(Diwata poster)
There is something about local folklore that captivates anyone who encounters it. The magic? The culture? The heritage? Certainly. But above all, it must be the meaning and message it limns for people in present-day society.
Mythology, as Filipino anthropologist F. Landa Jocano puts it, “serves as a means through which people can logically present fundamental concepts of life and systematically express the sentiments to which they attach such concepts.” Yet fragments of this side of culture have metamorphoses of their own, evolving in time.
This retelling of mythology is exactly what the “DIWATA” photographic collection stands for when it queered pre-colonial Philippine mythology.
(From the left: Makapatag-Malaon; Makapatag-Malaon(2); Bulan and Sidapa; Sirena; Oryol; Ikapati or Lakapati; Nagmalitung Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata/Southeast Asia Queer Cultural Festival)
Through vignetted full-body shots and breathtaking creative portraits in a set just as stunning and surreal, visual artists Renz Botero, Ram Botero, and Natu Xantino reimagined Philippine myths and lore through the lens of gender fluidity.
“These stories of transformation, prevalent in mythologies, challenge the hegemony of heteronormativity,” wrote the trio.
"Be/Longings," the 2021 theme of the Southeast Asian Queer Culture Festival, features the works of queer artists in its virtual platform in a collective effort to quell exclusion, reimagine and reclaim LGBTIQ belonging.
With concept and production design by Renz Botero, Xantino behind the lens, and wardrobe and makeup by Ram Botero, the collection corrals and crowns gender non-conforming narratives of some of the most renowned, powerful and fascinating characters from pre-colonial Philippine mythology. Moon deity Bulan and god of death Sidapa, the Sirena, Oryol, and even the historic Babaylan are among the enchanting figures brought to life in authentic yet surreal images.
“Just as mythology is not historically accurate, our reimagination of pre-colonial deities transcends history to represent true experiences,” reads the virtual exhibit’s description.
With much striking visual presentation, “DIWATA” celebrates queer communities, putting under the limelight gender variance while showcasing the grandiose of Philippine mythology.
The mystical “DIWATA” is not only a feast for the senses, nor does it only display obras maestras to marvel at. It does that and more as its gender-crossing rends asunder the conventional archetypes tied to Filipino folklore, forming new meaningful symbols for the queer – fuel for a movement for acceptance and belonging.
“[M]yths, legends, and epics adapt and change for the society at the time of its telling.” The Aswang Project, research group for Philippine mythology, backs the project.
“We have been made to believe that transgender people and genderqueers are spawns of the devil, an abomination of nature,” the artists write, “But we have always been part of this country’s history. Always.”
Check out the rest of these jaw-dropping transcendental creations and over 30 more by Southeast Asian LGBTIQ artists here.
The exhibit runs until March 13.
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