Master paper sculptor Ryan Villamael embraces the fragility of the material in his practice to portray the complexities of the history of Filipino migration and his own family’s story. The Philippines-based artist creates delicate figurines of flora from maps that he then encases in bell jars as a means of drawing connections between nature, identity, and the Filipino diaspora. These works compose Villamael’s ongoing series Pulô (Tagalog for “island”), which is one component of his first-ever solo show in the United States, ISLES, at Silverlens in New York City.

In this video, Renato Orara discusses his series ‘Ten Thousand Things That Breathe’, which he began in 1989. A continuation of this series, ‘Entangled Pairs’, staged simultaneously at Silverlens' Manila and New York galleries, explores the links between energetically intertwined particles by pairing 100 ballpoint pen drawings together, then splitting them across two continents. Through the exhibition, the galleries themselves become entangled and invite audiences to reflect on and reconcile the dualistic ways in which we see ourselves and our world.

In this video, Yvonne Quisumbing reads out a poem she wrote while working on ‘Sanctuary’, her solo exhibition currently on view at Silverlens Manila. Her works for this exhibition are ultimately her prayers for Lugo: her anxieties and hopes melding in each crumpled sheet. ‘Sanctuary’ by Yvonne Quisumbing runs until next week, 5 February 2025.