Waterless Archipelago

Colonial history tells a complicated story about our relationship with water. At the turn of the 20th century, water was commonly used on Filipinos in brutal torture by US soldiers during the Philippine-American War. A Filipino would be pinned to the ground as American soldiers forced buckets of water down his mouth and nose. There are still many complex issues around water in the Philippines today. Waterless Archipelago contemplates how water, which is thought of as a means to sustain and replenish life, also delivers pain, suffering, and struggle in our lives.

Materials: Mixed-media print (linocut print with melted ice mixed with watercolor)

Dimensions: 11.7 in x 11.7 in

Date: 2023

Exhibited in: A.I.R. Gallery and Tin-aw Art Gallery