Lysley Tenorio was born in the Philippines and is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Personally, I found his discussion of the “I-Hotel” greatly informative and appreciated. In the years before actually learning about the hotel, I had always heard of the “controversy” surrounding it and I felt the historical aspects and background information really helped, in my eyes, better define the reality of what happened to these people. Additionally, the personal stories of the two characters, Vicente and Fortunado, gave a face to a cause from which many would easily feel disconnected. They reveal the struggles of difference and rejection on a larger cultural level but also on a personal level as we bare witness to their at times tumultuous and complicated relationship. The story allowed me to see how these cultural characteristics of “today” were a result of the environment that was pressed upon these people of the “past”. Overall I felt the story not only educates but also got me interested into looking further into the experiences of early Filipino immigrants and the roots of the “Philippine Diaspora”. My family moved here within the last 22 or so years, which changes their experience from that which was explored in the story. I feel that the story of the I-Hotel, examined by Tenorio, is a profound statement for injustice and a record for social change.
Additionally, I believe that Rashaan Alexis Meneses was a great addition to our class, as I found her descriptions of her writing process and the development of her style quite interesting. I enjoyed listening to her discuss on how her own cultural experiences and identity have found a place in her work. In my own experience, I’ve always felt that as much as I want to delve into cultural topics and exploration, my Fil-am experience is not a distinct quality in much of my creative work, despite the large role it plays in my life. I genuinely identified with her description of LA and its ability to shape her creative outlet as I often recognize it as a source of inspiration in my own life. Consequently, her approach to her stories is something I want to perhaps apply to a future venture and a style I’m interested in looking further into. Her writing exercise was also a refreshing task as I haven’t been able to free write much on topics outside of my academic world in art history and design. Overall, I hope to better explore that aspect of my own identity and thought process through my work in the future.
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Hi Dominique, apologies for responding to your posts out of order!
ReplyDeleteSo I wanted to first say that you make a great point about the personal and social struggles of Vicente and Fortundado giving face to historical events with which we'd otherwise not be able to feel a connection. I think it's often difficult to have history taught to us, and to be told what the "correct" ideas are to have, when we don't nec. have a way into the issue or event.
I'm glad that you enjoyed Rashaan's talk and writing exercise. Do you think her discussion of writing process can be applicable to your study of visual arts and design?