Khim Hipol

Image © Khim Hipol

Artist Statement

Anak ng Lupang Hinirang 2020- ongoing

Anak ng Lupang Hinirang (Child of the Chosen Land) is a series of photographic images that use the body and symbolic objects tied to Filipino national identity to capture a profound and intimate feeling of patriotism and nationalism. As a Filipino national who lives and works in Canada, I am aware of the heavy history of colonization here; this series explores the complicated history of colonization in the Philippines and the way in which this history has infiltrated our national identity. The Philippine flag, the panuelo, reflects the legacy of the Spanish Colonizers. The Crown symbolizes beauty pageants which come from the influence of the American colonizers, reinforcing Western beauty standards. These objects, integrated with the body, pay homage to Filipino national identity and employ the conventions of familiar tropes of this identity to rearticulate and question each icon and the histories it bears. The body performs together with the symbols subverting the object's standard, patriotic reading. As a result, the images encourage viewers to question the subjects' origin and the true meaning of the objects they hold.

Kim Hipol | North Vancouver, BC