Still Life (Longing) Series

Still Life (Longing)
2022
Commercial refrigerator containing goods purchased at Baltimore H-Mart (rambutan, bangus, green papaya, jackfruit, can of corned beef, can of Tocino Spam, banana heart, mangoes, calabaza, eggplants, sugar canes, ampalaya, and banana leaves)

In "Still Life: Longing", I wanted to create a series of still lives informed by the gaze of displacement and yearning for home. I also wanted to emphasize how early colonial economies still inform modern global foodways by mimicking the look of 16th-18th European still lives that featured products from colonies and were prized for their exotic nature, novelty, and rarity. The selection of objects are determined by whichever city I am in (in this case, Baltimore) and buy what I can from what is locally available. I specifically chose fruits, vegetables, and other goods that speak to what I miss from the Philippines. The selection also represents the extent of availability of Philippine goods within a certain area. Some goods, like corned beef and Tocino Spam, allude to outside culinary influences and are not Philippine-made but their significance to the community and my ideation of the Philippines is enough to be included. It also recalls historical entanglements with the United States as canned meat was introduced to the Philippines in the 1940s when US troops were fighting Japanese forces during World War 2.

Still Life (Longing): Baltimore Installation #2

2025
Custom digitally printed tablecloth and wallpaper; still life containing goods purchased from Baltimore City Asian food stores: mangoes, taro root, assorted Filipino chips, Tocino Spam, Toyomansi, spiced vinegar, haw flakes, eggplants, Dutch sugar cookies, canned liver pate, fake hotdogs on skewers with marshmallows, White Rabbit candy, locally sourced wooden food display.
EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS, Station North, Baltimore, MD.
Photographer: David Sloan
Detail of Still Life (Longing) Installation #2 - Baltimore City
Still Life (Longing) Installation #3 - Baltimore City/Motor House

2025
Digitally printed tablecloth and wallpaper. Still life with cinder blocks containing goods purchased from Baltimore City Asian food stores: mangoes, chilis, chayote, assorted Filipino chips, spiced vinegar, haw flakes, canned liver pate, biscocho, White Rabbit candy, and more. Cafe tables set up with paper and tempera paint sticks. Frames used for displaying finished still lives.
Exceeds Expectations, Asia North, Baltimore, MD
Photographer: David Sloan
This iteration of Still Life (Longing) invites visitors to draw the still life on display. Finished still lives are then displayed on the provided frames hung on the wall. A sip and paint event taking place in the installation was also part of the exhibition programming.
Detail of Still Life (Longing) Installation #3 - Baltimore City/Motor House
Still Life (Longing) Installation #4 - Baltimore City/The Club Car

2025
Detail of Still Life (Longing) Installation #4 - Baltimore City/The Club Car
Detail of Still Life (Longing) Installation #4 - Baltimore City/The Club Car
Detail of Still Life (Longing) Installation #4 - Baltimore City/The Club Car
Mock-up for Installation of "Still Life: Longing"

Mock-up for Installation of "Still Life: Longing"
Still Life: Longing (Detail)

2022
Commercial refrigerator containing goods purchased at Baltimore H-Mart (rambutan, bangus, green papaya, jackfruit, can of corned beef, can of Tocino Spam, banana heart, mangoes, calabaza, eggplants, sugar canes, ampalaya, and banana leaves)

Available for Purchase

Digital print available for purchase. Email [email protected]

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