Faculty of Art

Drawing and Painting

Isadara Bulaklak

Mga Bangka ng Kayamanan (Ships of Fortune) I

A series based on the Manila Galleon trade network that ran across the Pacific from Latin America to the Philippines, transferring goods and luxury items between east and west. Inspired by maps from the Age of Exploration and old documents, my work depicts a ship on a voyage across the Pacific with goods ready to trade.

“My work is an exploration of movement of resources and how it reflects my ties to Filipinx history and culture as part of the diaspora. Collages on cardboard reminiscent of balikbayan boxes depict scenes evoking the Manila galleon trade network, examining the legacy left behind by the Spanish empire.”