‘Ancestor Altars’ Art Installation Offers Community Space to Grieve Deceased Loved Ones
INSPIRED BY “ALL SOULS DAY” FESTIVAL IN THE PHILIPPINES, LOCAL ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME TOGETHER TO CREATE ALTARS HONORING LOVED ONES AT KAPWA GARDENS
Scene from Ancestor Altars 2022 at Kapwa Gardens (photo courtesy of Kultivate Labs)
Scene from Ancestor Altars 2022 at Kapwa Gardens (photo courtesy of Kultivate Labs)
San Francisco, CA - October 18, 2023 - Kultivate Labs, Balay Kreative, and Filipino American artists Emagn and TITTY BOY are creating “Ancestor Altars” — an art installation and healing space for the San Francisco Filipinx, BIPOC & SOMA community to honor their ancestors and grieve for their loved ones that have passed away. The art installation is on view during a special All Souls Day celebration on Saturday, November 4th, 12-4pm where families can gather, share stories of their loved ones, and enjoy the day together.
“My inspiration for this community art installation and celebration came from the desire to honor those that came before me and to serve as a healing space for those in grief. I saw the positive impact this event had on our community last year and heard requests from community members to make this an annual event. I’m so thankful for the funding we received from California Arts Council, the Zellerbach Foundation and SOMA Success Centers to manifest this magical event again this year” says Nicole Salaver, Balay Kreative’s Program Manager.
A Creative Collaboration
Balay Kreative Program Manager Nicole Maxali and the Kultivate Labs staff selected four community members in a community open call to have their ancestors’ photos and stories painted and displayed in an art installation by local artists Emagn and TITTY BOY. TITTY BOY will construct the altars out of wood, fabric, found objects, flowers, offerings of food, beverages, incense, and candles. This art installation brings together pictures, names, and stories submitted by community members of their deceased loved ones with the intention of celebrating their memories, absorbing their lessons and stories, and receiving wisdom with love and respect.
“My late wife, Gwen, once told me that "plants heal" while we were working on our planter box in our backyard. Inspired by these words, I am creating an installation for each ancestor altar that pays homage to our ancestors through the metaphor of seeds and plants. I am creating four planter boxes, each featuring a portrait of an ancestor along with their illustrated story,” says artist Emagn. “My hope is that this installation will not only serve as a beautiful tribute to our ancestors but also as a living reminder of their legacy and the growth that can come from honoring their memory.”
Artist Emagn (Eric Nodora) immigrated with their family from the Philippines to Sacramento, California at the tender age of seven. Their artistic endeavors embody an unwavering commitment to providing a voice for the marginalized and fostering heightened social consciousness. Laboring in schools, community centers, and the underprivileged corners of Sacramento and the Bay Area, Emagn’s mission is to encourage youth to unearth inspiration within themselves and express their profound messages through art. In recent years, they have had the privilege of contributing to mural projects that reverently honor the departed such as the Karen Daus-Capalaran memorial mural in Los Angeles, CA and the Dr. Gwen Agustin-Nodora memorial mural at Caliber Charter School in Vallejo.
For artist TITTY BOY, San Francisco is his birthplace and lifelong home. While TITTY BOY primarily creates intricate psychedelic, gritty paintings and drawings, he also assumes the role of production designer. In his most recent installation at Balay Kreative, TITTY received a commission from Mirage Medicinal to explore the evolution of the cannabis trade, corporate influence on small-scale operations, and the ongoing repercussions endured by individuals who were once criminalized for their involvement.
Scene from Ancestor Altars 2022 at Kapwa Gardens (photo courtesy of Kultivate Labs)
Origins of Ancestor Altars
Filipino culture heals by honoring ancestors in an annual festival called “Undas” or “All Souls Day” (also known as “Araw ng mga Patay” which translates to Day of the Dead in Tagalog). Undas is a holiday honoring the dead widely celebrated in the Philippines, Mexico, and the Philippine Diaspora. Filipinx/a/o families traditionally hold gatherings around the graves of their departed loved ones and lay out flowers and candles. In between prayers, there’s sharing of stories about the deceased, and some families will even bring their magic mic and a small tv for some karaoke/videoke sessions after the prayers. Undas is a public acknowledgment and an opportunity to praise those that came before and those that have transitioned on.
To continue these traditions, Kultivate Labs and Balay Kreative created “Ancestor Altars” in 2022, originally to commemorate those that have passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Filipino community, specifically healthcare workers, is undeniable. One study, cited by the New York Times, found that of nurses who died from COVID-19, Filipinos accounted for almost a third of them — despite only making up 4% of nurses nationwide.
An Afterlife Celebration
The All Souls Day Afterlife Celebration and Ancestor Altars on Saturday, November 4th offer the public an opportunity to heal through art and with community. Through this gathering and installation, Bay Area community members can celebrate their ancestors, share the stories they’ve learned from them, and express gratitude with love and respect. During the celebration, people can listen to live musical performances, reflect with the community, and remember their loved ones.
Participants include emcee Jazlynn Pastor, musical artists Kulingtung Dialect and Pinoy Voltron, visual artists Emagn and TITTY BOY, and Death Doula Marielle Cuison.
To RSVP and to learn more about this event, please visit https://balaykreative.com/event-calendar/all-souls-day-2023
ALL SOULS DAY: AN AFTERLIFE CELEBRATION
Saturday, November 4th, 12pm-4pm
NEW VENUE: Sentro Filipino
814 Mission St In SOMA Pilipinas
Free | All Ages
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About Kultivate Labs
Kultivate Labs is a Non-profit Economic Development and Arts Organization. They create thriving commercial ecosystems by accelerating businesses that preserve culture and community. They provide space and opportunities for the arts to flourish so that commercial activities are activated and reflect the community at large.
About Balay Kreative
Balay Kreative is a Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas. Kultivate Labs founded Balay Kreative in 2019 in recognition that arts and culture cannot be sustained without directly addressing the lack of accessible and culturally relevant artist support and professional development for Filipinx/a/o artists and BIPOC. Balay Kreative represents local Filipinx/a/o artists that uplift diasporic expressions of Filipinx/a/o experiences so that artists may sustain and grow artistically within SOMA Pilipinas. It is a Filipino American Cultural Center rooted in community responsiveness to sustainability. Balay Kreative provides grants and professional development courses to BIPOC artists living in San Francisco. Programming includes the newly established Kreative Growth Grants to accelerate the growth of Filipinx artistic expression in SOMA Pilipinas. Balay Kreative launched a masterclass series for BIPOC artists to take their careers to the next level. Artists are not only compensated healthily, but are also provided with marketing support, direct support from Balay Kreative’s Program Manager, and connected to the larger network of resources and mentors within Kultivate Labs’ community.