I Unravel the Seas is a video piece that features the voice narratives of Filipino fisherfolk in La Union and a fish vendor in my family’s coastal hometown in Cavite, Philippines, discussing the impact of the climate crisis on their livelihoods. As they share personal insights, my hands unweave a cast fishing net over the view of Manila Bay as waves crash on the shore in reverse. Their disembodied voices recount how their lives have changed over the years due to climate change: the availability and variety of fish in the sea have decreased, forcing fisherfolk to fish farther out; while fish prices at the market have increased, leading fewer people to buy fish, in favor of more affordable food. The reversed nature of the video reflects our collective desire to go back in time, to a time before human-induced climate change disrupted Earth’s ecological balance.
   Extending from my engagements with fishing communities in the Philippines in July 2024, this project was made possible by a collaboration between me and Emerging Islands, a coastal-based arts organization in San Juan, La Union. The Emerging Islands team connected me with local fisherfolk in La Union and facilitated discussions around the relationship between local politics and climate change.

Medium: 4K Video
Duration: 12 minutes
Voice Narration by: Loida Cruz, Rolando Rabang, Celso Jucutan, David Loughran, Nicola Sebastian
Special Thanks to: Emerging Islands, and my mother, Lerma Buendia
Date: 2025