Katherine Nuñez

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LAUNDRY LIST FOR DIGITAL CLEANSING

I asked coordinators and managers of artist-run spaces based in the Philippines who participated to the project Who Will Wash the Dishes? to answer the simple exercise detailed below.

Participating spaces: HUB: Make Lab Load na Dito TEMPORARY UNRELEARNING ACADEMY Luyo Space KANTINA

Write down a short list for the following items below. You can do this with your team or by yourself.

(1) What makes you/your team happy, or motivated with your work? (2) What makes you/your team feel down, unmotivated with your work? (3) What particular actions, gestures, or behavior indicate that you/your team are feeling down, or unmotivated with your work? (4) What activities make you/your team feel happy, nurtured, and recharged?

Listening and fully embodying your gut feelings are not self-indulgent, irrational, or you being unnecessarily soft, especially when undertaking community work through the arts.

Collaboration and cooperative work does not only involve the fruitful and invigorating exchanges of ideas and energies. Entanglement with how others are feeling, and recognizing and valuing emotions and affect are also integral to the work. Collective work is a mishmash of the highs and lows of intimacies and vulnerabilities. How can we approach each other tenderly?

Your feelings are your teachers! They will tell you what you love, care for, fear, and dislike.

Listening and fully embodying your gut feelings are not self-indulgent, irrational, or you being unnecessarily soft.  

BE SOFT. Be mushy for yourself, and for those around you. Tenderness is a weapon.

Access the digital project/platform through the Instagram handle: @whowillwashthedishes.

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Texts from transcribed conversations with coordinators and managers of artist-run spaces and initiative based in the Philippines: HUB: Make Lab, Load na Dito, TEMPORARY UNRELEARNING ACADEMY, Luyo Space, and KANTINA.

These were mounted in a digital project/platform I produced titled Who will Wash the Dishes?  under the online residency program, Playground in Between, supported by Ministry of Culture Taiwan.

Who will Wash the Dishes? (Possible Strategies of Care for Online Residency Programs) looks at the possible forms care work can take and the ways these can be performed online as we imagine the potentials and challenges of online residency programs at this time.

Pre-pandemic, care work during residencies would often occupy very simple, organic, and unscripted fragments of the resident, manager, and coordinator’s day-to-day experiences that typically involve some type of casual physical gathering or hang-out.

These gatherings generate nourishing and nurturing encounters that not only support the resident’s creative exploration and learning, but also provide assistance for more immediate day-to-day needs. And so, during physical residencies, it is not unusual for managers and coordinators to accompany the resident to local markets, show them where the nearest laundromat is, help them cook in the kitchen, and of course, also help them wash the dishes, among a myriad of other things.

Also worth pointing out, is the emotional and affective nuances of the care work managers and coordinators undertake for their communities in such programs.

Acknowledging vulnerabilities, knowing how to ask for help, being empathic to each other, showing up, sharing the emotional, mental and physical labor needed in communal care, and opening channels for trust and solidarity -these are all labor undertaken by workers in the arts, especially those working with communities comprised of people from different backgrounds, that frequently don’t get the spotlight, and stay behind-the-scenes.

Just like with washing dishes, these invisible acts of care, tending, mending, and nurturing, despite being essential, are seen as non-professional, unglamorous, and messy. Washing dishes is boring, repetitive maintenance work that involves little innovation and entertainment, unlike cooking and eating, which is why most people don’t like to do dishes.

As we continue to occupy the online world, where our interactions are mostly mediated by technology, how then can we metaphorically wash the dishes for and with our collaborators meaningfully despite the physical isolation? How can we approach these difficult, chaotic, tender, vulnerable, touching, fun, and energetic work relationships now that we lost access not only to shared spaces but also to each other physically? What approaches anchored in care can be implemented when mounting programs that foster growth, co-learning, and open collaboration, like a residency program, despite the tensions and challenges imposed by this new normal?

Access the digital project/platform through the Instagram handle: @whowillwashthedishes.

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fake alchemy Series of works Embroidery, crochet, beadwork, eco-dyeing, found rocks, and crystalized salt 2021

The series was part of the show texture tendency: Threads in Manila curated by Carlos Quijon Jr.

From the curatorial text written by Carlos:

“Titled texture tendency: Threads in Manila, the exhibition pursues the provocations of its earlier iterations of looking at the entanglements of practices involving text and textile. Three considerations are foregrounded in this particular iteration: the trope of texture, the various tendencies in these practices, and the mutual implication of text and textile.

Instead of locating the interest in these practices in their “raw” materials (fiber, thread, textile) or in the activities that define them (stitching, weaving, embroidering), the exhibition looks at texture as a productive trope that threads through both textual and textile practices. Texture is at once skin and the intelligence of adjacencies and juxtapositions of different surfaces and materials; in literature, it is the effect of the combination of linguistic registers or an aspect of description to animate worlds;  in music, it is the depth or density of layers of sound. The Russian avant-garde discerned the importance of texture (“faktura”) in their investments on radical form: from material, process, construction. In the work of queer theorist Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, it is texture that leads to “nondualistic thought and pedagogy,” a condition that demands “touching feeling”--alluding to the simultaneous materiality of affect and the phenomenology of feelings.”

The works in “fake alchemy” had crystalized salt that’s more than a year old, dried and rotting leaves, fake glass beads, the flimsy and morbid bruise-like imprints of hammered flowers and leaves on fabric appearing like apparitions, found rocks, and dirt.

In the past, I had a show titled, “a growth or a graveyard”, and while working on this series, it would often cross my mind. It made me think about tension and tenderness, and about how spaces of comfort and care can be created in the midst of decay, deterioration, and violence.

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Fieldnotes 1 and 2 Embroidery, beadwork, and eco-dyed fabric on paper 2021

Small exercises created inside our home while thinking about the thick and untended growth of weeds in our backyard.

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part by part and piece by piece Series of works Embroidery, crochet, and knitting, and crocheted soft sculptures 2021

The series was part of the two-artist show, Obscure Wondering/Wandering, curated by Marika Constantino.

From the exhibit’s curatorial brief:

“... Nuñez’ tapestries and installation are imbued with subtexts. Her daily toil is inscribed through her meticulous needlework. Much like what we go through with each day, we just forge on. Her crochets and embroideries are mindful introspections. As she intimates: “I draw heavily on the laboring body as inspiration, hence the colors I mostly chose for the threads are colors that can may remind the viewer of the body: reds, browns, some blacks and blues. My works are projected inward, pointing more to my own experience as an artist given these precarious times. In a way it is autobiographical because my work tries to replicate my experiences visually through its processes.”

These homespun visual articulations of my laboring body looks into how my body occupied time as a spatial unit.

As I worked, there swelled a sentient acuity to movement attuned to an internal pulse and breathing patterns.

Absorbing these tiny gestures, part by part and piece by piece, I found myself gravitating more onto the active process of travelling through the slow passage of time, more than following the vision how the end-product should look like.

There was no interest in producing imprint of a body at work without its tears and rips. Instead, there was a preference on what was raw and visceral.

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natutulog ang mahimbing, ngunit hindi nananaginip Series of works (solo show) Embroidery, crochet, and collage on eco-dyed fabrics, soft sculptures, and single channel video 2020

“natutulog nang mahimbing, ngunit hindi nananaginip” means “sleeping deeply, but not dreaming”.

From a letter I sent via email to the show’s curator, Marika Constantino, I wrote:

“The title “natutulog nang mahimbing, ngunit hindi nananaginip”, which is a show about dreams sound very ironic though, doesn’t it? But I guess the dream that I was referring to here is not “dream” in the literal sense but of a life being dreamt for the future. Like everybody else suffering through this pandemic, I have no image of the future that I can clearly see, and giving in to the appeals of consuming for a fantasy is hardly a worthwhile future to want to dream of. To me, this period seems like a very prolonged state of immobility. Unconscious and senseless, we lull ourselves to a woken slumber, sleepwalking and in autopilot, unable to dream of a future beyond of what consumerism feeds us.”

In the letter, I also talked to Marika about “Consumption Dreams” by  Marlon Xavier, and its premise about the connection of consumerism and dreaming, where he  wrote how the very idea of dreams can refer to either: 

(1) “an autonomous, mysterious, irrational experience that happens to us and can be fantastic but also terrible.” (2) “a dream as personal desire, image of the future, main goal, the “good life”, etc.”

Her response to my letter, which also stood as the show’s curatorial brief, contained the following:

“Interestingly, how consumerism and commodification as an actuality is embroidered into the fabrics of our lives is a distinctive collage altogether. This manifests into your works both literally and figuratively. In this capitalist driven world, where every second is devoted to productivity and profit, its materiality gets harder and harder to ignore. The “work” and the “self” and its immediate gratification are not the only things that matter. Collective care and meaning must be at the forefront, most especially when distortions brought about by the neoliberal economy has been magnified.

In effect, I liken the idea of slumber to the state of irrationality, complacency, and satisfaction that the general 91% of the population consciously or unconsciously finds itself in. Ironic as it may be, given the blatant levels of incursion, poverty and assaults, apparently the populace is not “sleep deprived.” We must overcome this inertia; where the vision of proper education, equality, and justice for all comes into play. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, we can collectively wake up to begin imagining again and work towards its attainment.

I will leave you with this quote that I stumbled upon in the early days of isolation. As it sums up my feelings in reaction to the broad uncertainty and overall torpor it also is a rejoinder for your metaphorical call to action regarding our country’s listless forty winks:

“When we emerge out of our isolation, the world will be smaller and our horizons will be local. The priority will be solidarity and communion with the unemployed; everything else is unimportant but everything else will be secondary. May we emerge hungry for argument, conversation and debate. May our writing and art as more questions and won’t pretend to have all the answers.” – Christos Tsiolkas

May we all begin to dream again.”

This solo exhibition was shown in West Gallery (Manila, Philippines).

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a growth or a graveyard Series of works Embroidery, beadwork, crochet, and collage on paper, photographs, rust-dye and embroidery on gauze cloth 2020

"a growth or a graveyard" is a work that tries to look at corrosion, deterioration, and decay, but articulated through the visuals of growth created by employing minute but accumulative gestures of craftwork like embroidery, crochet, beadwork, and dyeing.

Organic forms seem to flourish in an abrasive and pathetic kind of growth, blooming by feeding on dreams, desires, and fantasies built on the tapestry of the corrosive myth of hard work, on exhausted labouring bodies, and on the gloss of synthetic man-made materials -from plastics to consumer dreams.

The works were shown in the artist’s first solo show in District Gallery (Manila, Philippines).

Click here to enter the virtual exhibition.

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bakit amoy dugo ang kalawang? Series of works Rust-dye and embroidery on gauze cloth, soft sculptures, single channel video 2019

“bakit amoy dugo ang kalawang” (which translates to “why does blood smell like rust?” uses deterioration, and transience to show that we are all but enduring bodies that will be worn down and fatigued in time in our attempt to forge a good life.

In this series of works, faith in the rewards of hard work becomes a protective bubble that cushions the disappointment and dissatisfaction that hands in the air when one lives in an anomic society riddled with urban decay like that of Manila.

The series was comprised of rust-dyed tapestry works with embroidered texts and gauze fabric, soft sculptures, and a single channel video work containing photos taken in Manila paired with texts sourced from magazines.

It questions the myth of hard work and capitalism’s promise of a good life.

The series was part of the group show, to give a moment a name shown in The Drawing Room (Manila, Philippines).

“A group exhibition that captures a constellation of moments that aims to activate the artists’ current creative and ideological preoccupations. The intermedia exhibition is a series of actualized actions that opens up conversations on worldview, ecologies of thought and trajectories.” (Written by Con Cabrera, Curator)

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“at a picnic on a sunday” Embroidery and Sewing on Fabric 40″ x 38″ 2018

Shown in Manila, Philippines for the exhibition “DAMA”

Weekends, holidays, the idea of time off -these all refer to time spent outside work for recluse, escape or entertainment. These “breaks” in time seen as necessary activities to achieve a reasonably satisfying life, helps an individual have a balanced work-leisure time in a society that can’t seem to stop working. It frees an individual from the obligations of work, and grants him the opportunity to choose what he/she would like to do. It is the time we can use according to our own discretion or choice for us to live the life we would like to have.

In “at a picnic on a sunday” however leisure is seen not as free time, at least not in its entirety. Though leisure does give one the chance for self-maintenance through non-work, these disruptions may also be regarded as privilege granted by work. Simply put, to have time out, one must first work because leisure costs money.

“at a picnic on a sunday” then sees work and leisure as intertwined entities that both is driven by one singular thing: the thought of a “good life” wherein one perhaps, at some level can buy happiness.

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“Breathing Ground” (Done in Collaboration with Jett Ilagan) Installation Work (Found Objects & Rubbings on Tracing Paper) Variable Size 2017

Shown in Manila, Philippines 

The appearance of a place, how it functions and behaves, how it “breathes” is directly influenced by people’s attitudes towards it, which is reflected by the objects present in it.

Objects can tell a lot about the people who own them, and the place and time they belong to. This is because they have intimate contact with their surroundings and bear witness to the occurrences and changes that take place in it.

As such, objects can possess narratives, histories, and memories –all of which have an impact to our identity. And so, by looking at objects, one can begin to see the patterns of living or the way of life people have had, are having or will have.

“Breathing Ground” is a collaborative work that would like to consider the stories inscribed on objects through the use of sound, light, tracing and rubbings on paper. The work is an interactive installation that will make use of mundane objects that are usually overlooked but have embodied the passage of time.

Here, emphasis is given on nuances present in the objects that are usually not seen or heard, such as the sound they make when amplified and exaggerated, and the small physical details revealed through tracing and rubbing.

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“getting to know you” Installation Work (Graphite Rubbings on Tracing Paper) Variable Size 2017

Shown in Bangkok, Thailand for 365 Days: LIFE MUSE (Model Study for Nongpo Community’s Foreign Labour)

What can objects tell about the people who use them?

“getting to know you” looks into the idea of a home and how its occupants are able to create a comforting space that attest to their unique selves through the objects they own.

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“Dreaming of Living” Installation Work (Picture Frames, Collage Works from Grocery Brochures) Variable Size 2017

Shown in Manila, Philippines

Scrapbooking, displaying photographs in frames, storing sentimental paraphernalia in tin boxes –these are small, mundane but highly personalized activities by which an individual can make sense of their lives. Through these pursuits, an individual is able to recognize or acknowledge their emotions and experiences, and to forge his/her own identity.

Usually done in spaces that are private, such as the home, these activities also help in keeping one’s self grounder, helping an individual cope with uncertainties and worries present in a world that is ever-changing. This is because objects and photographs that remind us of important life events, sentimental moments, and loved ones can create a sense of purpose and security.

However, here in “Dreaming of Living”, sentimentality are found instead in mall brochures, magazines and fliers.

“Dreaming of Living” is a work that would like to look at the seemingly natural linkage of human emotion and objects, and how conversely, this attachment of value on objects driven by emotions is absorbed and used by the market to appeal to individuals driven by the need to be self-fulfilled and to be living the “good life”.

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“In Between the Lines 2.0” (Done in Collaboration with Issay Rodriguez) Installation Work (Crochet, Sewing & Embroidery) Variable Size 2017

Shown in Biennale Arte 2017 (Venice, Italy)

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“In Between the Lines” (Done in Collaboration with Issay Rodriguez) Installation Work (Crochet, Sewing & Embroidery) Variable Size 2016

Shown in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for Art Dubai 2016′s Marker Exhibition (curated by Ringo Bunoan)

“In Between the Lines” is a collaborative work that looks into the invisible labor involved in studying, where one is often required to produce outputs that are regarded as a means of measuring one’s advancement in skill and comprehension. Here, the work deals with this process-product relationship by employing the laborious craft of crochet to create several pieces that imitate the appearance of several kinds of paper specifically used in school, such as yellow pad paper, notepads and graphing paper.

Katherine Nuñez’ take off point for “In Between The Lines” came from her “Objection” work entitled “Soft Machines.” She employed the arduous process of crochet to substitute mass-production in creating disposable banal objects usually found in our homes such as a telephone and a clothes iron. As such, labor is put at the forefront, rather than functionality, in order to look at the ideas which revolve around excess, expendability and value in relation to consumption.   For Art Dubai, Nuñez’ work again employs the laborious craft of crochet to create pieces that imitate the appearance of several kinds of paper specifically used in school, such as yellow pad papers, notepads, post-its and bond papers. The “papers” shown in the work are blank, emphasizing the labor done to create each piece, which under the standards of a product-driven schooling are regarded as ineffectual for an empty sheet of paper will always be seen as what it is: an empty piece of paper, rather than an object that aims to look at an alternative way of learning where one can exercise competency, criticality and autonomy.

This matter is especially relevant in the Philippines due to the recent implementation of an educational system which supports the production of graduates who can readily be employed by foreign companies. Thus it caters to a school system that utilizes a pre-packaged curriculum designed to cut, mold, and sculpt an individual according to certain global needs. This greatly affects the demand on courses that are related to the arts and humanities; most especially since the students in these programs are encouraged to be critical and are not specifically groomed for the global market place. Nuñez’s crocheted papers study desk paraphernalia (paper clips, fasteners, etc.) looks into the invisible efforts and labor involved in learning that is situated outside this type of education.

In this day and age where technology seems to pre-occupy much of our daily routine, going back to manual, analog and grounded realities is a breath of fresh air. “In Between The Lines” is relevant due to its physicality, dexterity and metaphorical value. It brings to fore the various layers related to labor, learning and the combination of labor and learning.

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“Soft Machines” Thread, Starch, Varnish 10 x 4 x 4.5 in. (Clothes Iron);  17 x 14 x 19 in. (Fan); 8.5 x 6 x 2 in. (Phone)  2014

Shown in Manila, Philippines for the exhibition “Objection”

In Soft Machines, the artist created crocheted sculptures of technological inventions that were created and developed to aid us with the demands and complexity of modern living. Substituting the process of industrial production with the slow, meditative process of crochet, the objects are rendered useless. The works question the role of craft and creation (and by extension, the creator and the consumers) in an age where societies thrive for speed and efficiency.

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“All the Stories I Wanted to Tell (But Don’t) Crafted in Samplers” Installation Work (Thread) Variable Size 2014

Shown in Manila, Philippines for the exhibition “Hantong”