PARAISO / PARAÍSO / PARADISE

Exhibition Dates:
October 26 to November 6, 2020

Nicolei Buendia Gupit’s solo exhibition, titled paraiso / paraíso / paradise, questions paradise and one’s risks and struggles for hope from the view of marginalized peoples in society. paraiso translates ‘paradise’ to Tagalog, the artist’s mother tongue and the language spoken at her family’s home, while paraíso derives from Spanish, reflecting the profound Spanish influence on Filipino culture. Gupit attempts to shed light on the palm tree’s transported meanings and fantasies of American paradise by delving into its complex symbology.

Palms do not have complex root systems, and one does not need to dig very deep to unearth their origins in colonial exploits. The exhibition bring viewers’ attention to the palm’s deep cultural roots. The origin of human interest in palms traces back to antiquity. In ancient Mediterranean cultures, palms represented luxury and triumph. First planted in Los Angeles by Spanish missionaries in the 18th century for ornamental purposes, the palms’ symbolic meaning transformed from religious iconography to a secular longing for the tropics. For Angelenos, it came to stand for easy living and the joy of traveling. Globally, historically, and presently, the palm tree continues to symbolize a promise of happiness. Whether we line our paved streets with towering palms or decorate domestic spaces with them, palms serve us by conjuring utopian fantasies that are escapist and exoticizing. paraiso / paraíso / paradise provides the opportunity to contemplate the palm tree as status symbol through the perspective of a non-elite person of color and to unpack the palm’s relationship with the ubiquitous but unattainable. For many Americans, unattainable are those promises of meritocracy that are unfulfilled, including upward social mobility and equity.

Broadly, Gupit’s work draws upon individual and collective memory to question globalization, capitalism, colonial powers, and academic institutions. Her artistic practice involves grounding her work in personal narratives and experiences and conducting academic research that informs paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installations. Her body of work balances the poetic and the data-driven by presenting work that is informed by rigorous research that at the same time permits multiple readings and speaks to broader socioeconomic issues.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Nicolei Gupit is a 2022 MFA candidate in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University.