Philippines Series: Bugs, Floods, Fruit
2019 . Acrylic on canvas
This series showcases different aspects of my father’s childhood growing up in the rural Philippines. Having grown up in suburbs outside of Toronto, my father’s stories about rural life thrilled me. Building rafts out of banana trees when the river flooded, picking fresh fruit off wild trees, being so in tune with nature that you can use bugs as toys–the me that lived in what I considered mundane thought that this was what life should be. All I did in my childhood was swim in chlorinated pools, eat organic fruit from the other side of the globe and play with plastic toys. Part of me wants to live in Asia. It’s ironic since my parents moved us here yet I long to return. However, I know that if I grew up in the Philippines I would be a completely different person, and if I were to move there now it would not be perfect. It’s the classic Asian American issue–not fitting in in America or Asia. I may not be as passionate about the environment as I am now. All of this comes full circle now and is reflected in current climate issues –floods, food shortages and insect overpopulation/diseases.
Afternoon Shit
2020 . 24" x 30" . Oil on canvas . Appropriated from Lawren S. Harris' Afternoon Sun, North Shore, Lake Superior
Elbow
2020 . 12"x 12" . Oil on wood.
Toast
2019 . 12" x 16" . Acrylic on canvas . Appropriated from an image from Food & Drink magazine.
