artifacts of empire

 

Artifacts of Empire is an ongoing series of altered objects that address the idea of narratives as products and instruments of empire. The collection reflects my continuing interest in imperialism and capitalism and how those concepts shape migration, culture, and identity.

 

Books are particularly germane to this conversation because they were tools of cultural erasure during the American colonial period in the Philippines. I also use cigar boxes because tobacco was one of the many natural resources that were commodified. I recontextualize these objects with a mix of media, other found elements, and figurative imagery. The resulting work offers alternatives—in both content and form—to the Western tradition of written history. 

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