Artists' Statement

The artwork was conceived from the variety of ideas shared between the artists,  culminating in a mixed media where it can be divided into the top and bottom — Cubism and 3d mosaic. The elements and organization was derived from the geographic location, culture and festivals, and artistic essence of the Santa Ana Parish Church. As the Taguig river is significant to the community as a source of daily needs, metaphorically as a source of life, it was a must to include the interpretation and translation of the river within the artwork itself. Fortified by the history of the city of Taguig, wherein most of these lands were bountiful fisheries and farms. These were exemplified through the Santa Anang Banak Festival with the wooden boat with harvests of fruits and the painted people who celebrate it with delight. The church is not the sole source of culture and history, as the community that envelops it exudes its essence. It comes not as a surprise that these develop into forms of expression through service and physical reflections, as seen with youth organizations that promote the spiritual aspect of daily life.

The artists integrated the pieces of information gathered from past records, community interviews and the cultural mapping conducted during Phase 2 into a mixed-media painting. The artwork reflects the importance of the events and celebrations that emerged through time, the most significant expression of faith, and pakikisama. They achieve this by layering symbolic mixed-media elements including paint, cardboard, paper shaped scales, and clay that represent the identity and significance of Santa Ana Parish Church. The artwork incorporates a blend of cool and warm colors to evoke the sense of tranquility, reverence and communal spirit. 

The composition depicts the Basilica with a figure of Mother Mary on the side, surrounded by the colorful festival. Cardboard cut boats float along the lower portions of the canvas, representing the unique water-based traditions, as well as the importance of the Taguig River. Fruits symbolize tradition as part of the fluvial festival, where people exchange fruits and fish in celebration of abundance. The artists as well used Filipino themes with vibrant, abstracted, geometric figures in the painting as a reference to Vicente Manansala's works, who is famous for the "Madonna of the Slums" and for portraying the Philippine culture, heart and spirit through cubism.

Through the creation of the artwork, the artists sought to highlight the church as well as emphasize the community that has been built around the Santa Ana Church. The church, as a place of worship, has played an important role in the lives of many devout Filipinos in Taguig since the 1500s. In the artwork, the artists chose to add the festive ambiance to show the relevance of festivals to the community. These events further bring the people closer to the church, as many gather to celebrate together. 

In capturing the spirit of the cultural institution, the artists also conveyed on how the church and community move together to build and support each other up. The cool and warm colors reflect the energy brought by the Santa Ana Church, where faith is not only expressed from solitude and reverence, but also in the company of friends, community and neighbors. This highlights that the church is more than just a structure, it is a place that is made full of life from the people around it.

Furthermore, the use of an art style, which resembles famous Filipino works, was selected to portray how the culture of Filipinos is blended with their religion. To many, religious spaces have provided comfort and hope, even in the face of hardship. In the process of creating the artwork depicting the church and the river, a deeper understanding emerges of the close relationship between community and Church, particularly through festivals. The church, as a spiritual center, and the river, as a source of life and continuity, symbolize the foundations of communal identity and shared experience. The festival serves not only as a religious observance but also as a means of creating social bonds and preserving traditions.