Researcher(s)
- Julia Micaela Dizon, Visual Communications, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Jazmyn Crosby, Painting, Temple University
Abstract
My advocacy quilt, entitled “Pangarap” (“aspiration” in Tagalog), utilizes textile work to explore the future that transgender Filipinos envision for themselves; identity, community, life achievements, accessible healthcare, and mobility in society are central themes to this project. I created this work as someone who lived in the Philippines and experienced the warmth and support from the transgender community. There is a lot of praise in terms of resilience, but little aid from institutions, the government, and larger society. I was interested in quilting as a means of activism, such as the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial quilt. I invited transgender Filipinos to talk about future aspirations and interests, and visual symbols that they associate with their identity. Using these responses, I translate their stories using cotton fabric, nacre buttons, polyester thread to make a quilt. Methods include digital drafting on Adobe Illustrator, and traditional construction phases for a quilt: piecing, quilting, binding; appliqué was also used. The main artist influence was Sarah Ruth, who inspired me through her piece, “Unforgotten: Pictorial Grief Quilt for Sexual Assault Survivors” using quilt blocks to tell vulnerable and marginalized groups’ stories. Using quilting to enact visual storytelling was highly compelling and sparked ideas for what could be possible in quilting, which is typically thought of as decorative, embracing rebelliousness and expression. The blocks on my quilt signify aspects of how transgender Filipinos view themselves and their aspirations. I felt it necessary to emphasize a call to action: “Legal Gender Recognition Now”, referencing the battle in the Philippines for the transgender community to be able to assert legal recognition such as name or gender marker changes, as equality for queer Filipinos remains a struggle. “Pangarap” imagines a future for transgender Filipinos that emphasize community care, rights, and dignity as human beings.
Title: Pangarap: Dreams for Transgender Filipinos’ Future
Medium: Cotton fabric, nacre buttons, polyester thread
Dimensions: 50″ x 50″