Artist Statement:
Inspired by Kahit Ano, UC Davis Mga Kapatid's Pilipino Culture Night this year, I decided to portray myself in the style of a banga dancer. In the dance Banga, the women performing represent the women in the Philippine mountains who make the long trip to go fetch water. I performed this piece for PCN, and although I have no experience living in the Philippines, traveling to get water, or living on a mountain, it really stuck with me. For me, being a race traitor was inherent within my identity as an Filipinx-American. Growing up, I never learned Tagalog, I shied away from food that was "too weird." It wasn't until I started searching for my cultural identity that I realized my whole life I was ignoring a lot of my culture.
I decided on a yellow background in honor of the late Pilipina president Corazon Aquino and the strides she made in the Philippines. Additionally, I splattered red and blue paint across my painting to represent the specks of my Filipinx heritage. Although I am American and I've never left the US, those specks are certainly there and are a reminder of where my family comes from. As an aspiring artist, I hope to show a representation of me and the culture I dearly love and strive to be in touch with.
I love this self portrait! Even though you live in a country that is not the same as your ethnic identity, it is very common to still know where you came from, whether or not you follow the culture. Your artist statement allowed me to understand your identity and how you identify as a race traitor. Great work, no need for improvement!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this piece a lot except as a Chinese person, yet I also avoided weird foods and inherently ignored a lot of my culture. Your use of colors and the speckle effect is also really beautiful, I love the honesty in this piece and how genuinely you see yourself, as also seen in the statement.
ReplyDeleteI really like your self portrait and the meaning behind it! I thought that it was a great self reflection, which also addressed this week's theme - traitors strike back. Maybe one thing to include with some sort of connection to the readings, but other than that, great job!
ReplyDeleteLove your self portrait. The colors used are great! I also appreciate how your artist statement really explains the ideas behind this image and how you see yourself as a race traitor. I think you did a great job in explaining your identity and your work really shows the ideas you tried to expand from. Great job!
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