Rinna Soriano’s favorite part of her work is sanding. At her workbench, she stays focused, following the grain, adjusting to changes in its direction. Narra, she has learned, can have interlocking grain. A piece of mango once proved particularly difficult until a worker explained that she had reached the point where a branch once grew […]
‘Lakbay: Voyages Into the Absolute’ and the Legacy of Nena Saguil
Lakbay: Voyages Into the Absolute provides a recontextualization of artist Nena Saguil in our modern sociopolitical context. The exhibit, organized by The Art House, includes some never-before-seen works by Nena Saguil, a pioneering figure in Filipino abstract art. Saguil did much of her work abroad in Paris. In this exhibit, she becomes a vehicle to discuss the Philippine diaspora experience as it relates to art.
![[From Left] Art House founder Carlo Pineda, artist Kulay Labitigan, curator Marika Constantino, The Nena Saguil Foundation head Benjamin Sanguil, and Maritess Pineda. Photo by Elle Yap.](https://assets.bluprint-onemega.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250127_160700.jpg "20250127_160700 - BluPrint")
Lakbay features nine Filipino artists based outside of the Philippines. Together they pay tribute and re-evaluate Saguil’s legacy in the pantheon of Filipino history through this connection. But more importantly, it opens up further conversations about the Philippine diaspora experience and the way these experiences fit into Filipino history and culture as a whole.
Exhibit curator Marika Constantino said that they had to give crash courses to the artists about Nena Saguil so that they could appreciate her contributions to the art world. Constantino felt it was important to connect these artists to local culture to better understand their roots.
“In relation to the arts, we do recognize that there are a number of artists, Filipino artists, who are establishing their practices abroad,” she said. “These are important people for us to learn from or for us to know about. It’s a two-way thing. And they also have this compelling need to know more about their roots. So, that exchange is important.”
The Philippine Diaspora and Filipino Art
Lakbay: Voyages Into the Absolute assembles the following artists for the exhibit: Jana Benitez, Rose Cameron, Kim Cruz, Lizza May David, Wayne Lacson Forte, Marissa Gonzalez, Racso Jagarap, Kulay Labitigan, and Jaclyn Reyes. Constantino relays the importance of highlighting the voices of the diaspora in the Filipino art scene.
“ I think, for any person who identifies himself or herself as part- or full-Filipino, we need to hear their voices. It’s not up to us to define who they are or where they’re supposed to be,” Constantino said. “For us, as the audience, I think it’s [very] important that we’re open to hear what they’re trying to say and hear what those voices are saying.”
The works submitted find inspiration in the abstraction that Nena Saguil pioneered, while capturing the diaspora experience of modern artists. Kim Cruz, for example, was inspired by Saguil’s monochromatic works for her contribution to the exhibit.
Artists like Jana Benitez and Lizza May David utilizes similar gestural and conceptual nature to their works to discuss their personal experiences as Filipinos in another land. Kulay Labitigan, meanwhile, utilized fabrics and boxes to mimic balikbayan boxes. These boxes and the items we keep from them allow us to feel closeness with the people left behind.
Connecting Nena Saguil to Today’s Society
Altogether, these works speak to the nature of art as a communication tool between cultures. It’s especially pertinent for the people who were separated from the culture itself. Nena Saguil, in this regard, becomes an inspiration and a bridge to find these cultural similarities.
It’s why the concept of Lakbay: Voyages Into the Absolute was so important to The Art House founder Carlo Pineda. He said that they cold-called and sent proposals to some of these artists due to their belief in the concept. Pineda saw this as a way of inviting Filipino artists abroad to find and reconnect with their local community.
“What’s very important for us is [that] we hope that we can resonate to different Filipinos all over the world that are living [in] this diaspora,” Carlo Pineda said. He sees this as an expansion of The Art House’s goals of creating community engagement with people. But this time, it’s aimed towards artists on an international level.
“ Because what we want to create is a movement and an ecosystem that all these collaborative partners form part of that equation to make it stronger and stronger,” he said. “That’s the message that we want to get out there, that you can join this movement and you [can] be part of that community. And being part of that community, everyone there in that community is there to help each other.”
Lakbay: Voyages Into the Absolute opens on February 8 at the mezzanine of Discovery Primea.
Related reading: The Art House Curates Sustainable Murals in Circuit Makati
Frequently Asked Questions
Organized by The Art House, this exhibit serves as a recontextualization of Nena Saguil’s legacy, a pioneer of Filipino abstract art. By showcasing never-before-seen works alongside contributions from nine contemporary Filipino artists based abroad, it uses Saguil’s experience in Paris as a bridge to discuss the modern Philippine diaspora and its place in Filipino history and culture.
Curator Marika Constantino facilitated an exchange where artists based outside the Philippines received “crash courses” on Saguil’s contributions to the art world. This connection creates a two-way dialogue, helping international artists rediscover their cultural identity while allowing local audiences to learn from the diverse practices of Filipinos establishing themselves globally.
The exhibit features a diverse lineup of nine artists from the Philippine diaspora: Jana Benitez, Rose Cameron, Kim Cruz, Lizza May David, Wayne Lacson Forte, Marissa Gonzalez, Racso Jagarap, Kulay Labitigan, and Jaclyn Reyes. Each artist offers a unique perspective on the diaspora experience, ranging from monochromatic abstract works to physical installations.
The participating artists use varying mediums to express themes of identity and separation; for instance, Kim Cruz drew inspiration from Saguil’s monochromatic abstractions, while Kulay Labitigan utilized fabrics and “balikbayan” boxes. These elements symbolize the tangible items and memories that maintain a sense of closeness between Filipinos abroad and the loved ones they left behind.
Founder Carlo Pineda envisions the exhibit as a catalyst for a global movement and an ecosystem that strengthens the Filipino artistic community worldwide. By inviting international artists to reconnect with their local roots, the project aims to create a collaborative network where members of the diaspora feel supported and recognized as an integral part of Filipino culture.
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