DIWATA

A solo exhibit by James Andrew Imperial

In the art of James Imperial, the natural and the mythological intersect. For his show “Diwata,” he pays tribute to the mythical being of Philippine folklore, depicting his female portraits as anthropomorphic symbols of nature. The diwata is seen as a spiritual manifestation of nature itself. Often dwelling in large trees, they are usually benign and bear blessings to those who act kindly toward their homes. But to those who would do otherwise, the diwata brings a curse upon them. In Imperial’s works, he envisions women as the legendary diwata, beautiful and fair as they are awe-inspiring in their power.

The artist paints achromatic portraits of women fused with collaged images of flora, birds, and butterflies – a juxtaposition that evokes not just the elegance of the natural world, but the austerity and solemness it carries with it. These women, these diwata, have an aura of silent strength about them that reflects their dignity as keepers of their environment. At a time when the environmental plight grows with more urgency, the need to protect the diwata’s realm has become more crucial than ever.

The contrast of the black and white portraiture against the starkly colored collage alludes to a dissonance. A dissonance in the way we feed off of our environment without respecting its sanctity, in the way we consume pop culture but disregard our folkloric heritage, and in the way we revere women in media but often neglect the women in our own lives. In Imperial’s diwata, we are faced with a call to remember our roots and preserve the forces they grow from. 

– Text by Mara Fabella