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Filipino Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
‘Kata I & Kata II': Twin murals honoring overseas Filipinos now on display at Philippine Consulate in Dubai
At first glance, they shimmer — two towering canvases bathed in shades of blue, red, silver, and metallic gold. Their textures alive with movement, their lines flowing like sea currents. But look closer, and the story begins to unfold. These are Kata I and Kata II, large-scale mixed media works by UAE-based Filipino visual artist Susan Villanueva-De Guzman that reflect the strength, connection, and quiet resilience of Filipino migrant workers across distant shores. The twin murals were officially unveiled on August 1 as part of the Philippine Consulate's ongoing cultural diplomacy initiative, Museo sa Konsulado , which highlights Filipino creativity and identity in the diaspora. Beyond technique or scale, what resonates most is the meaning they carry — a message that speaks directly to Filipinos living and working overseas conveyed through abstraction and symbolism drawn from both nature and memory. A visual conversation that became we The pieces, each measuring 1.9 by 2.4 meters, are intentionally inseparable and meant to be viewed together, depicting 'two halves of a single soul mirroring the journey of a nation and its people.' It explore two sides of migration: Kata I represents those who are rooted, while Kata II depicts the one in flight. 'But neither stands alone,' De Guzman shared in an interview with The Filipino Times . 'Together, they speak of a shared journey — a love for country, and the enduring thread of identity.' The title Kata comes from an old Tagalog word meaning 'you and me' — or more deeply, 'we.' Through the twin murals, aimed to reflect the unity and unbreakable spirit of Filipinos in the diaspora. And like the Philippine corals, often fragile-looking but astonishingly tough, she saw a metaphor for overseas Filipinos: toughened by being scattered, but constantly growing. 'When broken and cast away, it clings, grows, survives, and eventually becomes the foundation of new life. Filipinos abroad are much like these corals, dispersed, yet resilient; displaced, yet constantly building vibrant communities wherever they go,' said De Guzman, who was also hailed the Artist of the Year at The Filipino Times Watchlist Awards 2016 . Having lived among OFWs for years, she has seen the weight of separation, the ache of longing, and the quiet heroism that defines daily life abroad. 'These twin works reflect that reality. Kata […] holds within it the idea of togetherness, and a whisper between two shores,' she said. Built with time and soul Also previously showcased at the Philippine Pavilion during Expo 2020 in Dubai, the creation of Kata I and Kata II took about two and a half months. 'The works are a blend of abstraction, cultural symbolism, and personal expression, using natural elements like earth, water, air, and fire to symbolise humanity and individuality,' she said. For the execution, De Guzman used metallic acrylic and foil leaf on canvas, weaving lines as her central design element into a fluid narrative across both pieces. Honoring OFWs through art While De Guzman's previous works often centered on introspection or visual experimentation, Kata I & Kata II are more outward-looking, exploring the collective memory and lived experiences of Filipinos abroad. 'They stretch outward to encompass collective memory, diaspora, and the emotional landscape of being Filipino,' she explained. 'The visual language remains fluid and spontaneous, but the intention is now deeper: to document, connect, and elevate the soul of people. In that sense, Kata is both a progression and a homecoming.' For De Guzman, the murals serve as a tribute, not just to the economic contributions of OFWs, but to the emotional strength behind their sacrifices. 'In works like Kata I and Kata II , I do not simply paint people,' she said. 'I honor lives rebuilt on foreign soil, spirits tested by distance, and the quiet poetry of survival.' She also believes that artists carry the responsibility of honoring migrant stories, not simply observing, but building bridges through their work. 'Through color, texture, and metaphor, we humanize statistics, unpack luggage heavy with longing, and offer a mirror to those searching for belonging,' she added. A message to fellow artists To Filipino creatives abroad who want to share their stories through art, De Guzman offered gentle encouragement: Your story matters. She reminded them that they carry not only their craft but also the memory of their people, the strength of their roots, and the beauty of their dreams. 'Never underestimate the power of your brushes, your lens, your lines, your voice. Through art, we reclaim space, assert identity, and breathe life into what distance tries to fade,' she said. And for those who wonder if their stories are worth telling, she adds: 'Tell your truth, even if your voice trembles. Someone out there needs to see it, feel it, and know they're not alone.' As she put it: 'We may be scattered like islands across oceans, but through art, we remain one archipelago — connected, rooted, and rising.' Kata I and Kata II will remain on display at the Rizal Hall of Philippine Consulate in Dubai, until August 29. The exhibit is open to the public from Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 3 PM. For OFWs longing for a quiet connection to home, it's worth a visit.
Gulf Today
03-08-2025
- General
- Gulf Today
Philippine Consulate General hosts new art exhibition
There is a new art exhibition at the Philippine Consulate General in Al Qusais, Dubai. Under the 'Museo sa Konsulado,' this is the 'Kata I and Kata II,' an immersion of the public into the visual arts-cum-contemplative melody by a mother and son. It rocks and lullabies them to that time and space of how languages and peoples are interknitted altogether. Even as the vast deep, the gargantuan concrete jungles and the jagged summits mean separation and God-willing, reunion. The mother is Higher Colleges of Technology in Sharjah faculty member Susan Villanueva-De Guzman, recognised by public and private institutions in the UAE and overseas for her contributions in her advocacies through education. She has been globally recognised for her expanding portfolios of graphic designs and oil-watercolour-acrylic paintings and murals. Her son, whom she had requested 'to arrange' the contemplative melody, is Canada-based Patrick Zyrille, 'a storyteller, an instructional designer, an artist, and an animator.' In his welcome address at the Friday inauguration of the 'Kata I and Kata II' – the 'third public exhibition' of the 'inseparable' murals – both at 1.9X2.4 metres metallic/acrylic and foil leaf, Consul General Marford Angeles tackled a bit the semantics of 'kata.' He re-emphasised that among other mandates, the consular mission serves as the 'platform and amplifier' for the Filipinos' 'talent, creativity and resiliency.' The reason for the Museo sa Konsulado,' of which Villanueva-De Guzman is the seventh featured UAE-based artist. Especially so that the initiative is anchored as well on five of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – unbiased quality education (4), decent work and economic growth (8), reduced inequalities (10), sustainable cities and communities (11), and global partnerships for growth (17) – which all governments are striving to succeed in, through their own citizens and through bilateral and multilateral collaborations. Which points to the lifeblood of the 'Kata I and Kata II,' originally displayed at the main wall of the award-winning Mangrove Café of the Philippine Pavilion during the 'Expo2020 Dubai' – whose 'Bangkota' identification embodies the story of the adventurous Filipino people. They who have learnt to tenaciously move up through the ripples and billows of bounty and poverty, wherever their Bathala/Allah/God plants them individually and collectively. Interestingly, August, in the Philippines is the 'Buwan ng Wika,' as Spanish-Filipino Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon (August 19, 1898-August 1, 1944) had determined that colonised Filipinos, evolving as a nation and as a people, must have their own national language. Good to know that 'kata is an 'old Tagalog word that means 'you and I or we,' according to Villanueva-De Guzman who had thought of titling her 'inseparable 'Kata I and Kata II'' as such even before she started painting it 'upside-down.' Villanueva-De Guzman, who, whenever the muse strikes, principally does extensive research and mind mapping 'because I want that every visual expression of mine is purposeful and leaves a message.' That inquisitiveness on 'kata' let this reporter moreover learn that, like 'bangkota,' it belongs to the Southern Tagalog Region in Southern Luzon. However, that among the 182 documented Philippine languages, basically Astro-Polynesian in nature, 'kata,' according to the Austronesian Languages Page in Facebook contributor, Loida Lumawen, originates in the town of Baler, the birthplace of President Quezon and the capital of Aurora province in Southern Luzon. Lumawen wrote: 'Words like kata live there, not as decorations or throwbacks, but as part of daily life in Baler and still alive. I've heard it, and I've felt it.' Lumawen illustrated the 'kata' in use: Kata na – Let's go. Magwalis kata – Let's sweep together. Maganda kata – We are both beautiful. Mahal kata – I love you (the contextual meaning is We are us because of our closeness). On Friday, Villanueva-De Guzman acknowledged the freedom architect Royal Pineda, the man-behind-the-Bangkota ideation, architect Royal Pineda, had given her. Thus, 'Kata I and Kata II.' Two people approached her for the individual purchases. She did not budge: 'These, we cannot separate because it is one and it is the single soul that mirrors the journey of our nation and our people, who, in ways, thrive wherever we are planted. We are united with shared hardships. But we sustain on. We are together. Like corals, we reconstruct out of brokenness and transform distance into proximity.'
