“It was my first time reading a Cirilo Bautista piece and I really enjoyed it. At first, it was a challenge to peruse due to the archaic terminologies, unconventional writing style and recurring metaphors.

I felt Cirilo’s love and frustrations for the motherland. “The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus” is a profound poem that has so much to say.
I recommend it to people, 18 years old and above. Just like Cirilo’s writing, I want to give my viewers some room for their own interpretation.”

“At the same time, I aspired to create an artwork that will complement his masterful literature so I decided to make a zhe zhi
or folded paper of a baro’t-saya to incorporate my own art. Cirilo stated how our culture evolved throughout the ages.

We no longer consider it as purely Spanish or Filipino but rather a fusion of all the cultures that influenced us through the centuries. The current national costume that we have is a product of this fusion. I want the viewers to consider my work as art
and the zine as an exhibition.

For me, the pandemic is the perfect time to explore different forms of media to showcase one’s art. It’s very challenging since art has always been experiential, but I think the pandemic is also an opportunity to learn and widen our perspectives.”
“The ultimate challenge of the project was translating my exhibition through a magazine. Since I used translucent paper to capture the character of a baro’t saya,
it was difficult to showcase the effect through print. The other challenge was Cirilo. In all honesty, his epic, historical poem was not an easy read.”
“This project widened my perspective, especially when it comes to my art. Not only did it push me to think of a new medium to work on, but it also gave me an opportunity to mix traditional and digital media. This was fun on my part because I took up Multimedia Arts in Benilde as my bachelor’s degree.
The pandemic brought a lot of stress and despondency. The negativity of one’s environment can greatly affect our mood, essential in a person’s artmaking. This is because artists are deeply connected to their emotions. However, as cliché as it may sound, this pandemic has taught me also how to appreciate everything I currently have. At the end of the day, all we need are the essentials in life and our loved ones by our side.
I made sure to utilize both traditional and digital media.”
“For me, it’s easier to create art using traditional media because it leaves the artwork with a raw, fluid, and unique touch. After folding the translucent paper, I meticulously drew patterns using a uni pin. Then I proceeded to layout it using photoshop.”