GROUNDBREAKING FILIPINO TATTOO EXHIBIT OPENS AT PH CONSULATE FOR AAPI HERITAGE MONTH
(Lou Angeles photo)
SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States with a one-of-a-kind exhibit that turns a spotlight on the Philippine heritage customs of baybayin writing and body tattooing.
The Consulate, through Sentro Rizal San Francisco, opened the “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Tattoos” solo exhibit of San Jose-based Filipino tattoo artist Jeff Maronilla-Seva Quintano at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024.
The “Bagong Liwanag” (“New Light”) exhibit, which was first mounted at San Francisco’s Sentro Filipino in January 2024, shines a positive light on the ancient Filipino practice of tattooing and its pivotal role in the modern revival of baybayin, an indigenous form of writing in the Philippines. The exhibit also highlights a community’s effort to connect to their Filipino roots and represent their culture in America.
In his remarks, Consul General Neil Ferrer noted that in the Philippines, May is also celebrated as National Heritage Month.
“This year, the Philippine government has adopted the theme ‘Championing Heritage: Capacity Building to Transform Communities,’ in recognition of our cultural workers and advocates who have made it their mission to connect with Philippine indigenous communities in highlighting local ingenuity and creativity, and in creating opportunities for local artisans and culture bearers to thrive in mainstream society,” Consul General Ferrer said.
Consul General Ferrer cited the exhibit’s unique theme of tattooing, which was a widely respected art form among the Philippines’ various ethnic groups before the arrival of Western influence in the Philippines in the 1500s.
Consul General Ferrer said: “In hosting Jeff’s solo exhibit here at the Consulate, we are also helping break the social taboo that has long surrounded the art of tattooing in mainstream society… Common for both women and men, body tattoos are a form of indigenous language that convey the wearer’s kinship, tribal identity, social status, personal history, and spiritual beliefs.”
“Thus, the baybayin tattoos that we see in the exhibit are certainly not just skin-deep expressions of Filipino pride. In more ways than one, these tattoos are representations of a long-lost tradition that connect its wearers to their ancestral roots, and give them a richer understanding of their identity as Filipinos,” Consul General Ferrer further said.
The Philippine Consul General took the opportunity to recognize Quintano and other cultural advocates such as Taipan Lucero and the Bay Area’s Kristian Kabuay, “for their contributions in highlighting the baybayin and the indigenous tattoo art as distinctive symbols of our heritage that Filipinos the world over can be proud of.”
“Understanding and embracing our identity can uplift a person’s spirit which will make them more resilient in a world where minorities are subject to unequal treatment. It is encouraging to see our script on street signs, logos, tattoos, and more—it signals acceptance, youth interest, and government support,” Quintano said in his message.
The exhibit will run at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall until 31 May 2024—with a closing event that will feature the world premiere of Quintano’s “Bagong Liwanag” documentary, and a screening of the film “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok” (“The Woman Behind the Tattooist”) featuring world renowned Kalinga tattoo artist Whang-od, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines. END
Consul General Neil Ferrer delivers a speech during the opening of “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Tattoos” exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024. (Lou Angeles photo)
Bay Area-based Filipino tattoo artist Jeff Maronilla-Seva Quintano with baybayin tattoo wearers, during the opening of “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Tattoos” exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024. (Lou Angeles photo)
Consul General Neil Ferrer and Filipino tattoo artist Jeff Maronilla-Seva Quintano lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Tattoos” exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024. Also in the photo is Ms. Cha Cedillo. (Lou Angeles photo)
Consul General Neil Ferrer and Filipino tattoo artist Jeff Maronilla-Seva Quintano with, from left to right: Vice Consul Adrian Baccay; Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona; Consul Jed Llona; and Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil. (Lou Angeles photo)
(Lou Angeles photo)