PAIR 3
Lilay & Eldrick Yuji Los Baños
Artist
Lilay is a feminist in the making, a visual artist from Manila, Philippines. As a student of life, she keeps herself open to different perspective and learn from the wisdom of it whether it be through hiking, running, meditating or taking care of her furbabies.
She is currently taking a second degree in the University of the Philipines - Diliman for BFA Art Education where she continues to experiment with her story telling.
Art Critic
Eldrick Yuji Los Baños (he/him) is an educator and cultural worker. He graduated magna cum laude from the Ateneo de Manila University with a BFA in Art Management and previously worked as the Museum Education Officer of the Ateneo Art Gallery. Born in the Philippines and raised in the UAE, he has been active in the visual arts scenes in both countries. He has written for Pineapple Lab, Tanghalang Pilipino, UP Vargas Museum, Art Dubai, The Third Line, Arte Bettina, and The ManilaBang Show. His interests include Filipino diaspora histories, cross-cultural artistic interactions in the Global South, and the democratizing potentials of the Internet for art appreciation and distribution. In 2021, he curated Katúlad/Kahádha: Modern Filipino & Arab Art, 1950s– 1980s on Instagram (@ktldkhda).
Stage 0
Conceptualization, Portfolio Review, & Artist Interview
The artist provides a brief description of the concept they intend to explore or develop for Confluence.
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Notes on initial concept
Written by Lilay
I would like to create a work that showcases a variety of women from different cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life. I like to relay and ensure that the narratives are inclusive and represent a wide spectrum of experiences. I will be picking eight (8) women in my life where I will highlight their moments of empowerment and resilience as women.
I’ll be making a personalized mini textile altar for each person. The work will be a collaboration between me and the person I chose. The symbolism of each altar will differ depending on the person’s answers to my prompt questions. The color and textile will be decided by me.
My influence for this work would be our ancestors who have been using textile to pass on messages and tell their stories which are passed on from one generation to another. The Dream Weavers of T’boli and the Suyam’s embroidery of the Agusan Manobo to name a few. Using this idea, I have incorporated it with my love for textile storytelling which I continue to experiment with.
My intention for this work is for people to converse about how we see women (may it be in the Philippines or in general). To “see” them with all their layers, reflect on their experience and ask how we can empower them in any way we can. If discussion of such things can be “tiring” or un-intersting with the viewer, just for people to talk about how the work makes them feel or if it is good or not would be a start. I just like the viewers to be involved and engaged. I’ll be using recycled textile, place beadwork and do stitching for this work. I am also thinking of being able to do some stitching during the show to have more engagement.
I am thrilled to do this work! I haven’t done any collaboration with women I care about, so, this is something new. I love that I get to explore and interconnect their stories to my work and present their stories to others. It's a full cycle! This work will expand my knowledge about myself and others and how interconnected everything and everyone is! I feel challenged as well as this will be new to me. In terms of production and research. Thus, it will give me room to experiment. In my work. I am creating 8-10 pieces of altars that serve as poignant narratives of strength, resilience, and empowerment. Each altar stands as a tribute to the diverse stories of women, honoring the unique threads that form the fabric of their experiences.
Textile, weaving and beadwork are used deliberately, symbolizing each unique story that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. The altars are not mere showcases but immersive experiences, encouraging viewers to explore the layers of symbolism placed within each altar. Each element, from the choice of textile to the selected symbols, tells a story of triumph over adversity, celebration of identity, and the unbreakable bond that ties women together. In creating these textile altars, I am not only an artist but a storyteller, capturing the essence of women's strength and resilience. My hope is that these pieces serve as a source of inspiration, sparking conversations about the diverse journeys of women and the collective power that emerges when these stories are acknowledged and celebrated. The audience would hopefully get the stories of each altar, I hope they get to reflect and be able to talk about their thoughts or opinions to others may it be negative or positive. Engagement and what I wish to have, even after they see the work.
The art critic collects information by reviewing portfolios and conducting artist interviews, which they subsequently use to formulate an initial assessment of the artist's artwork and creative process.
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About Lilay
Written by Eldrick Yuji Los Baños
Lilay’s portfolio highlights her commitment to feminist themes, which began during the 2020 lockdowns. Through participation in groups like Sunday Nudes and research into precolonial attitudes toward women like the babaylan, she learned more about the power women hold within themselves. In a still-patriarchal country where women artists have not received due recognition, she considers it essential to “show up and continue creating.”
This commitment is exemplified in her Project Pekpek series (2023). Using beads and textile—an often-feminized medium influenced by her sister-in-law’s involvement in the textile industry—she sews representations of vulvas. Reflecting human diversity, each is unique; their vibrant, organic forms and rich textures might evoke microbes or patches of land. This is deliberate: the natural world and humanity’s relationship to it are also close to her heart.
Lilay, who describes her process as instinct-driven ritual, has experimented in installation, performance art and painting. Frustrated by museum restrictions on touching artworks, she creates tactile pieces to engage viewers’ senses beyond sight. Other works feature bras and ovary-like shapes to generate public conversation about “taboos” and explore society’s discomfort with such topics.
As she completes her second degree in Art Education, she admits that she has a lot to learn. While her portfolio may benefit from more documentation of site-specific installations and performances, it reveals her comfort in various mediums. With plans to use organic materials like plants in future works and dreams of collaborating with indigenous communities, she trusts a single mantra moving forward: “Go with the flow.”
Stage 1
Study Work & Work-in-Progress (WIP) Analysis
The artist translates their written concept from Stage 0 into a tangible form and provides a brief artist statement elucidating the work. This stage functions as a research or study phase, focusing on the execution and development of both the form and content of their concept.
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The art critic examines the transitional phases of an artist's production, exploring how the artwork and the artist's practice evolve during the creative process.
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Stage 1 Artwork
TBD
Lilay
Textile work
10 pcs of 7"x7"
Artist Statement:
This creative journey explores and celebrates the strength, resilience, and empowerment of women who have confronted and triumphed over the challenges they face as women. This artwork serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for autonomy and the firing spirit that fuels the fight against oppressive narratives.
A pocket altar is a sacred space that transcends the physical and symbolizes the collective strength of women. The altar becomes a symbol of empowerment where the stories of ten remarkable women can be seen, felt, and heard. Each woman, a collaborator in this artistic endear, contributes her unique narrative and lived experiences to weave a work of resistance against “old” ideals. These women serve as both subjects and creators, dismantling traditional power dynamics and reshaping the discourse surrounding women's society.
This art work is not merely an art piece but a call to action, a beacon that urges society to challenge and dismantle the remnants of colonial ideologies. By showcasing the strength and resilience of these women, the artwork seeks to inspire others to break free from the constraints of oppressive ideologies and forge a path towards true autonomy and empowerment.
As viewers stand before this pocket altars, I hope they are moved to reflect on the stories embedded within its layers, recognizing the significance of dismantling colonial mentalities and embracing a future where the empowerment of women is not only acknowledged but actively championed.
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Stage 1 Text
Work-in-Progress (WIP) Analysis of Lilay’s work (No title yet as of Stage 1)
Written by Eldrick Yuji Los Baños
As early as the first artist-critic interview, the concept of Lilay’s project was clear: she wanted to interpret the stories of women in her life as symbols stitched onto textile. This continues her current comfort in sewing as a medium and women’s experiences as a subject. It also echoes her practice’s dialogic character, as her stories are sourced from conversations with these women. (Naturally, this has proved so far to be a lengthy process, compounded by the artist’s commitments at an internship.
The hand-sized textile template, on which these stories will be recorded, resembles a menstrual pad. The equal length of the arms also yields a Greek cross; this religious dimension is made even more evident in how Lilay calls the items “altars.” The thread-and-bead symbols on the template are clear but intricate, inviting viewers to take a closer look.
A key goal of the project (and Lilay’s artmaking in general) is enabling an interactive, multisensory experience for the broadest possible audience, leading to questions about how the altars are to be exhibited. Discussions with the critic and other Confluence participants gave rise to two options: displaying them between glass panels, as the artist proposed, or suspending them in the air. Providing viewers gloves to touch the work was also suggested as a protective measure against damage from direct contact.
While Lilay compiles her respondents’ answers, the potential strength—and challenge—of this work lies in how she chooses to interpret their stories. The limited size of the altar textile, for one, forces the artist to make choices. How many symbols can fit the space while retaining an adequate amount of detail and telling a coherent story? Moreover, how can she ensure that these women’s individual experiences are faithfully conveyed and understood?
When asked whether their written responses should be displayed for the audience’s convenience, Lilay said she wanted the viewer to construct their own meaning from the altars alone. To her, factual accuracy may not be as important as getting the audience to participate and talk about her work. Perhaps it doesn’t matter, then, if the symbols don’t completely retain the stories that inspired them; after all, art thrives in how we deal with ambiguity.
Stage 2
Study Execution & Review of Related Works or Literature
Study Execution & Review of Related Works or Literature
The artist will refine the artwork based on insights gained during Stage 1 deliberation and production. Their partner will offer relevant literature or artwork to support the enhancement of both the form and content of the piece.
The art critic persists in examining the artist's creative process and decision-making. Moreover, they seek out relevant literature or artwork that can enhance the development of their counterpart's work.
Stage 2 Artworks
Pocket Altars
Lilay
Mixed Media
10 pcs of 7"x7"
Artist Statement:
This artwork celebrates the strength, resilience, and empowerment of ten (10) remarkable women who have confronted and triumphed over challenges in life. From navigating family dynamics to resisting societal pressures and overcoming violence, this artwork serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for autonomy in the face of patriarchal oppression.
A pocket altar transcends mere physicality, symbolizing the collective strength of women. Within these sacred altars, the stories of these ten women are seen in symbols, giving the viewers a peek at their life journey. These women not only serve as subjects but also as co-creators, allowing the artist the freedom to creatively weave their narratives into the altars.
As viewers encounter these pocket altars, they are encouraged to reflect deeply on the narratives that have shaped them, recognizing the importance of dismantling colonial mentalities and limiting societal narratives. The artwork strives to pave the way for a future where the empowerment of women is acknowledged and celebrated, leading to a more equitable and just society.
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Stage 2 Text
Work-in-Progress (WIP) Analysis with Review of Related Work or Literature of Pocket Altars
Written by Eldrick Yuji Los Baños
The fact that I am a male art critic collaborating with a female artist whose works center around feminist themes is not lost on me. In fact, my self-confessed ignorance drives me to focus my search for related literature on sources on women artists in the Philippines. In one such source, Home Body Memory by Flaudette Datuin, I came across the concept of usapang babae, which proved more and more fitting to Lilay’s still-unnamed project as I read on.
Datuin identifies usapang babae as a “specific feminine form of community and communication” that “disrupt[s] the patriarchal social order” (182). It is talk among and about women that lets them voice their concerns: as an example, the author cites the “barangayan” system in which women would bang their pots and pans to alert the community of domestic abuse or enemy infiltrators (185–6). Through this project, Lilay conducts her own usapang babae by initiating interviews with various women and making their stories heard through individual “mini-altars.”
These retaso textile altars narrate each woman’s responses to questions Lilay has set about events in their lives and thoughts on the current national situation. The answers are interpreted as symbols embroidered onto the altar’s surface with beads and threads of various colors; no words are shown save for the woman’s initial. The idea of dedicated foldable altars that can fit in one’s pocket first made me think of conceptual artist Antoni Muntadas and his 2021 series Portable Monuments to Emigrant Anonymous Workers: palm-sized medallions that pay homage to several Filipino migrant workers.
Given the manual nature of needlework, the three altars Lilay has produced so far vary slightly in size and contour. All four, however, follow a four-armed shape that mirrors a menstrual pad or a Greek cross. The former image is all too appropriate for usapang babae with its associations of privacy, intimacy and the female body—all of which can be found in Lilay’s past works that daringly incorporate vulvas and breasts from a woman’s perspective. Just as a pad is used in intimate contexts and is unique to its wearer, each pad-shaped altar invites the viewer into the private world of a different person.
That the altars resemble crosses is also significant as Lilay emphasizes the presence of the “Creator” in every woman through religious allusions. She arranges the interview answers on each altar in the order of the sign of the cross, while the beaded symbols are meant to evoke rosary beads when felt by the viewer’s hand. The unity of the divine and the intimately feminine reminds me of the vulva-shaped mandorlas in Christian art that underlay the figures of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
Lilay’s choice of medium is similarly charged with gendered meaning. Datuin labels needlework a “universal feminine art” when observed across cultures, including colonial-era Philippines (210). Rejecting the stereotypes that relegate textile art to craft and women’s subjugation, Lilay embraces its so-called femininity and its potential for “collaboration, nurturance and solidarity” (Datuin 179). By combining interviews and needlework, the artmaking process for these altars calls to mind sewing circles, wherein women gather to sew and confide in each other—in other words, usapang babae.
In looking for artworks to relate to Lilay’s own, I serendipitously landed on the socially-engaged oeuvre of Alma “Urduja” Quinto, whose workshops allow disadvantaged groups to tell their own stories through sewing and embroidery. In her 2001 CCP project Sew and Tell, the artist worked with traumatized girls to create “new motifs or symbols” on a tapestry to process their experiences, just as Lilay does in her Confluence work (qtd. in Datuin 192). Further similarities between Quinto and Lilay are striking: both artists openly integrate the female body in their works and have been members of the artist collective Kasibulan.
By choosing to tell women’s stories through symbols and not words, the artist invites the audience to be another meaning-making collaborator on the project. In the first stage of Confluence, I remarked that this choice might bring about an incomplete (or even inaccurate) understanding of the messages conveyed. How much information, then, should be made available in order to clearly communicate these stories while giving the viewer the freedom of interpretation? In the end, Lilay and I reached a preliminary decision: give viewers the option to access the answers via a QR code so that only those who are interested may see.
Another question on Lilay’s mind is how the altars will be displayed during the culminating exhibition, considering her intention to let viewers interact with the works by touch. Yet another religious element arises as this action reflects the devotional custom of touching a saint’s image. For the sake of protection, other Confluence members suggested providing gloves for viewers to wear before interacting—but could this alienate the people Lilay wishes to connect with sensorially?
In any case, these questions are also curatorial in nature and therefore not my primary concern as Lilay’s critic-collaborator. For now, it may be difficult to envision how the altars work narratively as a series given that only three are complete. Once more are made, common themes among the symbols may arise, and both critic and artist can get a better idea of how viewers can experience the work.
Reference:
Datuin, Flaudette May V. Home Body Memory: Filipina Artists in the Visual Arts, 19th Century to the Present. University of the Philippines Press, 2002.
Stage 3
Context
The artist progresses from Stage 0 to Stage 2 with a deliberate focus on the context of their work. During this phase, they are encouraged to challenge the possibilities of their work, exploring new potential in material, medium, or form.
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The art critic touches into the broader context of the artist's work, exploring how external factors such as cultural, social, political, and historical influences shape the creation and interpretation of the piece. By examining the artist's environment, personal experiences, and the prevailing ideologies of the time, the critic uncovers deeper layers of meaning within the artwork. This analysis allows for a more comprehensive understanding of how the artist's intentions and the artwork’s reception are intertwined with the world around it, ultimately providing richer insights into its significance.
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Stage 3 Artwork
Pocket Altars
Lilay
Mixed Media
10pcs 7”x7”
Artist Statement:
The work progresses as I do too. A feeling of interconnectedness that somehow enlightens my being. Stories that are meant to be heard, felt, and seen. These altars are not only their stories but it is also mine.
And that is actually who we are as humans. We are storytellers who interweave our experiences, ideas, and thoughts through our chosen art medium. From there, we have a collective story that can be used as an outline for change, whether physical, mental, or spiritual.
Stage 4
Synthesis
The artist, at the final stage of production, must make critical decisions that encapsulate their entire creative journey. This stage is not just about completion, but about reflection—drawing insights from the process that led up to this point. Every experiment, adjustment, and challenge faced in earlier stages influences the choices made now. By looking back on the evolution of their work, the artist ensures that the final piece not only stands as a finished product but also embodies the intentions, revisions, and learnings from the creative process. It becomes a culmination of both vision and experience.
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The art critic engages in a reflective process, examining the developmental stages of the artist's work, including its conceptual evolution and creative process, within the context of the Confluence project. By analyzing the dialogues, critiques, and interactions that have shaped the work, the critic produces a comprehensive synthesis that captures both the essence of the artist's practice and the collaborative journey. This synthesis not only highlights the formal and thematic aspects of the artist's work but also delves into the deeper layers of meaning and intent, offering an insightful narrative that bridges the artist's creative vision with critical interpretation. Through this process, the critic contextualizes the work within the broader framework of contemporary art, while simultaneously foregrounding the unique contributions of the artist and the collaborative dynamics fostered by Confluence.
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Stage 4 Artwork
Pocket Altars: Stories of Women Who Run With Wolves
Lilay
Mixed Media
10pcs 7”x7”
Artist Statement:
This creative journey explores and celebrates the strength, resilience, and empowerment of women who have confronted and triumphed over the challenges they face as women. This artwork serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for autonomy and the firing spirit that fuels the fight against oppressive narratives.
A pocket altar is a sacred space that transcends the physical and symbolizes the collective strength of women. The altar becomes a symbol of empowerment where the stories of these remarkable women can be seen, felt, and heard. Each woman, a collaborator in this artistic endear, contributes her unique narrative and lived experiences to weave a work of resistance against “old” ideals. These women serve as both subjects and creators, dismantling traditional power dynamics and reshaping the discourse surrounding women's society.
This artwork is not merely an art piece but a call to action, a beacon that urges society to challenge and dismantle the remnants of colonial ideologies and patriarchy. By showcasing the strength and resilience of these women, the artwork seeks to inspire others to break free from the constraints of oppressive ideologies and forge a path toward true autonomy and empowerment.
Artist’s Reflection on the Confluence Journey:
Open Dialogue: The collaboration with Eldrick was not only nurturing but also incredibly enjoyable. Beyond the readings provided by JP, Eldrick introduced additional resources, including books, insights from fellow artists, and his own thesis. These contributions deepened my understanding of my work and expanded our possibilities. Throughout the various stages, our continuous exchange of thoughts and ideas, fueled by inspiration and intention, reinforced our shared belief that we could effectively bridge the stories of the women we collaborated with in this artwork.
Intellectual Curiosity: Eldrick and I were committed to ensuring that the stories were communicated clearly. We saw ourselves as messengers, with the responsibility to honor the narratives of these women, setting aside our egos in the process. We explored how to create a presentation that was not only inviting and interactive but also thought-provoking. Our curiosity drove us to delve into the power of textiles and storytelling, as well as to engage with related literature that supported our vision for the artwork. This collaboration extended beyond just Eldrick and me; it included the artworks, the stories of the women, and, ultimately, the participants who would experience the artwork.
Objectivity and Subjectivity: While Eldrick and I often shared creative excitement, he made sure to step back and offer objective critiques when needed. I found this approach crucial, as it prevented me from getting lost in my own creative bubble and helped maintain a broader awareness of the project as a whole.