Nica Aquino
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  • About
    • Bio
    • Full CV
    • Press >
      • Asian Voices TV, Ep. 10
      • Art & Cake Contemporary Art Magazine
      • University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture
      • Oregon Artswatch
      • Occidental News
      • Voyage LA
      • Corridor8
      • Portland Mercury
    • Connect >
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        • Issue 11/08/22
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  • Projects
    • Visual Art >
      • Exhibitions >
        • DISplace >
          • Online Exhibition
          • Oregon Artswatch: Artswatch Focus
        • Past >
          • 2021 >
            • Hair Pulling Between Good & Evil
            • Quiet Please at Tlaloc Studios
            • HATAK
            • I Remember 2020
            • Sanctuary of the Aftermath >
              • Exhibition
              • Review: Art & Cake Contemporary Art Magazine
          • 2020 >
            • Merkadito Pasko
            • Untold Parallels
            • Home at Acogedor Space for Maiden LA
            • Kentucky Fried Pop-Up for Maiden LA
          • 2019 >
            • Politically Private
            • Borders: Representation & Reality
          • 2018 >
            • Depaysement
            • Immigration 101
            • Images of Power >
              • Exhiibtion Catalogue
              • Press
          • 2017 >
            • Honoring Our Ancestors
          • 2016 >
            • Reply All >
              • Exhibition
              • Press
            • Territorial Anxiety
          • 2013 >
            • Resistance
      • Photographic Series >
        • The Mayor's Daughter
        • Memory Full
        • How I Survived Breaking Both My Legs
        • Mana
        • Sixteen Again
        • Keep Portland White
        • Misc. Photography
        • Coming Soon >
          • Nobody Walks in LA
          • A Year in the Coloniser's Land
      • Other Media >
        • Memory Room >
          • Exhibition
          • Artist Talk: Dinner in the Memory Room
        • Video >
          • Instructional Video for the Warrior Goddess
          • #I_ATE_THE_BONES
          • Isolation 2020 - Balamb
          • Danum (Water) #1
          • Supertubos Beach
          • Lucid Dreaming
          • Celebrate Movement
          • Keep Portland White
        • Textiles >
          • Kusikus Textile Series (ongoing)
          • Untitled Wall Hanging
        • Misc. Mixed Media
    • Programming >
      • Curatorial >
        • 2022 >
          • HATAK 2022
          • KAPWA: Communal Spirit
          • FOR GOOD?
        • 2021 >
          • HATAK (2021)
          • I Remember 2020
        • 2020 >
          • Merkadito Pasko
          • Tuloy Po Kayo
          • Untold Parallels
          • Quality Time
        • 2019 >
          • We Are Like Air
          • anotherspace >
            • Exhibition
            • Eye of the Fish: Gunita Collective x Batik Maker
            • Lola's Sari-Sari Store
          • Araw Ng Mga Patay >
            • Exhibition
            • Artist Led Walkthrough
            • PRESS: Occidental Newspaper
            • PRESS: University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture
        • 2018 >
          • Balay/Bahay >
            • Exhibition
            • Opening Reception Performances >
              • Alay
              • Gong Spirits
              • Native Spirit
              • Dance Cypher
      • Community Engagement >
        • 2020 >
          • Oxy Arts Community Studio Series with Nica Aquino (Occidental College)
          • Family Paint Night w/ FilAm Fam (POSTPONED)
          • Paper Making w/ John DeCastro
        • 2019 >
          • Parol Workshop w/ Christian Acfalle
          • Current LA:FOOD
          • Balikbayan Box w/ Sara Chao >
            • Workshop
            • Press
          • How to Make a Rainbow w/ Jade Phoenix
          • Lumpihahaha
      • Lectures, Artist Talks >
        • 2021 >
          • Healing Centered Art: Many Paths to Wellness | Wed, May 26, 2021 | 630-8PM (PST)
          • DISCOVER 10: 10 API Artists at the Cutting Edge of Art
        • 2020 >
          • Artist Talk w/ Silvia M. De Leon
          • Artist Talk w/ Dearantler
          • Artist Talk w/ Em Hernandez
          • Artist Talk w/ Mike Saijo
        • 2019 >
          • 'Araw Ng Mga Patay' Artist Led Walkthrough
          • Dinner in the 'Memory Room'
          • Artist Panel PSU Dept. of Philosophy
        • 2018 >
          • 24th Adelante Mujer Latina
      • Shady Pines Radio >
        • Past (playlist links here) >
          • 12.16.21: "Angels with Filthy Souls" on Shady Pines Radio
          • 10.28.21 - "Songs to Listen to Before a Cult S*icide"
      • Mata Art Gallery
    • Publications >
      • 2019 Filipino-American Artist Directory
      • 2017 {M}aganda Magazine
    • Performances >
      • 2015 Merrie Monarch Ho'ike
      • 2015 Aratani Theater
  • Donate
    • Venmo
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    • Zelle: nica.u.aquino@gmail.com
Mana
35mm Photo series
2015
35mm Photos
2015

    
Like many Filipino-Americans, my Filipino identity has been lost and Western culture has been ingrained. Assimilate. English only. Forks and knives. Christianity. Desire for lighter skin. “Acting white” ...whatever that meant. What does
it even mean to be “Filipino?” This part of my identity was completely lost in the midst of growing up as a first
generation American.

I was part of a Filipino folk arts group that was invited to represent the Philippines for the prestigious Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Hawaii, which took place in April 2015.
    
We endured several months of brutal preparation for the Merrie Monarch. However, during this preparation process, I gained so much knowledge about my own culture. I was so proud to be part of the first ever Filipino group to perform in the 52 year history (at the time) of the Merrie Monarch Festival.
    
Through this transformative experience, I not only learned more about my own culture, but I also learned about where Filipino and Hawaiian culture intersect. We are not too different from our cousins, the Hawaiians. While I was visiting, the Hawaiians really took care of me and treated me like one of their own. Mahalo and agyamanak to our Hawaiian brothers and sisters.

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