as strong beautiful as him.

Project 3: Melissa Sayo

After being given this project, a rush of ideas came over me as to what I thought were really appropriate for the idea of strength and beauty. I initially wrote all the words down that related to these words, whether they were synonyms of the words, or how the words strength and beauty came together. I did this because I could not visually imagine anything straight away. I then got a flood of ideas after I had spoken with other people outside of the class. Charles had also given me a great idea an example of how women in the Philippines have had significant roles in politics, history as well as the family lifestyle. They are the ones that make the final decisions and a lot of women are also the bread winners of the family and are there to sustain the family. I saw a hybridity of the old school mentality and a combination of the present day roles of women and how there can be strength not only physically but through the wisdom that one may have and gain through their years. The piece of art that I have created is a combination of the new way people have come to think. Strength can be seen through the knowledge an individual may have. And beauty is no longer measured through your size or color of your skin. These words are simply subjective and are up for their own interpretation. Although my background is primarily in a rectangular and box like format I laid out the pieces so that the primary shape would be circular. The shape in itself signifies a circular motion with the overlapping of the several pieces.

The collage of images is what I believe shows the physical beauty and strength as well as the internal images of what beauty and strength is. There is an image of a doll, bar bells, a weighing scale, and elderly, breast cancer awareness ribbon, a cap and gown (with diploma) referencing strength through education. I decided to create this piece as a collage because I have realized that these two words now are subject and are relative only to each individual. I also incorporated tennis shoes and a boom box in representation of the hip-hop culture, something that quite a few Filipinos highly regard and may find strength and beauty. Whether it is through the culture or simply the music or style that is exuded in the Hip-hop culture.

The yellow rose in the middle signifies both strength and beauty for many reasons. Esthetically it is a beautiful flower but the thorns that are on the stem of the rose have characteristics of strength and protection for the delicate bud/rose. Also personally the yellow rose signified my grandfather who has passed 10 years ago. This was one of the first funerals for me and the rose reminds me of the strength and beauty that my grandfather had passed on to me through the short time that we had known and encountered one another. I also placed the rose in the center because for me it captures the cyclical motion that strength and beauty encompass.

Project 3: LM
Project 3: ML

Project 3: Val Fernandez

In one of the readings on contemporary art, one artist commented that contemporary art is largely made up of artists who have an art history background and simply draw influences from historical works and interpret them as their own. Keeping this in mind when brainstorming for my final project, my goal in this piece was to incorporate prominent works that stood out for me throughout the semester. I wanted it to serve as a reflection of key artists, works, and concepts that really spoke to me as a spectator, and incorporate those ideas in my role as an artist.

This piece, which have I named “Untitled” holds the possibility of being interpreted by people in many different ways, and therefore I believe that it is up to the spectator to title the piece based on his or her own view. Even as the artist myself, the story and meanings I tell surrounding the piece vary with my mood at that time, showing that the work has the capability to adapt to become the spectator’s own. With that said, here is my interpretation of the piece at this very moment in time:

Two of the three main gods of the Philippines were fighting when the third god, the god of the sky, Amihan, served as their mediator in the form of the bird. As a peace offering, one of the gods offered the other a bamboo seed, which Amihan pecked open. This is when Malakas at Maganda stepped out, side by side in unison. To me, this version of the creation story does not serve as a nice tale or folk lore about how the Philippines was created. Rather, it serves as a woman empowerment story. Maganda stepped out at the same time as Malakas, not in his shadow. Filipinas, before colonization, held prominent roles in this non-patriarchic society. This piece is a reflection of the powerful pedestal that women once stood on in Filipino society.

Drawing upon the influences of Alfie Numeric, the young Pinay painter I focused on for my final paper, I found my subjects for this piece. According to Alfie, the owls she paints in her pieces represent “infinite female wisdom” while the bleeding heart doves, which are found only in the Philippines, act as a symbol of the Philippines itself. These birds are found predominantly in war-torn regions of Mindanao, yet they have survived as symbols of beauty and strength. I chose to construct hybrids of both the owl and the bleeding heart dove, all with their own different characteristics. These three different birds also symbolize the three different main regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Hung in a manner similar to the shape of the Philippine islands, these three also serve as symbols of the three different gods that created the Philippines despite their differences.

With the subject of my piece in mind, my choice of medium was based on the vast number of installation pieces that were introduced to me during this class. From impressive installation works by Eliza Barrios, Reanne Estrada, and Stephanie Syjuco, many different mediums came to mind. Yet it was the wire/quilt piece by Reanne Estrada that really stood out for me. When I first saw her piece, it first reminded me of a five dollar, copper wire picture frame of my family’s last name I bought off a bum on Market Street. I was always amazed at what simplicity it took to make such a beautiful piece of work, so I decided to give it a shot. While working with the wire, I realized that it too drew connections to the Malakas at Maganda story. The wire is sturdy, durable, and tough yet the piece itself is proof that the material shows a beauty when bent the right way. In addition, the characteristic that it is easy to manipulate calls upon the role of women which has evolved through time. Lastly, the perches the birds are handing on symbolize the roots of nature they once stood on which have been manipulated into contained perches. Also noticeably, the birds are not enclosed in an actual bird cage, and therefore find themselves in a constant struggle whether to comply with their confined lifestyles or to fly back to their roots

Project 3 Art

2008-05-12T23:45:00.001-07:00

Project 3: MI

Project 3: Marco Santiago
"Sira ni Malakas at ni Maganda"

While making my artwork I had no idea to what to make. I thought about what was the importance of “Maganda” (Pretty) or “Malakas”(Strong) in Filipino culture. At first I thought a lot about what made Filipino’s strong and beautiful. I ended up thinking a lot and creating a list of ideas that were long that I probably couldn’t have incorporated it into my artwork. That being said I was at a completely lost in my ideas of strength and beauty. It got to the point where I confused myself on what exactly I was focusing on. So I took a step back and I revaluated my concepts. Since there were so many things that made Filipino’s strong and beautiful, I thought about what made Filipino’s weak and ugly.

The myth Maganda at si Malakas states, two people came out of bamboo, flew on a bird, and populated the Philippines. After reading the myth a couple of times I realized that without the bamboo, there would be no more strength or beauty in the Philippines because there would be no more Filipinos. Therefore, I knew I wanted to include bamboo in my piece because it was such a vital part of the myth.

To start of my artwork grabbed the cardboard part of a gift-wrap rolls and created bamboo like figures. The bamboo was made by creating a ring with tape and sticking it onto the cardboard roll. The ring created a bulging surface that resembled real bamboo. After taping down the roll, I painted it with brown which added a wood like feel.

Second I printed pictures of the Philippines in its worst conditions. I found pictures of the ghettos in the Philippines and found pictures of huge garbage dumps. After I printed these two pictures in black and white, I pasted it onto the background and in front of the bamboo pieces. I chose to print it in black and white to add more focus to the other things in my piece. Once that was done, I moved to the last part of my artistic creation process which was the addition of garbage to the bottom.

Basically, the true concept of my piece is to show the myth’s importance in Filipino culture. Since the bamboo was the original sprout of strength and beauty, I wanted display that Philippines as a once beautiful land. My parents told me as a kid that people considered the Philippines a legitimate vacationing spot, much like Hawaii. I was truly shocked and now that I look at the Philippines, who would want to go there for a vacation? So I used my created bamboo to signify the beginning of strength and the beauty the Philippines once had. I mean honestly, now the Philippines is full of garbage and liter. No one cares about the environment in the Philippines. The strength and beauty the Philippines that it once had is now gone because of the lack of care to the environment.

Through this art piece, I hope to raise awareness about the environmental issues in the Philippines. My whole purpose is to remind people that the Philippines had so much beauty and strength, but the lack of caring for the environmental issues in the Philippines cause destruction. This is why my title is called, “Sira ni Malakas at ni Maganda” or in other words, “The Destruction of Strength and Beauty.”

Project 3 Critique:
Project 3: CJA
Project 3: Lester Banatao
For me, I see this scene as representative of the struggle of Filipinos both at home and abroad, while it can also represent anyone who has had to fight to get their foot in the door. What makes my piece a little more "Filpino," in a sense is that it does include religion. And while I don't mean Catholicism or Christianity in general, faith and a belief in something can help someone get through a struggle or help someone fight for something. A faith in God or any other higher being or even not having a specific "belief" can help someone find strength in difficult times. Whether it be fighting against oppressors, fighting against discrimination, or even just fighting to get ahead in life, a belief and faith in many things, including family, can be all that one needs to stay strong and move forward.

There is beauty all around us, and beauty can certainly be judged by "the eye of the beholder." Just in the Philippines alone, "beauty" might take on a very simple or shallow meaning judging from what one can see on Philippine television. But many people are able to see and acknowledge the beauty that is everywhere. Going back to religion and faith, many people see beauty in their beliefs. Whether it be the solemnity of a spiritual service or the community that is brought together by a common faith, people see beauty in what they hold close to their hearts and minds. There are times when people struggle with beauty, the need to be or have beauty or even how to maintain beauty that is found in our world. At its simplest form, beauty is just going outside and looking at what is out there.

Project 3: Grace MalkiAs an interpretation of the Malakas and Maganda creation story combined with elements of the Catholic faith (the main religion of the Philippines), this piece is about the importance of nature in creating human existence. I truly wanted to convey that human existence was not possible without plants or animals. Materials used in this piece are blown eggs, shells, leaves, moss, feathers, styrofoam, leather, artificial hair, and cloth.

I chose to display six figures, mounted with heads made from chicken eggs. The number six refers to man being created on the sixth day. I used eggs as the human heads to enforce the feeling that without the bird God sent down, we never would have “hatched.” The egg, an edible use of human’s and reproductive mechanism is an essential material to use to convey this message. I chose to use brown eggs to a feeling of indigenous persons. The inners of the eggs have been blown out for the purpose of depicting how humans are powerless without the driving force of nature.

Each “head” is adorned with an important element that symbolizes earth’s existence. The vine and leave wrapped eggs symbolize nature’s lush green plants while the leather wrapped egg symbolizes human’s use of animal hide and mammals. The shell embellished egg symbolizes the ocean and sea life, and the feather adorned egg symbolizes birds and the bird in the creation story, the key to creating human existence. The last head is adorned with artificial hair which was partially intended to be humorous and also was intended to reference to today’s desire to be a coiffured and a developed race. It is meant to be overly done up and fussy, and stand in comparison with nature’s simple beauty.

I decided to allude to the concept of hybridism by displaying the figures as a people and crucifixes. This symbolizes that we are all part of God’s being. By dressing the figures in all white cloth, I alluded to the Catholic religion and purity. Purity plays an important role in the meaning of nature to me and its simple and everlasting existence. By creating a sense of holiness, elements of Catholicism emerge, an important aspect of Filipino culture.

Project 3: Michelle Medina

Project 3 critique:Project 3: AM
Project 3: MCC

PROJECT 3

2008-04-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

PROJECT 3:
MALAKAS AT MAGANDA: HYBRIDITY, MESTIZAJE, STRENGTH AND BEAUTY
IN-CLASS: TH 5/1, T 5/6, TH 5/8
DUE: TH 5/8
CRITIQUE: TH 5/8, T 5/13

Malakas and Maganda is one of a number of origin tales about how native Filipinos came to be.

One version:
When Bathala (God) was done creating the world, he was bored. He looked down over the earth and sent a bird into the world. The bird was flying around when it heard some sounds and tapping somewhere in the forest.The bird landed and found out that the sound is coming from a huge bamboo. He started pecking on it and pretty soon it split in the middle where a man came out of it. His name was Malakas, which means strong, and he told the bird, "My mate is in the other piece of wood." They got her out and her name was Maganda which means beautiful. The two got on the bird's back and flew away to find some place to live. They went flying around the world, and then finally, the bird saw a land and let the two giants set foot and live on it. When Malakas and Maganda stepped on the land their weight separated the land into islands (Philippines has 7,200 islands). Malakas and Maganda live on and produced millions of children, which came to be the Filipinos.

Another version:
Legend has it that the first Filipino man and woman were born from a bamboo stalk. They both had brown skin and supple bodies. The man was named Malakas, or "Strong One"; the woman, Maganda, or the "Beautiful One." Two traits which make the Filipino unique among its Asian neighbors -- their strength and resiliency despite a lot of adversity and trials which come their way; and their beauty which is reflected in their surroundings.

As the final project for a Filipino American Arts course, I am not asking you to literally illustrate the Malakas and Maganda legend, but I would like you to consider the nature of creation and cultural production in whatever aspect suits you best. For example, “Strength” and “Beauty” in this origin tale are gendered symbols of what makes creation possible, but how do these 2 words manifest most compellingly for you? Additionally, how do hybridity, mestizaje, and many other forms of synthesis play into a very contemporary sense of creation and growth?

This project can be as political, aesthetic and/or idealistic as you see fit: rage and hope are not mutually exclusive-- they are both galvanizing forces in creation. There is ample space for interpreting this project critically, formally and optimistically. Your artwork need not focus explicitly on Filipino content, but if it does, that’s absolutely fine. Given all of the things you’ve absorbed in this class, I would ask that you do explicitly address the connection between what you make and its relationship to what you’ve learned in Fil-Am Arts in your artist statement, which should be a bit longer (1 to 2 full pages, typed, double-spaced) than previous statements.

As you begin this project, please consider the guest artists, gallery visit to Bag’o/Neo, and other artists, readings and resources that we’ve covered in the past few weeks:

Charles Valoroso, Su Llamado, Stephanie Syjuco, Eliza Barrios and Renetta Sitoy were our guest speakers. The Bag’o/Neo show included works by Filipino artists Emily Caisip, John Yoyogi Fortes, Eliza Barrios, Cirilo Domine, and Pauletta Chanco. We looked at work in class by Chris Ferreria, Paul Pfeiffer, Michelle Lopez, Ariel Erestingcol, Gina Osterloh, and Gigi-Otalvaro Hormillosa. Su Llamado gave us a great information download on Roberto Villanueva and the Baguio Arts Guild. Let’s also not forget the artists on the Worlds In Collision website, as well as the artists you chose to write your papers on. You may find it helpful to refer to the most recent readings by Carol Becker, Dana Friis-Hansen, Gigi Otalvaro-Hormillosa, and Sabrina Alcantara-Tan, or to go further back to other readings that inspired you.

Project 3 is an opportunity for you to sift through these resources and inspirations and create work that may go in a wide array of directions: strength and beauty can be symbols of hope, faith, resistance, rebellion. You are free to interpret this broadly.

Project 3 is the final for this class: your artwork should be approached as the culmination of what you’ve learned in here. Your content should be stronger, the increased time and effort you put into this project should be evident, and your technical execution should demonstrate growth from your 2 prior projects.

Project 3 can be in any visual arts medium: this is your opportunity to experiment with other forms, strategies and media, so long as it feels appropriate and relevant to your project. Please continue to push yourself beyond your comfort zone with whatever material you choose.

Project 3 should look like the culmination of 2-3 weeks of deep work, regardless of materials chosen. Your work should look completely resolved by its due date. If you are confused about this project, please set up a meeting with me.

Project 3 is due Thursday 5/8, with critiques split over 5/8 and 5/13. Since we have more class-time on 5/13, to accommodate slightly longer, more complex discussions about each other’s work, critiques will be longer this time: 15-ish minutes each.

Criteria for success on Project 3:

Creative and intellectual interpretation of “Malakas at Maganda” as the theme
Engagement with notions of hybridity and mestizaje, literally or figuratively
Synthesis of materials covered in the last 1/3 of Fil-Am Arts
Materials/media/execution appropriate to your project
Evidence of engagement and complex investment in idea, theme and execution
Technical and artistic growth since Projects 1 and 2
2-3 weeks of deep work, effort and investment (12-13 hours minimum)
fully-resolved work
longer, more complex written reflection/artist statement (1-2 pages typed, double-spaced)

Project 2 Artwork

2008-04-29T23:54:00.000-07:00

Here are 8 of the 26 works of art created for
Project 2: Marginality as Resistance.
The full project description can be found here.

Project 2 AI:
"Sweet Philippines"

For the second project, I had a chance to consider how can I make an artwork by using at least one non-traditional art material. It was a challenging project because I did not guts to use pig blood or Cheetos for my artwork. So then, I decided to use something sweet: Sugar.

Sugar is one of the most profitable exports the Philippines. The origin of the sugar industry is actually linked to the slavery and colonialism in Africa to Caribbean. The European colonialists brought almost 12 million sugar canes from West Africa to the Caribbean with slavery from 1450 to 1900. Having a lot of workers was necessary since sugar cane is a delicate plant. During harvest season, slaves were worked every single second till their death. Back then sugar has become major commodity after the introduction of tea, coffee, and chocolate. Westerners demanded sugar and it became an important export product. Since then, the sugar industry became popular in the colonies.

Nevertheless, the Filipino sugar industry has nothing to do with the slave trade, but it does relate to the colonization. In the 1860s, Negros Occidental was the leading sugar producing province in the Philippine during Spanish colonization. By the early 1900s, the sugar industry was well established by the American colonialists. They boosted the industry and export to the states became much easier by establishing Payne-Aldrich Act. The Act created a situation in which the gap between rich and poor grew even greater in Philippines. I thought this history of sugar industry is one of the most striking symbols of Filipino colonization. Now the Sugar is one of most important agriculture products in the Philippines.

For my project, I made cookies in the shape of the Filipino islands. Also, I made a cake with on illustration of the Filipino flag. Cookies and cake are the magical snacks that charms everybody, especially kids. During the colonial period when colonial powers competed against each other for control of the profitable industry, just how Westerners demanded sugar, kids today compete against each other to obtain big piece of cake and cookies. Also, sweet desserts are Filipinos favorite. Sugar has been a valuable seasoning in Filipino cuisine; there are different varieties of sweets. And they grow up with sugar. I tried to make a reflection of the sweetness of the Philippines, how others demanded to take over it, and to alter it into sweets by using their profitable product: cookies and cake.

Project 2 DFM:
video still, "Conversations with Women"

In this project of “writing” back to center, I have considered the histories of women in general, and explicitly dealt with both the personal and political implications of relinquishing one’s power. I began this project by interpreting different strategies and philosophies female artists have used to respond to the history of oppression inflicted upon women by both men and themselves. I specifically took note of the Toni Morrison essay in which she spoke of her writing as a means of pulling the veil aside over hidden histories of peoples whose “interior” lives were never exposed. Morrison spoke of how critical it is to discover truths about one’s ancestors, especially for any person who belongs to any marginalized category. Because women are among those who have been marginalized, (arguably the first marginalized group), its important for women to participate in “the discourse even when we [are] its topic.” (Morrison) It’s imperative for women to articulate and reclaim their identities from men and from the cultural stereotypes they themselves uphold.

My project is a 4 1/2 minute long video piece, transferred onto VHS. The piece entitled “Conversations with Women” is a Reappropriation Narrative of the female condition. It begins with footage of Senator Clinton from a Democratic primary debate, in which she mentions her feelings have been hurt. I incorporated this footage multiple times in my piece. I believe it is up to each individual woman to define herself - women aren’t as helpless or as powerless as they/it’s believed. I sought out footage of young women and girls from film and the internet to produce a broad linear construction of what women are perpetually identified as to answer questions of/inquire further - inherent female colonialism. I shot these images with my DV camera and manipulated/recontextualized them in iMovie.

Project 2 ST:

Project 2 Val Fernandez:
This piece is an expansion of a previous project of mine completed last year. It is the visual accompaniment to a fifteen page analysis paper on the Native Guns song “Work It” which reflects on the relationship between first world economies and their violation of labor rights of third world, developing economies. In this piece, I am no longer Valerie, the Filipino American Arts Student. “My name is Marie, age thirteen. At the age of eighteen [I’ll] be learning to dance for dirty Japanese businessmen, money for the family.” I am a shoemaker at the Nike factory and I am just trying to survive with the cards dealt to me in this game called life.

I have altered my experience as a shoemaker in one significant way, one that differs greatly from Marie’s. The material used for my shoe (a banana leaf) symbolizes the indigenous materials of the Philippines, in contrast to the man-made materials used to construct modern-day shoes. This piece is an attack on the exploitation of young children and the loss of culture and identity due to this exploitation. I know it is not at all comparable to the work that the real life “Maries” put in during their jobs, but this shoe-making process served not only as an art project for me, but rather, more as a personal reflection on my appreciation for the cards that have been dealt to me in my own life.

Project 2 CJA:

Project 2 NNC:
Project 2 PC:

Project 2 KB:

Project 2 Artworks

2008-03-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

Here are 9 of the 26 works of art created for Project 2: Marginality as Resistance.
The full project description can be found here.

Project 2 Hazel Benigno:
"Not for Sale"

presented in performance:
detail:
Not For Sale

The inspiration for my project came from learning about the Not For Sale campaign, a group determined to eradicate modern-day slavery and human trafficking. This made me wonder about the marginalization of Filipino women and how they have been treated like commodities ever since the onset of the Western influence.

The upper right corner of the piece is a reference d the pre-Spanish status of Filipinas and, more specifically, towards Gabriela Silang, considered to be the first woman revolutionary of the Philippines. What’s more, she led a revolt against the Spanish in the Ilocos region, the same area where the Cordillera mountain range can be found. The background indicates importance, as Cordillera tribes used a deep indigo blue in their clothing for important people and significant occasions. The quote is a line from “Skim the Sheen,” a poem by Eileen Tabios and Nick Carbo, part of which has Gabriela Silang reprimanding Maria Clara, the lead female character in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere.

The bottom right corner looks at Cordillera women from the early 1900s until now, and how they were never “conquered” by colonization and were able to maintain their culture. However, even though they maintain their traditions, it is still possible for them to be exploited. As the photo of the two older women shows, some tribe members may be used to take pictures for tourist purposes. The question is if these tribe members are compensated and willing for their services. The brown background is meant to resemble skin, and the designs as tattoos, which Cordillera women use on important individuals and as a sign of beauty.

The bottom left corner looks at the transformation of traditional Filipina costumes, and how they have become modernized. However, they are presented on faceless, featureless mannequins, paralleled to how women are constantly judged based on what’s on them rather than what’s within them. White was used amongst the Cordillera tribes as a sort of “common denominator” color, and the patterns are similar to those found on traditional Filipina costumes.

Finally, the top left corner looks at the jarring reality of modern-day women and the ever-present possibility of being sold into the sex-slave trade. Some of the women in the pictures are looking at the other women in the piece, some with a forlorn longing to possess the strength they see in others but fail to recognize in themselves. There is a red tint to the background and pictures, as the Cordillera tribes use red to signify bravery in battle and someone of high honor.

I used coconut oil and sindur powder to paint the backgrounds and color my hands to signify how women are used and restrained. It has been said that a coconut tree is all a person needs to live because it is very useful, just as women have been used for all they offer. Sindur powder has been traditionally used to mark Hindi women as brides, but can also be seen as a restriction that only gives value to women if they have men attached to their names. Putting it on my hands is my challenge to me and others to take the first step in claiming responsibility for the struggles that women often face but never speak about. The whole piece is shaped as a circle to call to mind the idea that unless we recognize the marginalization of women, even in modern society and at a seeming high of women’s powers and rights, this pattern and similar events will continue. The center has the Not For Sale logo on a Cordillera woman to show that our victories and struggles are not for sale. Our culture and traditions are not for sale. Our creativity and abilities are not for sale. Our women and all women should not be for sale.

Project 2 MAS:

Project 2 AM:

Project 2 JI:

Project 2 DC:
underneath, detail:
underneath, detail:

Project 2 Matt Montenegro:
"Ang Sabihin Ng Manong"

I often wondered what kind of people it took to “write back to the center”, after facing constant struggle and hardships. After being marginalized so much throughout history, how could people manage to get their voices heard? In this project “Marginality as Resistance” what exactly were the tenants trying to say before, during, and after the eviction from the I-Hotel. I focused on one person in particular, Emil DeGuzman who is now the President of the Manilatown Heritage Foundation and former President of the International Hotel Tenants Association. So I read a statement that DeGuzman gave during the 24th Eviction Commemoration, and he quoted a line from Dr. Martin Luther King saying “We suffered, ‘despair when there was no light in a tunnel of darkness.” And he further discussed that these tenants and the people who struggled with them were on an uncharted direction, and the only way is to head towards the light, towards a brighter tomorrow.

So my project consists of quotes on poster board from an article taken from the San Francisco Chronicle which wrote about the I-Hotel eviction 30 years later. The article interviewed Emil DeGuzman as well as Gordon Chinn who is the executive director of the Chinatown Community Development Center, who helped develop the building at 848 Kearny St. And this project is composed of a live element, something that lets me get in touch emotionally to the people who suffered. I am going to tape my mouth with a dollar bill and the quote written on it states: “I was brutalized myself personally…I was taken out of the building, dragged down the street.” And I am also going to tie my hands together with straps. The feeling that I wanted to get at is often times during Post-Colonialism people who are being marginalized never get their word across. They are either silenced, the tape around the mouth, or bought (with me using the dollar bill), or tied up and silenced. After watching that I-Hotel film I was just really touched emotionally because of what these tenants went through, not only the Manongs and the Filipinas, but the Chinese immigrants as well. I hope this piece speaks for itself without me having to say anything.

Project 2 LM:

Project 2 MI:

According to labor department and sources written on Feb. 6th 2008 there have been 4 million child workers between the ages of 5 and 17, more than half of who work in the agriculture sector but many are also employed in sugar cane farms, domestic work, quarrying and pyrotechnics production. The U.S. has provided the Philippines 5.5 million to help combat the use of child labor.

The Philippines have a long history of legislation aimed at protecting the rights and welfare of children starting in 1974 when the labor code of the Philippines set the minimum age of employment to 15 yrs and prohibited the employment of persons below 18 years old in anything hazardous undertaking. Most recently, the republican act Number 9231 amends act 7610, which provides protection of children against abuse, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, and employment in illicit activities, by embodying the state policy to provide special and stiffer protection from the mentioned. It spells out the hours of work; ownership, usage and administration of the working child's income. In addition it also ensures working children's access to education and training, and immediate legal, medical and psychological services.

The progression of this issue is obviously growing in a positive direction especially with the aid of the U.S. I feel it is of utmost importance that the programs that are created to protect the children are accompanied with a very functional oversight team to monitor the children’s attendance in school and assess that they are not being exploited. The issue of child labor is largely an issue of marginalization. The children are invisible and marginalized both economically and socially.

Project 2 Melissa Sayo:
Throughout the pre-introduction to this assignment the one image that really stuck into my mind was the whitening soap that has reached all Filipino households. I discussed my ideas with my friends of whom are not Filipino and they could not grasp the concept of why whitening soap was so widely used in the Filipino Culture. This conversation only fueled my ideas of creating the image of how much the Americas and Spanish influence have had on us, not only from our culture and everyday living but also from our looks and how our internal family has brought this on to us even after the their reign over the Philippines. The term “mistisa or mistiso” is a term that has affected many households including mine. From internal scrutinizing about a certain families skin color or the height of their nose we as a culture are bringing ourselves down and not letting our natural features exemplify who we are.

I decided to draw this shower head scene as a representation of how we have been influenced by others and made seem to us that those words being taught were magical, but in reality they have only washed away who we are and we are just trying to wash ourselves away as a culture. Even today we still see it as being acceptable to continually whiten ourselves to make our complexion similar to what we think is superior. Though, it is very ironic that the people whom we are trying to emulate are trying to do the reverse and gain a more golden brown tone similar to ours. There are also clashes in ourselves to define who we are as Filipino-Americans, which I feel is the division that I have created in the two different soaps.

I also saw my tub as a “melting pot”, but what we have been taught to know from the melting pot is the ideology of multiple cultures mixing into one, but that goal has not been reached. Although as United States Citizens we try not to compromise ourselves and try to find a healthy divide between our various identities. Whether some are mixing and some have fought back to make a clear distinction between where they are and where they come from.

Project 2 Artworks

2008-03-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

Here are 9 of the 26 works of art created for Project 2: Marginality as Resistance.
The full project description can be found just below this post.

Project 2 Michelle Medina:
“Torn Between Two Worlds”

Spanish colonization of the Philippine began with the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi’s expedition and permanent settlement in the island of Cebu. More settlements continued northward with the clonizers reaching the bay of Manila on the island of Luzon. In Manila, they established a new town and this began an era of Spanish colonization that lasted for more than three centuries.

The image on this particular piece of art portrays a female figure that is split in half: one side wearing the common white debutante gown, and the other in a plain and simple white dress which appears to have rice as a main décor. This female represents Spain’s traditions that had spread to the Philippines due to Spanish colonization. Believe it or not, debuts did not originate in the Philippines, but in many places in Europe, for instance, Spain and France.

When the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines, many of the Filipinos experienced a sense of oppression. Forced to accustom to the traditions of the Spanish, the Filipinos had no voice and no choice. Some Filipinos may even have felt torn between their original customs and the Spanish’s forced customs. They may have felt torn between what class they held in their society. For example, a young girl’s longing to become a beautiful princess was smashed by the harsh reality that she could never be anything but a slave and a follower.

Project 2 VG:

Project 2 ML:

Project 2 JD:

Project 2 Grace Malki:
This piece is a reflection on the treatment of Filipinos living in marginality in post-colonialism. I read a bit of extra literature on the cultural constructions of domination, difference, and otherness. In my opinion, marginality is a source of creating power and powerlessness. Along with African-Americans and Mexican-Americans, Filipino-Americans have been resisting the battle over power and unfortunately have been forced into the margins of society.

Using paper, colored pencil, watercolor, fabric, and a metal chain, I created a fiery response to marginality. I chose to depict a lion wrapped in a chain to symbolize the way the center treats those in the margin: as wild animals, people needing constraint. Of course those living in the center of society do not admit this publicly and I chose to sketch a hand giving the peace sign to represent an artificial gesture of equality. Two of the fingers are vicious snakes to demonstrate the truth and irony to this analogy. I used snakes because I believe that by treating humans like animals, the center are in turn, animals themselves. The snakes were inspired by the artist’s work seen at our trip to the I-hotel.

Those who bask in the glory of the center often consider themselves a God-like figure in which those living in the margins should look to for guidance. Similarly to the concept in Zora Neale Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God which discusses marginality, those living in the center will not be there in a time of need. One day society will no longer look to the center for advice or guidance and their eyes will be watching God.

Project 2 JT:
outside:
inside:

Project 2 Lester Banatao:
detail:
I decided to use the story that happened in 2006 of a young Filipino child in Canada who was embarrassed and insulted at school for eating with a fork and spoon at lunch. When the mother went to the principal of the school, she was shocked by his comments referring to her son as "eating like a pig" and telling her "Madame, you are in Canada. Here in Canada you should eat the way Canadians eat."

I used this scenario to illustrate the Philippines and Filipinos wanting to fight back and resist outside forces from changing or controlling them, specifically the Spanish and the Japanese, as well as discrimination and segregation in the United States and as it turns out, Canada. The words represent the different ways Filipinos have been able to fight back against these hurdles that they are presented with and still manage to move forward, one big reason being them staying true to their values and beliefs that they have held onto for generations.

Project 2 MCC:
detail:

Project 2 Henry DeCherney:

PROJECT 2

2008-03-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

PROJECT 2: MARGINALITY AS RESISTANCE: “WRITING” BACK TO CENTER
DUE: TH 3/27
CRITIQUE: TH 3/27, T 4/1

Post-colonialism (also known as post-colonial theory) refers to a set of theories in philosophy, film and literature that grapple with the legacy of colonial rule. Post-colonialism deals with many issues for societies that have undergone colonialism: the dilemmas of developing a national identity in the wake of colonial rule; the ways in which writers from colonized countries attempt to articulate and even celebrate their cultural identities and reclaim them from the colonizers; the ways knowledge of colonized people have served the interests of colonizers, and how knowledge of subordinate people is produced and used; and the ways in which the literature of the colonial powers is used to justify colonialism through the perpetuation of images of the colonized as inferior. Colonized peoples responded to the colonial legacy by writing back to the center. This came about as indigenous peoples began to write their own histories, their own legacy, using the colonizers' language (usually English) for their own purposes. As post-colonialist theory has impacted communities of indigenous peoples it has produced a process of indigenous decolonization..

How is art-making an act of inquiry, conversation and resistance? As you consider the larger context for Filipino-American cultural production, and some of the strategies artists have used to “write” back to center, how might you contribute to this conversation, as well?

There are a number of resources that we’ve covered in the past few weeks that have addressed this. As you begin thinking about how to approach Project 2, please consider the notion of an artistic process that allows you to accumulate, test, sift, and ask. Refer to the bell hooks reading, Carlos Villa’s visit, the “kwatro kantos” artists, the Gatbonton Colonial Art reading, the Post-colonialism wiki, the essays by Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde, and The Fall of the I-Hotel film, as a significant part of this “accumulation”. Test what you’ve learned, sift through the many options so that that they don’t overwhelm you, and start your work from this place of reflection and inquiry.

Project 2 is an opportunity for you to explicitly consider Filipino/Filipino-American history, as well as post-colonialism, transnationalism, and the creative strategies and philosophies artists employ. How can creative production, your creative production, be a way of responding to history, “answering back”, answering/asking more questions, dealing with both the personal and political, and filling in the gaps?

Project 2 should also be an opportunity for you to take what you learned in Project 1, and advance your technical, editorial and compositional skills further.

This project is due the Thursday after you return from spring break, and it should look like the culmination of 2-3 weeks of deep work. Your work should look completely resolved by its due date. If you are confused about this project, please set up a meeting with me.

Criteria for success on Project 2:

Incorporation of hand-made elements
Implementation of mixed-media
Implementation of layers of information
At least one non-traditional art material
Materials/media/execution appropriate to your project
Evidence of emotional/intellectual engagement with your theme/themes
complex investment in idea, theme and execution
Further consideration of composition and resolution of work (ie, growth since Project 1)
2-3 weeks of effort and investment (12-13 hours minimum)
written reflection/artist statement

Project 1 Artwork, cont'd

2008-03-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

These are 12 of the 26 works of art created for Project 1: Re-telling/Re-imagining.
The full project description can be found here.

Project 1 CJA:

Project 1 MS:
Project 1 ML:
Reclaiming my identity

My piece is about me trying to identify with my Filipino culture. The girl in the picture is me with an etch sketch. In the etch sketch is a half erased flag of the Philippines, which symbolizes me losing my identity with the Philippines when I came to the United States. Behind me is the Golden Gate Bridge to me the Golden Gate Bridge was the connection that helped me bond back to my Filipino culture. I lived in Marin but went to school in the city and I learned more about the Philippines history attending USF than from my family.

The two pointing hands that are decorated as the US flag and the other the Philippine flag represent me trying to connect the two cultures together through USF. By taking Filipino classes and getting educated from USF, I have allowed myself to be appreciative and happy of my background. Although my family and relatives know nothing about the history of the Philippines, I am happy to educate them and inform them what has happened or is happening in the Philippines and United States. I was born in the Philippines and the airplane was my transportation to arrive but instead of having the airplane come from the Philippines I had it travel from the United States to the Philippines. In a way the airplane is going back to the roots of where I came from and reclaiming my identity, my culture, and my history.

The pictures that I put on my piece, for instance the cross and sword combined together resembles the colonization of the Philippines from Spain. This symbol is what makes me angry and wonder at the same time because it makes me not want to be Catholic because it was something that was forced on the people to believe in.

Project 1 JT:
Project 1 MAS:

Project 1 Val Fernandez:

Luzviminda is the matriarch of the Philippines. No, skip that. She is the Philippines (if the Philippines were a woman that is). She is strong. She has survived it all. As the Native Guns song “Promise” goes, she has been “used and abused by both friends and enemies.” But despite this all, Luzviminda remains the same nurturing and vibrant mother she always has. She welcomes back her children that leave her for other lands and better opportunities (the same lands that have raped and abused her.) To her children, she makes them promise that they come back and visit her and to not be gone too long. This is Luzviminda. This is the motherland. This is the Philippines.

This piece is a vision of what I myself picture in my head when I hear Luzviminda. Childhood memories of attending the fiesta of Our Lady of Penafrancia and having white girls make faces of my bag of shrimp chips during recess are were some of the moments in my life when I just couldn’t help but feel Filipino. Partaking in cultural events and eating stereotypical foods were the pinnacle and extent of my knowledge of Filipino culture. I was young, naive, and did not realize that there was a whole history and culture that had not yet been revealed to me.

Then in college, I was introduced to Luzviminda. She was no longer just a land of pirated DVDs, Chowkings, and papaya soap. She was something. She was history. And she was beautiful. I’d like you to meet her.

Project 1 JI:
This piece may look simple, but is complicated in my eyes. The two photographs in the middle are the wedding pictures of my grandparents on my mother and father’s side. I specifically chose these photographs because the union of each couple represents the start of their hopes and dreams that they had for their children, grandchildren, and many generations to come. I chose four symbols of what I thought my lolos and lolas wanted for their children in the U.S. I knew that they typically thought of the U.S. as the “land of opportunity.” Although they themselves were not able to come, they had plans for their offspring.

The first symbol is the cross which represents religion and the close tie to the Catholic faith. The second symbol is money which represents wealth and well-being that “all will experience in the states.” The nursing cap represents an education and a degree, specifically in the medical field, that my lolos and lolas wanted for their children to be successful, education that the Philippines may not be able to provide. The last symbol is the marriage of a Filipino couple. My grandparents want nothing more than for their children to grow up in the states and raise a traditional all Filipino family.

All these symbols have been torn apart. The reason for this is to represent the struggle, imperfection, and alternate pathways to these dreams my parents, my sister, and I have taken trying to fulfill their dreams. The flag in the background is a blend of the Filipino and American flags. The imperfection of the spacing and painting of this flag also symbolizes the struggle my parents, as the first immigrants, and I, as the first American-born generation have in connecting my grandparents’ hopes and dreams to ours. The flag has also been drawn horizontally to have the red running down. This symbolizes the blood, sweat, and tears that my grandparents, my parents, and I have in common in striving to becoming better.

Project 1 Hazel Benigno:
"Continuum"

The Filipino and Filipino-American identity is one of both contradictions and harmony, a blend of the traditional and modern. For my project, I chose to represent these contradictions by juxtaposing light and dark, nature and city, soft edges and sharp lines, and woman and man. However, this co-existing harmony that also unites them is represented by the bamboo sticks that the couple dances between, as well as the bamboo bridge that connects them. This bridge is representative of the fact that one can often bridge the gap between the past and present by something as seemingly simple as dancing.

Although the Tinikling is not the national dance, I chose to center my piece around it because it has become so popularized and is one of the few dances I have heard of with such varied explanations. The three main stories I have heard are either of the dancers imitating a bird, a dance cultivated from a cruel punishment for farmers, or a couple proving their agility and eligibility for marriage. This reflects upon the fact that much of Filipino history is an oral tradition and though the story may not always be correct, all our varied stories, like the personal histories of the individuals who contribute to the Filipino culture, are still able to come together in one dynamic moment; in this case, dancing. Though modern times may lead us away from our original culture, it is still essentially ours to claim, should we choose to recognize it. As Alleluia Panis wrote, “we search for our own particular cultural continuum that is uniquely our own.”

Project 1 JD:
Project 1 Lester Banatao:

For my project, I wanted to focus on how Filipinos and Filipino-Americans bridge the literal gap and make connections between the Philippines and the United States. The different ways they connect can be applied to the Philippines and any other country in the world as well. The Philippines and the United States, specifically, have had a long and twisting history together. From the days of the Philippine Revolution to today's immigration and Filipino veterans fighting for equal benefits, the 7,000 mile Pacific divide is made a little less wide by advances in communication, travel, and the never ending passing down of Filipino traditions.

The biggest part of my piece, I believe, is how these images illustrate the journey of my own family. Their dream, as with many Filipino immigrants, is to provide for a better life for their children and grandchildren. By all accounts, that dream has come true.

Project 1 MCC:

Project 1 DC:

Project 1 Artwork

2008-03-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

These are 14 of the 26 works of art created for Project 1: Re-telling/Re-imagining.
The full project description can be found here.

Project 1 GM:This piece is in response to the 1972 stabbing of Imelda Marcos which occurred during an award ceremony broadcast on live television. Her wounds which were mostly on her hands and arms required 75 stitches. This event struck me as a crime against the female population— a way in which somebody was trying to keep women out of powerful roles. This crime felt like an attempt to manipulate female power and I portrayed that through using handmade paper dolls without faces. By excluding their faces, I expressed the way in which women have little to no identification with powerful roles.

Imelda Marcos responded to criticisms of her extravagance by claiming that it was her duty to be some kind of light, a star to give the poor guidelines. I chose to exhibit the symbol of light by using a piece of mirror which also symbolizes vanity— a cage that encloses and pressures women. Vanity can often be a tool to gain false respect and power in a “man’s world.” I explored that possibility by portraying her in wealthy attire.

The three faceless women at the bottom of my piece symbolize the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit— none of whom are women. I chose to use this trinity to further explore how women are cheated out of powerful roles even in the spiritual realm. Aside, the Virgin is pictured shedding tears of blood for women who have suffered oppression and violence. Specks of light shine down on her— a warm message from Marcos foretelling upcoming change for women.

Project 1 (overview + detail) AM:

Project 1 VG:

Project 1 (outside and inside of piece) AI:

Project 1 (overview+detail) ST:

Project 1 Michelle Medina:

As I walk into the warm-colored room with sage green décor, the crowd immediately cheers and yells out my name. Herds of the sound of whistles and clapping inundate my ears as I make my way towards the center of the dance floor. Clinging on to my escort, we both turn around and face the people to give a kind curtsy. After months of planning, I finally saw the well-lit room, with several elegantly decorated tables filled with the people who care deeply about me. I had thought to myself that, This is the best day of my life.

What is Filipino culture? In my eyes, it is the family (and friends who turned into family) that surround me every single day. Each person that I know had helped contribute to my life, either directly or indirectly. From their teachings and examples, I had developed myself into the woman who I am today.

The people who had celebrated with me during this special occasion had watched me grow into a responsible young woman who aspires to give back what they had given me throughout my entire life. Without family, my journey would halt to a stand-still; there would be no color or excitement, neither would there be obstacles. Family is necessary, especially in the Filipino American culture, because the support system and the unity that the family provides are essential for experiencing growth in one self.

From what I have experienced, my family had pushed me to have faith in myself in order to achieve what is good in life. Although life may encounter multiple hardships, the family is always present as the source to find support, love, and shelter.

Project 1 (overview + detail) NNC:

My Filipino-American Arts project revolves around the theme of sacrifice. I firmly believe that "adversity makes people great", and that through adversity, a person can be stronger, and can even inspire others through their actions.

Filipinos have endured many sacrifices over countless centuries, and through these tumultuous times, we as a nation, still find a way to achieve sweet victory. I also parallel sacrifice with "hard work", because I believe that there can be no victory without sacrifice, and that there can be no hard work without sacrifice. I chose the Philippine Eagle to represent the "sweet victory" achieved after painful adversity. To me, the majestic Philippine Eagle is a symbol of triumph as it truly is the "king" and ruler of the Filipino skies.

To represent Filipino sacrifice or sacrifices, I included some famous Filipino heroes such as Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, as well as the KKK. In addition, I included People Power or Edsa Revolutions I and II, as well as martyr Ninoy Aquino. Through their sacrifices, we now enjoy liberty and freedom from foreign oppression and tyranny. Furthermore, and to show present day sacrifices, I included boxers Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr., who are also considered to be present-day Filipino "heroes". The phrase or line from the Philippine National Anthem, "Ang mamatay ng dahil sa'yo", means to die because of, or for you, and the "you" refers to our mother, the Philippines. I believe that these short words are so powerful that they continue to echo within our hearts, as they glorify Filipino self-sacrifice.

I included boxing as a symbol of sacrifice because like every other sport, boxing takes dedication and continuous hard work. Manny Pacquiao is not known as the Filipino Champion who beat Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales because he is a bum. Manny worked hard, trained hard and fought hard, representing his country against Mexico's finest and greatest. Through his actions and achievements, the Filipino people, even Filipino-Americans consider him as a hero.

Every hero has a counterpart, hence - a villain. I portrayed the villains to be former Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and "Erap" Estrada, both were tyrants in their own right. Marcos declared Martial Law on the Philippines which led to the deaths of many patriotic civilians, and Erap, whose corrupt actions caused the starvation of many Filipino families. Marcos and Erap are portrayed as snakes because I figured that snakes are a symbol of "evil" and deceit, and they did deceive the Filipino nation into believing that they are trustworthy leaders.

I used pen, pencil, and coloring markers as a medium for my project. As an artist, I always thought of myself as a simple illustrator. I find joy in simple drawings and adding fine details after drawing my illustration. I also enjoy working with just simple materials like pens and pencils. Personally, I find great inspiration in great illustration that show simple, yet incredible and fascinating skill which seems to take ridiculous amounts of meticulous effort. I also added band-aids on the wings to symbolize pain, injury or even casualty during those times of suffering. I believe that my work speaks for itself; it does have some deep meaning to it and it is not that difficult to interpret the meaning of "sacrifice" and how I've applied it to Filipino Hard work and Heroism. And may I add, I included a bowl of soup to symbolize a Filipino saying - "kung walang tyaga, walang nilaga" which means that without hard work, there is no food/dinner on the table, hence it transcends to - without hard work, there is no reward.

Project 1 Matt Montenegro:

So after given this assignment, the question was given: What do you associate with being Filipino? This art project is my answer. I went from portraying the Philippine landscape, to showing the stereotypes of famous Filipino’s in America, or showcasing the famous Filipino figures in history. All of this was supposed to be on a huge flag of the Philippines with the sun showing my family, my friends. But what point was I really trying to make? What I really wanted to focus on was having this tight knit community around me, be it my school, my family, or my friends. Being Filipino, in my opinion was taking the old traditions and managing to maintain them in these changing times.. I love the fact that both of my grandparents have lived happily married for over 50 years, despite adapting to a new lifestyle here in America.

So my visual art project consists of the sun on the Philippine flag with 8 rays representing the history behind the Philippines. The 8 rays of the sun represent the 8 provinces rising up against the Spanish in order to seek independence. I placed the sun on a white background to keep the meaning of equality and fraternity. In the center of the sun are pictures of my family both old pictures and new ones. I wanted to showcase the “old school” Filipino’s, ones based around family, loving parents and a lot of kids. My family and my friends are what make me Filipino. This may sound corny but they are at the “center of the sun” so to speak. Regardless of the fact that my upbringing may be different than what my parents may have experienced, in a way there’s still a connection between what I am experiencing the traditions that my parents and grandparents have experienced.

Project 1 LM:

Project 1 KB:

Project 1 Henry DeCherney:

Project 1 MI:

Project 1 (outside and inside of piece) PC:

Project 1 DM:

Inspired mainly by Filipino pop-culture, both past and present, I've arranged a mixed-media collage triptych of appropriated materials, integrating the country's natural aesthetics with popular national symbolism. I've attempted to balance ideas of familial connection with a personal knowledge or Filipino iconography, by way of portraiture, pulp-magazines, and landscape photography. While experimenting with different concepts of juxtapositional framing, I've copied, traced, drawn and painted a series of open-ended combinations, which all display a broad sense of my early impressions of the country's playful appeal.

I began this project by considering what I already knew of the Philippines - much was owed to class discussion topics on history and culture. I drew from a sense of a similarity between Filipino culture and my own - Mexican, where there is much emphasis placed on family. I found two separate photographs, one of young children, brothers and sisters and the other of several women smiling candidly. I isolated a few figures in each respective photo and chose to trace and paint them. I incorporated other images as well - a picture of a Filipino boxer, the harring ibon eagle, the Philippine national animal, to create two separate collages that serve as bookends, if you will. Each side of the triptych is meant to stand on its own and it is not my intention for the piece as a whole to be read from left to right. The center panel contains the most original work of the piece. Through researching online I found vintage Filipino komiks. The covers of these komiks immediately caught my attention and I chose a specific few to trace and paint. Materials I used were vellum and tracing paper, found images from the internet and a miscellaneous book of tropical landscapes, acrylic paint and pencil, and glued my work to foam board.

Exhibition Opportunity

2008-01-30T22:36:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are interested in exhibiting your artwork in a public setting, here's a great opportunity to apply, from the Manilatown Center in San Francisco's legendary, rebuilt I Hotel:

2008 Call for Artists:
Globalization: Response and Responsibility

Quarterly exhibitions are themed presentations with accompanying auxiliary programming. The theme for 2008 is Globalization: Response and Responsibility. There are four exhibitions that deal with the topics and their effect on the Filipino community both locally and globally. In addition, we have an annual I-Hotel commemoration exhibit.

You do not have to be Filipino to submit a proposal, but artwork should directly relate to the year's theme and the Filipino experience. We also have a slot for a solo exhibition in December for a promising Filipino artist whose work fits our mission. Our exhibitions for 2008 and tentative dates are:

1. Capitalist Greed and Poverty; Jan 26-Mar 1
2. Women’s Issues: Labor, domestic workers, sex trafficking; Mar 8-May 3
3. Western Ideas/Colonial Mentality; May 12-July 19
4. I-Hotel Commemoration; July 26-Sept 6
5. Cultural Appropriation & Assimilation; Sept 13-Nov 15
6. Solo Exhibition; Nov 22-Dec 31

If you are interested in submitting your work for consideration for the 2008 exhibition, please contact us at mhf@manilatown.org. Proposals should be received two months before the opening date. The committee meets monthly to review.

PROJECT 1

2008-01-29T22:38:00.000-08:00

PROJECT 1: RE-TELLING/RE-IMAGINING
DUE: T 2/19
CRITIQUE: T 2/19, TH 2/21

So much of Filipino-American history is buried, or invisible. Making visual work returns events to visibility. This is a warm-up project: its function is to focus on seeing, telling, imagining.

Please find an image (or multiple images, if you prefer) that you associate with Filipino/Filipino-American culture and/or history. The images can be family snapshots, friends, historical photos, food, sports, you name it. Go to the library. Use Google. Print/photocopy the images, ponder them a bit. You do not have to possess a deep knowledge of the image you choose, but it must compel you visually in some way. You are not expected to know everything about the image: making art is often an excuse to simply investigate a subject. This is about inquiry, and imagination.

This project is due in 3 weeks, and as such, you’re expected to invest about that much time outside of class on it. This will probably look like about 12-15 hours of work, including the time you take finding your images, and time to write a brief artist statement. It may take more, or less, but either way, your work should look resolved by its due date. As you still have a substantial amount of reading that you’re also accountable for, it would be prudent to scale this project to a manageable size and to not wait until the night before it’s due to start. If you are confused about this project, please set up a meeting with me (I’m generally available either before or after class on Tuesdays and Thursdays), and also peruse the examples from last year’s course blog at worldsincollision.vox.com.

This is a 2-dimensional project on paper.
It should include some elements of drawing and hand-made elements (but it is not required to be entirely drawn.)
Scale, and number of sheets (1 is fine, some may want more) is up to you.

CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS ON PROJECT 1:

Evidence of emotional/intellectual engagement with the subject/image
Incorporation of hand-drawn elements into your piece
3 weeks of effort and investment
complex investment in idea, theme and execution
written reflection/artist statement

CLARIFICATION OF SOME CRITERIA:

ENGAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT:
“Care” is a word to keep in mind, as a maker and a viewer. How do you care about this, and how might you make us care, as well? Have you chosen an image/images that compel you? Have you genuinely engaged with the image, and made meaning of it? How is this evident in your artwork?

It doesn’t matter what style or materials you work with. Criteria for success is whether you are invested, and how this manifests. This is not about traditional technical skill. It’s about curiosity, investigation, and follow-through. Have you challenged yourself to move beyond your personal comfort zone/skill-set, and take new risks?

WRITTEN REFLECTION:
Some realizations simply won’t come to you until well after you’ve finished a piece, but it’s important to reflect on what you’ve made in some conscious way. This does not have to be formal academic analysis. It can be poetry, short fiction, diaristic: whatever seems appropriate. How you choose to write about your work is up to you. 1 page, typed, double-spaced, preferably.

Worlds In Collision

2008-01-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

WORLDS IN COLLISION is an investigation of Filipino American culture and creativity as a model of hybridity, a way to examine colonial histories, and a means to explore contemporary phenomena such as transnationalism and globalization. This course is a survey of Filipino American artistic production, looking primarily at visual art, but also other forms of creative expression. It provides the historic context for Philippine colonial history starting in 1521, continuing through the development of Philippine-U.S. relations, and concluding with a focus on the contemporary Filipino American experience here in the U.S.

We will address Filipino creative projects and their relation to colonial history, immigration history, generational conflict, racial identity formation in the US, resistance and other forms of protest. We will examine multiple modes of, and strategies for, representation.

Some of the questions we will address are: How has the colonial relationship/immigration history of the Philippines and the US informed a Filipino American artistic/creative voice? What is the Filipino American creative voice, and what is it saying? How do Filipino American artists navigate/negotiate their place within the mainstream community, art community, cultural community?

Through journals, essays, blog posts and arts projects and a final presentation, we will draw our own parallels and associations between colonial histories and contexts, contemporary artists, and our own relationship to Filipino American Arts Exploration as both writers and makers ourselves.