One painting hugs the other as they travel the world together.

I have been working with content produced out of the distance that separates me, my mother, and her mother, residing in Boston, Toronto, and the Philippines, respectively. I long for their presence, yet often I am only able to feel close to them through pictures they send or video calls. I turn these digital images into sculptural paintings; some form boxes, while others take the shape of household items like a curtain or a couch, alluding to real objects from home. This ever present idea of longing for home is inspired by the Filipino tradition of sending Balikbayan boxes (meaning “to return to the homeland”) from abroad back to the Philippines.

In spirit, these works bridge the distance between us. They become memories akin to dreams.