Lilay makes art

Portfolio for my visual class

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“Selfie, ang makapal kong mukha” Self-imaging during isolation

Inspired by Ea Torrado’s Daloy Movement, ipinapakita ko ang aking experience at reflection during isolation sa pamamagitan ng sayaw.

Makapal ang mukha sa pagsayaw ng may kalayaan sa sariling pagkatao at balat, walang bahis kundi katapatan sa pagiging ako.

During the pandemic, I concentrated more in learning about myself and growing mindfully with my surroundings and my past.

Music: “Cloud Mountain” by Gabrielle Roth & The Mirrors

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"Herd immunity at ang manhid na lipunan"

Dictator. noun a leader who has complete power in a country and has not been elected by the people. -https://dictionary.cambridge.org/

Dick. Slang. a stupid, mean, or contemptible person, especially a man. “ - https://www.dictionary.com/

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country, leaving in its wake thousands dead, millions without jobs and countless more Filipinos driven to abject poverty. Yet despite all this, the country’s dictator president, Duterte, remains popular among Filipinos, that is, if we are to believe recent popularity surveys that have come out.

The government’s goal is to achieve herd immunity by the end of 2021. It promises this as the way out of the pandemic. But it seems what it has achieved so far is unheard immunity, with Filipinos being so accustomed to no longer being listened to by its so-called leaders and continuing to blindly, passionately falling for a dictator. It’s as if we never learn that dictators do nothing to a nation but bring it to its knees and eventually, death.

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“Throw Back Senti”: Nostalgia in the time of the pandemic

Being an Introvert, this pandemic gave me more time to be alone and learn about life, mortality, and spirituality. Looking at the past, the present and the future, we see and play our lives in our mind inside our body. We replay experiences, question our decisions, and learn from the lessons of life may it be a happy one, something mad, or something worth crying for.

A Box. The pandemic caged us in boxes for more than a year. It is stiffening our freedom not only physically but mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. The box is carved with a sacred geometry called “Seed of Life”, stating that despite being hidden, we still have hope to creat and re-create life as it should be. The leaves represent nature. The pandemic challenges us to dig deep into our true nature, our inner self. What is seen as lifeless will be reborn again. For these plants, it will be part of the soil as a fertilizer and be part of nurturing a new plant. For me, it questions whether this experience leads people into madness that is full of greed, narcissism, and ego or it brings the best of us as humans.

In some spiritual beliefs, there is a concept of a “bright white light”. This light or string is acknowledging our interconnectedness with everything and everyone around us. That the law of cause and effect does not have any exception (some call it the butterfly effect), that we should see ourselves as one, move as one instead of moving alone.

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“Libro mo? Libro ko? Libro nino? Books stacked Diversity. People are like books. We have our different covers and our pages are full of our own values, ideologies, theories, spiritual and religious beliefs, culture and traditions, knowledge and shadows. Unity. People are like books. We are all the same. Everyone is human, trying to figure out life. We are all immortals who can feel anger, happiness and sadness. And despite the challenges we have, we continue to grow. We get to do our part to make the world better by having conversations that sparks positive change towards us and for the whole world.

[lilaymakesart]

Triangle of Misfortune

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Memento Mori Recycled clothes, net, face mask and fake flower

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"Living through grounding" Hanging assemblage Coffee bean bags, rope, and sentimental objects

When courage gives you an opportunity to cultivate the soul you have left sober, shall you take it? In the midst of foolish morals and boxes from the social order, shall you take it? I shall for one will be overflowing with gladness, take the plunge into the wilderness, shall you take it? When tears have shattered, you feel lost and unbothered, shall you take it? With no materials to carry, but your own empty body so bitter and forgiven, shall you take it? I shall for one will be there to embrace it; it is my body but not my soul which you have extracted. So, let me see you naked in the roaring sunlight. Feel your soul with the full moon’s delight. And when you dance with ranging colors, I shall raise a glass for you on behalf of Nature’s admiration.

The philosophy of materialism. A spiritual journey. The Awakening.

This art piece is meditative work of learning what really matters especially during the pandemic. It is an awakening during this trial that we begin to question the importance of being grounded and learning to relearn what it really means to be alive instead of being blinded by materialism, hunger for power, wanting to control.