Celebrating Filipino Artists at Nuit Blanche 2023

STC or “The Town Centre” as some Scarberians call it, is a place where many people think of when it comes to the far east end of the amalgamated city, Toronto. Established in 1850, the town grew rapidly. The post war brought in many immigrants from Germany and by the 2000s, it became a multicultural hub of new Canadian citizens from South and East Asia.

With my own anxieties and worries (I’m a student. How can I not worry?), I decided to stroll into the Scarborough Town Centre one day to stress shop last month. I was greeted by an enormous hanging painting installation at Civic Centre main doors to the mall. Not knowing what it was about, I was in awe with the piece and immediately took some shots. Full of colour, and familiar patterns, I couldn’t help but wonder if the paintings were made by a Filipino artist. The lines, and textures were reminiscent of Indigenous woven fabrics I’d see in the Philippines as a child. I wasn’t far from right.

The large panels of canvas were painted by Patrick Cruz, a Filipino artist based in Toronto, Ontario. His installation was part of Nuit Blanche 2023 last month. Known for his bold paint strokes and lines, Cruz “creates installations that draw on aspects of diasporic experience, play and folk spirituality (City of Toronto, 2023).” The panels spoke to me, as they reminded me of my time in Bicol, my home province, a 10-hour drive south of Manila. These panels were fitting for Scarborough. The once town, Scarborough comprises of many cultures and Filipinos is its third largest cultural group. It was also very fitting to be in the mall. The piece is a response to consumerism and how society is incarcerated by capitalist desires. After reading his statement, I couldn’t help but feel guilty for being there.

To reflect on my experience as an educator, exposure to installation art encourages students to interpret it from various angles. Art is multilayered with many meanings that the artist may not reveal. These layers make observers to dig deep to uncover the artists’ implications, and the process of close observation allows students to look at the world in the same manner. And this is the base of critical thinking.