Pamilya - April 17th, 1942, in commemoration of the artist's grandfather, Francisco “Tatay Kikoy” Hebreo Buendia, who survived the Bataan Death March on this day
2022 | MSU Broad Art Museum | USA
Based on the word “family” in Tagalog, Pamilya speaks to the experience of sharing stories, histories, and even a meal among loved ones across great distances. The artist recorded interviews with her family members in the Philippines and California. Their voices, a projected video of homecooked dishes, and memories of time spent together animate an otherwise vacant table. This piece titled Pamilya - April 17th, 1942, in commemoration of the artist's grandfather, Francisco “Tatay Kikoy” Hebreo Buendia, who survived the Bataan Death March on this day highlights the migration story of the artist's grandfather who fought in World War II as a Filipino guerrilla soldier.
Materials: Resin, paper pulp, paper clay, video projection, printed image, wood, LED, and sound equipment
Dimensions: 3 ft x 10 ft x 3 ft
Date: 2022
Videographers: Flint Bayanito and Nicolei Buendia Gupit
Exhibited in: MSU Broad Art Museum
“‘She’s my mom, and she’s also my dad… I learned everything from my Nanay Dela.’ Members of a Filipino family reminisce over their late matriarch, Fidela ‘Nanay Dela’ Raqueño Gregorio, as they share a meal together. We hear their conversation wash over a tableau of their dinner: paper that has printed and cut out to mimic banana leaves cover a table, and spilling over it is a massive spread of Jufran banana ketchup and soy sauce, dragon fruit and jackfruit, empanadas and lumpia, a lucky cat statue, and a small Mother Mary. These objects have been cast in resin and paper clay and are garishly painted in a bright neon, the same shade as a cinematic green screen. Five white paper clay plates are set at the table, and projected over each plate is video footage of a different Filipino dish— iconic dishes from kare-kare to adobo— diminishing over time as it is eaten; hands and forks appear in the frame, as evidence of a meal enjoyed. It is a spectacular, beautiful rendition of a mundane dinner, preserving a fleeting moment of connection forever….and yet.” — Thea Quiray Tagle