Walang Buwan III (The Drowned World)
2024
Featured in Festival for Philippine Arts and Culture’s inaugural ArtPhair
Mixed Media Installation (Blue tarp, plastic water bottles, dyed pandan, dichroic film, grommets, plastic bag cordage, stools, Pinatubo ash planters, pandan plant, salt)
"Walang Buwan III (The Drowned World)" is a large-scale installation that combines traditional Filipino weaving techniques with blue tarp. This site-sensitive work addresses the use of tarps as temporary fixes in the aftermath of climate disasters such as typhoons, floods, and landslides. The installation's oversized woven tarp creates a canopy, evoking the traditional banig used in the Philippines for gathering, ritual, and rest.
The title “Walang Buwan,” meaning “moonless” in Tagalog, refers to uncontrollable earth systems affected by human activities. The piece aims to raise awareness about the loss of traditional knowledge due to the economic instability and climate imperialism that plague the Philippines. It reflects on the frequent typhoons and massive flooding that devastate urban and rural areas alike, highlighting the government's failure to address these issues effectively.
Despite calls for people-centered disaster risk reduction plans, the Philippine government continues to prioritize environmentally destructive projects like land reclamation, militarization and luxury developments. This negligence exacerbates the impact on local communities, who are often blamed for the failures of state infrastructure and neglected in disaster aid distribution.
It critiques the normalization and glorification of Filipino resilience in the face of escalating natural disasters and underscores how intertwined we all are with our environment, and with one another—even if we are an ocean away.





