Nanganganib (2017)
Nanganganib roughly translates to endangered in Tagalog. The Philippines is filled with natural resources, rich wildlife, and breathtaking landscapes. However resource depletion has become a significant problem in the country due to poverty, exploitation, and greed. This series visualizes the loss of beauty in the Philippines both in resources and culture: the loss of natural elements and the loss of indigenous practices due to colonization and westernization.
Kagubatan [Forest]
Deforestation is one of the biggest problems facing the Philippines today. Thousands of acres of nutrient-rich forests throughout the islands are being cut and burned down so farmers can mass produce goods for export such as rice, pineapples, coconut oil, palm oil, and paper. Unfortunately, because of the country’s economic turmoil and poverty, they rely on exports to make income and sustain businesses—despite these practices being a detriment to the native inhabitants and greater global population. The most catastrophic results of the deforested land are native animals becoming endangered, destroyed land becoming unusable for the future, and increasing greenhouse gases.
Bahura [Coral Reef]
The Philippines is one of the most coral-rich areas in the world. Sadly, due to global warming and rising sea temperatures, algae that feed and sustain the reefs are expelled from the reefs, leaving them colorless and at risk for starvation, disease, and death. Human activities such as dynamite fishing and trash in the oceans further prohibit coral reefs from recovering, and as a result 97% of Philippines’ reefs are considered at risk.
Kalinga
The pattern shown on this piece derives from a woven tapestry created by the Kalinga people–an indigenous ethnic group residing in the Cordillera Mountain Range in Northern Philippines. They are famously known for their tribal tattooing culture and textile art. However, because of lack of cultural understanding, empathy, and government financial support, the lifestyle of the Kalinga people is extremely endangered. Contemporary Filipinos are working to preserve and maintain the rich Kalinga culture before it dies away.
