“Likas”
Plaster of paris
2021
As the Filipino people in 2021 celebrate the quincentennial anniversary of the Battle of Mactan and the University of the Philippines (UP) community commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Diliman Commune, Alexandra juxtaposes two important figures from the said events in her artwork: Lapu-lapu in the left, and Pastor “Sonny” Mesina in the right. They each represent half of the single figure in the middle to personify the one Filipino people, as despite being decades and centuries apart, it is innate in the Filipinos to be courageous, driven, and patriotic, being willing to fight and risk their lives to defend their fellowmen. They are important faces that embody the bravery of the Filipino people to resist oppression and to defend their freedom and rights. Behind Lapu-lapu is a shield while behind Sonny is a placard, two vastly different weapons for battles against their oppressors to achieve similar causes. In the present pandemic alongside the numerous issues prevalent in the country, the artist also stands with the Filipino people in the ongoing fight against injustice.
Alexandra Brigino is a student at the UP College of Fine Arts majoring in BFA Art History. Someday hoping to become a part of the administration for Philippine arts and culture, and to then be of service to the local artists of the country and to the bountiful arts of various ethnic groups, she also loves to sketch and paint in her free time. Alexandra likes to make mostly achromatic artworks, being drawn mostly to different dry media, watercolour, and oil paint. As she currently studies fine arts, she has also been experimenting with mixed media and colour.