Tropical Palace: Exhibition

My students and I approached our exhibition, Natural Lang: Images of Childhood in Tropical Palace, with two objectives: 1: to curate the show for the children depicted in the images, and 2: to combat the likelihood that the viewer would identify poverty and stop looking.

We wanted the viewer to have to be active, to move, and to interact with the artwork. We hoped that a non-traditional presentation would defy the viewer’s expectations and therefore help to de-objectify the subjects.

The light boxes are hung on different planes to force the viewer to move, and to view the work at a close distance. The only wall that is hung traditionally is hung at the eyelevel of the children.

This exhibition was first shown at Blank Space Gallery Manila, and then traveled to the Cultural Center of the Philippines.