“And Yet Our Hair Grows” (2025)
Weaved Paper and Digital
Made this piece to explore the Filipino identity and art after years of colonialism and other struggles that could possibly limit what we make, moreover why it shouldn’t.
“Filipinos have gone through extensive periods of loss, and yet our hair grows. We can straighten it, curl it, change its color, cut it or let it grow– it will still be hair. Thinking of the Filipino identity as unchanging and stagnant will keep us from exploring and, hence, from thriving. It’s a matter of what we do to, let’s say, our hair. We have to let things change for us to see what makes Filipinos Filipinos. We can’t keep reverting back to a haircut that doesn’t fit us anymore.“
There are elements here picked from Philippine Art History such as the Maranao Okir mimicking face tattoos to those of the Visayan Pintados. I also weaved paper to serve as the background which were waters from Siargao and a street in Manila. Also liked how I rendered the face here :3