bago x cristine blanco
Artist Statement
Cristine Blanco is an interdisciplinary artist who works in painting, sculpture and installation. Her works take environmental injustices, the precarity of resources, and lineage as her starting point. Her labor intensive practice combines material and weight to explore both tension and care. Inspired by her grandmother’s home in the Philippines, she explores the impact of climate change and considers how human connectivity and adaptation are essential to recovery and transformation.
Current Project
I am currently embarking on an intensive research journey, to understand how we enter and exit this world. "life cycles" (working title) is a project that explores the tension between traditional and pre-colonial Filipino rituals. Through a multi-disciplinary approach, this project aims to visually document and interpret the ceremonies of birth and burial, highlighting their significance within a larger cosmic narrative.
Reference and point of inspiration - Funerary object from the Ayala Museum
In doing so, I am seeking to understand the interconnectedness between land, lineage, and future generations. Drawing inspiration from the diverse cultural practices and wisdom of the Philippine archipelago, I am exploring the transformative power of life cycles and the inherent connection between the human experience and the broader universe.
As a tactile artist, the initial stage of this project involves visualizing the research material through 2D sketches, including paintings and drawings. These artworks serve as a visual interpretation of the gathered knowledge, capturing the essence and symbolism of the precolonial rituals. These sketches act as a foundation for the subsequent development of three-dimensional objects, which will take shape as sculptural works or installations.
Building upon previous work titled "Embedded Bricks," I plan to integrate collected responses from participants who were invited to share their thoughts on the question, “What do you want protected?” These varied responses, ranging from the general to the deeply personal, provide a diverse array of perspectives that resonate with the overlapping themes of life, death, and preservation. By incorporating these messages into the research findings, the project aims to bridge the past and present, interweaving personal narratives with cultural heritage.
Images of “Embedded Bricks”
bago impact
The support from bago would have a profound impact on both my personal life and artistic practice. The project, “life cycles” has been a subject of contemplation for quite some time, but due to the constraints of personal financial responsibilities, I have been unable to invest in art materials in the way I imagine to bring such a meaningful project to fruition. As I prepare for the birth of a second child at the end of the year and support my father in rehabilitation for back surgery, the bago studio fee would offer a rare opportunity for me to reclaim mental space and dedicate three months to reflection, rejuvenation, and creativity.
By providing three months of studio fee coverage, the medical financial burdens I currently face would be alleviated. Funds that I struggle to gather for studio rent could be used towards the cost of art materials. Though my current budget for artmaking is limited, I am committed to being a resident artist at Balay because the space allows me to engage with the community and has sparked fresh ideas and perspectives, breathing new life into my artistic practice. In addition, the social media collab with bago would be an invaluable opportunity to expand my connection with fellow Filipino Americans, building a sense of camaraderie and a chance to be in dialogue with a larger audience.
Thank you for considering my work.