Kristian Kabuay
My work explores pre- to post- Filipino culture in the diaspora. Using Baybayin, the nearly extinct indigenous Filipino writing system as a foundation, I incorporate and deconstruct calligraphy and graffiti methods. Didactic in nature, my works both entertain and instruct while exploring themes of identity, poverty, death, love, and duality. By blending the ancient script with contemporary aesthetics, my work bridges time and space, as well as challenges the necessity of economic value to prove our cultural heritage worthy of preserving.
I've been doing art for about 10 years and I've decided to try and bring my cultural art "mainstream". It seems like there's always a division between art and cultural art. I'd like to break those lines that institutions have created or ones that my community has created ourselves.
For more information about the artist, please visit his website.