Philippines 2019

Title: “Island Weather”
Curator: Tessa Maria Guazon
Commissioner: National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) / Virgilio S. Almario
Artist: Mark Justiniani

“Island Weather” is the site specific three-part project presented by artist Mark Justiniani, whose main interest lies in optics, perception and illusion. The immersive work explores the different facets of the Philippine country in common perception, inquiring how the identity of the nation interweaves with its geophysical characteristics of an island and how Filipino people regard these spaces, whether as a place of origin, shelter, respite, or a country as a whole.

The project investigates local histories and structures and is divided into three parts: “Island Voyage,” “Local Forecast: Turbulent Weather,” and “Piers and Ports.” The first alludes to travels and colonial light houses’ designs, the second explores the experience of lighthouse as a space to both see and be seen while the latter investigates the artist’s role in the construction of truth.