IMPRINTED IN THE WATER: A Solo Exhibit of NICOLEI BUENDIA GUPIT

IMPRINTED IN THE WATER

A Solo Exhibit of
NICOLEI BUENDIA GUPIT

SINING MAKILING GALLERY
D.L. Umali Hall, UPLB

Opening on 9 May 2023
Exhibit runs until 30 June 2023

————————-

Inspired by her surroundings in Los Baños, Laguna, Nicolei Buendia Gupit presents to us in her third solo show, Imprinted in the Water, a range of mediums and processes that highlight the impact of human activities on water resources.

By using prints of man-made objects, Gupit highlights the ways in which we have come to rely on water resources for our own needs, often at the expense of the environment and other human and non-human life. The wet pigment that she uses to dye her surfaces suggests the fluidity and mutability of water, and the need for us to consider our effect on this vital resource. Its subdued palette emanates an ominous atmosphere that conveys the gloomy reality we face. Connecting this with images of marine life skeletons, she concocts impressions of the devastating ramifications of pollution and overfishing on aquatic ecosystems. Uprooted trees hint at the destruction of natural habitats, while flaky tin roofs allude to the consequences of climate change and natural disasters in the lives of marginalized Filipinos yearly. She also incorporates bottle-shaped resin works that carry paper money inside them—probing pieces that challenge viewers to consider the value we place on water and the attendant effects of its privatization.

Through her artworks, Gupit challenges viewers to consider their own relationship with water and the ways in which our actions can have far-reaching consequences. She invites us to think about the imprint that we are leaving on the natural world, and to consider how we might work to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all. (Omen)

Source: UPLB Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts Facebook