#derek tumala

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 9

Something different for today, I went to Gibney for the Movement Research class. I met up with Rawya El Chab, a Lebanese who now lives in New York, to do the class. The class is a bit eccentric I must say, the instructor started with a setup of an altar, where every element is represented, earth, fire, water, wind. The Body Research class is supported by astrological premise, in which one corresponds to zodiac sign, where it rises, its moon. This all can be known by the date and time of your birth. Me for example, my sign is Aquarius, and my moon is in Cancer which is according to charts, are people who are progressive yet cautious, has loopy sense of humor but empathetic. I think it’s accurate. We then discuss on how the planets move affects our lives. Just recently Mercury Retrograde is in effect that made life a bit harder, it is the period when Mercury looks like it's doing a slow zigzag in the sky. It's an optical illusion as a faster planet passes us or as we pass a slower planet. It is advisable not to do important life decisions at this time. While I am cautious about it, it is only a guide and it does not control my life. With the Body Research class, we apply movements into the space to create new paradigms of our entity. Guided by astrology, we were asked to move freely or mindful. It was a release of energy and letting go of inhibitions. The body is in trance trying to let go of all constructive thinking. We move as if the gravity is heavy, as if the body is weightless. It’s a dancing meditation in which we transported ourselves into trance. For me, it helps me in terms of letting go of inhibitions, of creating unexpected movements. The body became a vessel in which we poured ourselves into it. 

After class, Rawya and I had lunch and chat. In the past, I’ve been interested about the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon and its culture. Rawya discussed the current revolution that is happening in Beirut. Much of it is about the resistance against bad governance and the result of the civil war. We compared our countries and how governments are failing its people. There is a need for a new revolution, a change in which society benefits from good governance and infrastructure, people should shift thinking and learn to see what is best for our futures. 

Photos of remains found in the African Burial site, Lower Manhattan

We then went to the African Burial Ground National Monument, where thousands of enslaved Africans were buried in a mass grave. It’s depressing how the legacy of Black slavery happened and its effect. Museums are places in which we are reminded of the past and learn from it. The slave trade and the indignation of Black people was so destructive that racism is still happening until now. Racism rooted from the idea that another person is less worthy based on their ethnicity, which again came from the colonial rule that has lasting effects. This also raises questions on how do we change the culture of hate. Black slavery is one of the most horrific part of American history that shaped what it is now. The question in me is - how America is treating this problem and how do they move forward from it? Relearning the Black slavery and remembering the horrors of it is one way of resolving it, but how do we change the culture that started it? At the lobby of the Federal Building was the Native American’s presentation. It was entertaining and informative as they were dressed in traditional Native American clothes and musical instruments. Each movement signifies a part of their culture and was derived in nature. At the end, all the audience participated in a circle line dance, which was amazing.

I then headed to apexart to check in with Abbie on how Week 1 has passed. I think it was quite overwhelming, but as the week passed I adjusted and tried to cope with sleep and rest. 

In the evening, I headed to the Upper East Side to visit Paul Rudolph’s duplex building, he is one of New York’s underrated 20th century architects. I met with Linda Shrank in this visit, an artist who is also an apexart fellow. I pointed out her pin that says “We are all immigrants” Rudolph’s apartment building was modular and geometric, using a lot of white paint, diffused lighting and plant accents. It was refreshing to see it amidst New York’s grey and neutral palette. While I’m not familiar with his work, I am fascinated by the use of cheap materials and how he elevated the brutalist aesthetics into a more comfortable look. While the space is very small, he was able to make use of the space and have fun with it. A lot of movements on the details and eccentric ideas on how materials are being used but still familiar. The Modulightor is championing his work and considering that he is one of the important modernist architect in America. 

After Modulightor, Linda and I had dinner at a nearby Indian restaurant. Linda was very chill and enthusiastic as she describes her experience as an apexart fellow in Melbourne. She said that she learned a lot from the fellowship, by being aware of her behavior and how she thinks. She also pointed out the temporal experience of meeting people. For her, meeting people and spending time with them is important and not just once, she suggested that maybe there should be a connection even after the fellowship, which I agree as well. Her stories about Soho and its current commercialization has affected much of what it was, an artist “village” but now, she can’t even go to the shops because it has changed much of Soho’s creative vibe. New York has changed so much that not much artist choose to stay in Manhattan to live, considering the high cost of living. We also discussed the role of the artist now, of being involved in socio-political struggles and extending the artist’s capabilities or responding to needs. Thinking about the artist as a person in the world is another paradigm. How we move and think is what also make us as artists/creators. The Indian food was so good and spending an evening with a real New Yorker was a treat.

D

#derek tumala #inbound from Manila

[oculablog]

DEREK TUMALA - On N' On, 2017, Glass, mirror, Dichroic film, tourmaling tektire LED strip, 28 x 23 x 7.5 cm, Image courtesy of The Drawing Room

#art #contemporary art #contemporary #artist #contemporary artist #contemporary art blog #art blog #ocula #oculadotcom #ocula blog #ocula art #ocula online #ocula magazine #oculadotart #derek tumala #sculpture #mixed media #the drawing room #the drawing room manila #manila #philippines #fine art

[thebaronmunchausen]

free

works from: Kiri Dalena and Derek Tumala

November 24 (Wed) to November 27 (Sat) 10:00 AM to 12:00 NN 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Limited seats! Register at https://forms.gle/smeVMsKngKamkHg36

[takaakikj]

¨on a verge, on a loop¨ Casa Echandía (Bogotá, Colombia), 4 de diciembre-  Artista: Derek Tumala, Dex Fernandez, Ged Marino, Jojo Austria

¨La libertad es la condición ontológica de la ética;pero la ética es la forma reflexiva que adopta la libertad¨---Michel Foucault

ON A VERGE ON A LOOP, es un proyecto realizado por cuatro artistas de origen filipino Derek Tumala, Dex Fernandez, Ged Merino y Jojo Austria, quienes narran las experiencias en torno a home parties (fiestas en casa) o vivencias cotidianas percibidas por algunos artistas bajo las estrictas medidas de aislamiento durante la pandemia de SARS-CoV2 en la ciudad de Manila. 

A partir de la declaración de la emergencia sanitaria en marzo 2020, la administración de Rodrigo Duterte (1945-) implementó medidas estrictas para controlar la movilidad diaria de los ciudadanos, suspendiendo todo el sistema de transporte público en la capital. Aunque estas políticas se justificaban en relación con las amenazas sanitarias a escala global, para muchos ciudadanos era no más que una añadidura a las vigilancias sociales que el régimen había venido implementando desde que Duterte tomó el poder en 2016.

En medio de dicho creciente control social, algunos artistas buscaron diversas alternativas para no detener sus proyectos y la vida social de cara a cara, que solían tener en sitios nocturnos alternativos los cuales eran visitados frecuentemente por la comunidad Queer. Una de sus actividades principales eran home parties (fiestas en casa) clandestinas, organizadas en apartamentos o residencias privadas. De manera interesante, estos espacios de home party funcionaron no simplemente para disfrutar convivencias entre amigos y allegados de los artistas, sino también para exhibir temporalmente las obras de cada uno de ellos. 

Estas prácticas artísticas, mezcladas con el aire fiestero, a diferencia de las exposiciones convencionales dentro del campo del arte, han generado nuevos formatos de experimentar obras y propuestas artísticas – más exclusivos, íntimos e intensos, los cuales son reservadas para un número limitado de personas de cara a una nueva “normalidad”

#curatoriales #2021

[artbaselhkg017]

Untitled,  Derek Tumala

[escoltaofficial]

ESCOLTA BLOCK PARTY X HOP INN: Exhibits

Check out these exhibitions that will be up all day for the Block Party! Let’s support our local artists and their art exhibits within the First United Building, Escolta Street, Manila. See you there!

They wrote poems, we burn them down

One/zero in collaboration with BluPrint present "They wrote poems, we burn them down.” The exhibit aims to spark discussions on how we move forward with our built heritage. It will be on view from 19 May to 18 August 2018 at the One Zero Design Co. office, Room 514, First United Building, 413 Escolta St., Binondo, Manila.

Much has been written about the importance of our heritage buildings, but day after day pieces of our identity are being torn down in different places around Manila. Our cities may be rapidly growing, but at what cost?

The exhibit is a collection of what won’t be there: buildings that once defined a great city, monuments we’ve neglected. It offers a rare look at Juan Nakpil’s attention to detail, and the now defunct PNB Building by Carlos Arguelles.

Photos by Ed Simon.

XI: Thou shall not be ugly

“XI: Thou shall not be ugly”, by John Emmanuel Gutierrez with Jeremy Laureano, talks about a contrast between generations and their beliefs. It speaks of a misconception about beauty and morality. It dreams to give away the freedom to express, discover, and love oneself.

Using fashion as a medium for symbolic art, composed and immortalized through photography, the collection tackles sensitive topics which are undeniably relatable to the artist and his generation.

unit 510 First United Building Escolta, Manila 1pm - 6pm

Open Wall: Formation #1

Open Wall is a semi-regular series of exhibitions and space interventions at @thedenmanila . For the @escoltablock Party 6 they are featuring Formation #1, a work by transmedia artist Derek Tumala.

Derek Tumala �FORMATION #1�SILVER MYLAR, DICHROIC FILM ON METAL LIGHT BOX

Presented in the 2016 exhibition To Where the Sky Will Lead Us at The Drawing Room Gallery, Philippines and in the ASEAN ART EXHIBITION 2017 Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul, Korea organized by ASEAN-Korea Centre

Derek Tumala works in a sculptural medium that largely uses calculations of light elements through video mapping, prisms and other light fixtures. From Rainbow Gravity theory to Philippine ethnoastronomy, he maps the speculative principles of science with the birth of culture.

Special thanks to the @tdrgmanila

Source: Escolta Block Party

#EB Party #EB Party 6 #Escolta Block #Block Party #Escolta Block Party #EB Party x Hop Inn #event #exhibits #exhibition #art #display #First United Building #Escolta #Binondo #Manila #Philippines #Chinatown #Manila Chinatown

[pauvdespi]

WSK Axis 2017 Exhibition - Interstices: Manifolds of The In-Between. Opens Today, 4pm at Black Box - SDA --- Ryoichi Kurokawa | Tad Ermitaño | Huoxo Que | Pauline Despi | Ivan Despi | Tsuyoshi Hikasado | Ian Jaucian | Derek Tumala | Katsuki Nogami. #wskaxis2017 #videoart #newmediaart #soundart #artinstallation

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 15

The Braille Alphabet card and Robin’s service dog Tara

Good weather today. I walked towards the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, just 10 minutes away from the apartment. It seemed to me that the place was just like a regular library, but when I check the books, it was in Braille. It’s fascinating to see that there is a library that caters to the visually-impaired. I then went to the Braille Study Group, in a small room where a few visually-challenged are there to lear how to write and read Braille. Robin was the instructor, who was very accomodating. I introduced myself and we had an interesting conversation.

Me: Hi, I’m Derek. I’m here to learn Braille

Robin: Hi Derek! Thanks for joining, may I ask if you are visually impaired?

Me, Oh no, I’m not, but my eye grade is +5.00 both eyes.

Robin: Oh ok. So where did you come from?

Me: I’m from the Philippines.

Robin: Oh nice. I once had a Filipina girlfriend and she was the sweetest.

Me: Sweet, that’s so cool.

Robin: She makes this really sweet colorful dessert, like sap...

Me: Ah, Sapin-sapin! (a colorful rice cake)

Robin: Yess, that’s it!

Most conversation starters about the Philippines is usually about food, and girls! So we then started the lessons and it is fascinating that the Braille system is complex and is using similar techniques with phonetics. I learned a bit about it fast. I thought it was similar to morse code but it’s not. The other attendees were deaf as well, which they try to help develop their communication skills. It’s so nice to experience this because being disabled is stigmatized as unable to do basic tasks, but that is not true, most of them try to live their life like an able person, and they really are! Robin gave me some complicated words as well and I enjoyed it. Then time was up, we bid farewell and I felt happy being able to hangout with Robin and the others that are so willing to learn and be better.

I then went to my weekly psychotherapy session with Nancy. We get along well now and I did open up to her on a lot of very personal things. This has helped me understand the role of a therapist. It is very helpful and it keeps me afloat and try not to only make sense of things, but to examine behaviors, and how I can actually be better at myself, and those I care for. Artists are often seen as a free spirited person, anything goes and mind-bending at times. One can come off as weird, but I think if you take out the artist cred to a person, he is just as same as anyone else. It is me as a person talking and not the artist, which is just one facet of my life. And having this conversation with Nancy is close to comfort and has profoundly inspire me in this trip. 

Then I checked with Abbie for updates and discuss schedules for next week. We talked about Thanksgiving and how significant it is for her. She’s going home to her hometown to see her family. I never had a Thanksgiving before, so I am excited to experience it the next day.

The last one should have been a Krav Maga class, an Israeli martial arts class, but it was cancelled. You can feel the holiday vibe in city and most of the retail shops are already closed, while everyone is buying food and wine to prepare for their Thanksgiving dinners. 

D 

#derek tumala #inbound from manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 13

Another day of commuting in the city. I seemed to navigate better now without looking to Google Maps, well mostly in Manhattan only. Heading to Empire State Realty Trust to meet with Tom Keltner, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary and one of apexart’s Board of Members. As I head up to his office, I thought, what am I doing here? What am I going to learn today and how is this related to me? And although I have questions, I am curious who is this person that I am about to meet. Tom was a very calm person and I know that he has a high position in the company, I didn’t get intimidated because he seemed to be a very chill person, soft spoken and easy to talk to. He then proceeded to explain his work and what it means to be in his position. Wealth generation is a very patriarchal obligation. For Tom, providing for his family is the best thing he ever did. His family is his source of joy and purpose. He explained to me his humble beginnings and aspirations as he grew up. Being a literature aficionado, he dreamt of being a writer and pursued it even he’s attending Law School. It was a lot of work, as to juggle several interests. After school, he then write at home to pursue his dream of writing a novel. While trying to make a better future, he also wants to make his dream of becoming a writer to come true and he thought that he could make it. But after his first daughter was born, his time is divided and had less and less writing time, he became busy to pursue his family, a choice that he didn’t regret. Having a loving family is the achievement for him. Becoming a lawyer became his bread and butter that lead to his stature today. “I thought there was a shortcut, but no, here I am 70+ and still working,” he said. He then brought a book about 4″ thick which contains all the legal details of the company that he made. Although I didn’t follow much of it, I know that it is a lot of money. All this information about money is overwhelming. How can someone have too much money, I didn’t imagine myself having that amount of money. We had a long talk about childhood, growing up and how we became what we are today. Tom is a very charming person and although we just had a very short talk, we were able to get to know what grounded us. At the end of our conversation I asked him, 

“What is the significance of apexart or of meeting artists to you?”

Tom said, “I think it is fascinating to meet people who are able to do their first choice. To be able to embody what they are meant to do. I think that is very amazing, that artists choose to do what they want and live that first choice. I learn a lot from them, even by just meeting them in a very short amount of time.”

Choices, decisions, wants, needs - these are life’s dealbreakers.

I then headed to a public library at the Hudson Park branch to catch the 16mm film showing of the 1939 flim Ninotchka starring Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas. It was a funny film, at a time where communist Soviet Union was a threat to global dominance. Stalin is painted as a rigid villain trying to make Soviet a powerful country. Ninotchka was sent to Paris to attend legal matters on the selling of confiscated jewelries from the failed Russian aristocracy, which they failed to do so. A lot of the dialogue was a mockery of Russia and presented a free, happy Parisian life. Ninotchka liked it and fell in love with a happy life, a weird hat, fine things and with Leon (Melvyn Douglas), a representation that life in a capitalist country is so much better.

I had some free hours so I decided to walk around the Greenwich Village neighborhood which I find charming. Another facet that is different from the rest of the city. It seems that every block in this city can tell a different story.

In the evening, I attended Global Flex class, which I think is an equivalent of Zumba. A bit awkward location in the Civic Place, a free co-working space, strutting to Latino, African and hiphop music is how I ended this day of sporadic activities. 

D

#derek tumala #inbound from manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 12

It was a very rainy Sunday morning, gloomy and all sorts of sleepy. So I walked 2 blocks from the apartment to see what it seem to me a weird gathering or religion. The Quaker meeting is something that I am really curious about. So I went up to the Religious Society of Friends, which looks like an old church for their monthly meeting. Weirdly, one of the organizers asked me why I’m there. I just told him that I was curious about Quaker without dropping the apexart program I am with. I think it creates more interest to entertain me and welcome me as they are very open to new members. So we all sat on the main hall. It was very serene, quiet and just still. I fell asleep a bit for sure, it was 9am. As the time pass, I didn’t realize that we already had 2 hours of sitting in there in silence. Thinking about it I can compare it with transcendental meditation or Buddhism. It allows you to clear your head or think or maybe pray. The Quaker meetings are not to impose teachings but to collectively be in silence and take a moment to think, and I think that is beautiful. Religions are always imposing teachings or doctrines, but the Quakers are very simplistic and humane. This practice is actually something that I am interested of. Silence or peace of mind is quite a luxury these days. After the session, we all gather at the other room to get tea and snacks. Talked a bit to the members and they are all very nice and curious of why I’m there, of course everyone knows everyone except me. It was an interesting morning indeed. It also broke my conspiracy that it was cult.

So I then headed to another sightseeing, off to another island - Roosevelt Island. Took the tram and saw fascinating views of the city. It landed on the island and off I go to the Four Freedoms Park where Franklin Roosevelt’s monument lies. It was raining and windy, a bit of a challenge to roam around or sit. Instead I just went to admire the Brutalist marble monument for Roosevelt, one of the forefathers of America. I only wanted to take with me, a universal speech he made, etched in stone - “In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world. The second is freedoms of every person to worship god in his own way – everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want…everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear…anywhere in the world. That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation.”

I then went to the East Village, which I think my favorite spot in city now, being less gentrified and a lot of little shops and spaces that is unique in its own way. The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Spaces is not what I expected like a polished exhibition of objects, it was an independent, storefront shop dedicated to their desire to create a New York that is designed for the people, by the people. Initiatives like urban activism and the biker’s rights, artists converting vacant lots into community gardens, reclaiming spaces that are public are some of the intitiatives that makes the city livable. It’s not a utopian ideal, but a desire to live in a city that is open, accessible and affordable. It’s admirable to know this space and its initiatives, which is ran independently and live by donations and goodwill. I do hope that this space continue to serve its goal for a long time or forever it will be. MoRUS is a testament that there is still a generous, creative and free soul in this city, alive with its desire to make it livable for everyone.

Last stop in this very long day is another interesting space in a basement somewhere in Greenwich Village. Babycastles, cute and quirky focuses on video games and its surrounding components. I really like artist-run spaces, it’s close to home, it’s close to what I do. I’m watching an experimental sound performance from 3 artists: Dan Gitlin, a soothing set who plays the violin with distortions and synth, Tamio Shiraishi, who plays the saxophone with sound effects and electronics and Cortland Mahoney playing a lot of synth and modulars to create soundscapes. Of the 3, Tamio was the most challenging, he played the sax at its loudest, shrieking and sharp I needed to cover my ears. At first I didn’t get what he’s doing, what the fuck was that senseless noise made in a small contained basement. After having that experience, I realized I have heard the same sound somewhere in New York: it is from the subway when the train makes a curve or is slowing down. That shrieking sound that is so annoying to the ears. I think he is imitating that sound.

D

Tamio Shiraishi’s saxophone

#derek tumala #inbound from manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 11

It’s a Saturday morning and I am going sightseeing today. I headed to the Empire State Building, the most popular building in New York. This building symbolizes the early golden age of New York, of class and glamour. The beautiful art deco building is one that you cannot miss, even if it is a tourist destination. I met up with Aaditya, who now lives in New York, raised in Hong Kong and India. So we went up to see the galleries and learn about its rich history and iconic architecture. I really like the multimedia features of the exhibition, it’s very enjoyable and how you can see the building’s construction and importance at the time it was built. So we headed to the rooftop viewing terrace and see the dense New York landscape. It’s fascinating to see so many buildings in one patch of island. And I think that is the beauty of New York, also the chaos. Aaditya pointed out to me that New York is his favourite place and it’s an amazing experience to live here. All the buildings seemed too close to each other, almost overlapping. All I see is a sea of man-made concrete and brownstones making this city colorful and alive. So after Empire State, Aadtiya and I had lunch and I asked him if he can bring me to a good Indian Restaurant. So he took me to Saravanaa Bhavan a few blocks away. It did not disappoint, I had a mini tippin (a sampler of Dosa, masala and other dippings). I’m a huge Indian food eater, being able to be in South Asia. So we talked a lot about home, about Kerala, Aaditya’s hometown. Of course, as people who came from Asia, we always seek better opportunities in better countries to strive. Aaditya being able to study in the US gave him an opportunity to reside in New York, and he ask me a question of why I choose to stay in Manila, well of course, my family and friends are there but there is also a huge need to do some work on the art sector back home that made me stay. Being in your hometown seems not to be the trend these days, but I do get it. We live in a more globalized world and the need to move is somehow organic.

A Slime Mold growing kit with a Raspberry Pi, sensors and camera to generate triggers and commands

Next up, I went to East Village’s Culturehub to attend the Slime Tech Lab : Testing the Borders. It’s about slime mold, how to grow it and how can we examine its behaviors and traits and relate it to current situations. Slime mold is not a plant or animal. It's not a fungus, though it sometimes resembles one. Slime mold, in fact, is a soil-dwelling amoeba, a brainless, single-celled organism, often containing multiple nuclei. The slime mold is a fascinating organism. Its network-like system is somehow parallel to our complex world. If you look at it, it doesn’t have a central system, it’s sporadic and spontaneous. You can apply that trait to learning or education, somehow the way we learn is not about levels, it’s about our experiences and how we shape it. Or the migration patterns, slime mold tend to grow on parts that are more suitable to grow, or where the source of food are. These traits are also human traits. Slime mold is symbolic and just fascinating on how we can compare it with human interactions. There have been studies that examine slime mold and create a bio-imitation of migration routes to US. The migration patterns show that most people come to the US to seek better life, as also there are no borders if we look in its natural presence. Slime molds became a tool to examine why migration happens and that it is a natural occurence. Slime molds navigate spaces that mirrors human behaviors and policies. While we are so inspired with the conceptual, we also learned how to grow and participate in growing slime mold through a special contraption that allows the slime mold to grow, in which we can add triggers of sound and gestures thru the microcomputer attached to it and see it grow affected by it. It’s fascinating how we can participate in growing the slime mold through coding and triggers.

At the end of the day, I went to the Bargemusic Concert, by the East River in Brooklyn. A 3-piece classical consisting of a pianist, a violinist and a cellist inside a rocking barge by the water with the view of the Manhattan skyline. They played classical pieces that soothes the soul and relaxes my mind after a day of learning. It was lovely, and a treat to once again end a beautiful day it was.

D

#derek tumala #inbound from manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 10

A mound of 2.75 tons of compost at Red Hook Community Farm

Headed to Brooklyn today to help out in a community farm in Red Hook. I am quite excited to be honest, I’ve been interested in composting before and glad I can know more about it here. It was a chilly morning and when I arrived, the head farmer asked me to grab a shovel and start digging! So I obliged, I started with the mixing of food waste, saw dusts, soil and coffee husks. It’s quite tiring because you have to keep up the pace and mix it thoroughly. The food waste are carefully selected, with only mostly citrus, leafy vegetables and paper bags suited for composting. This food waste is pre-selected and put into barrels before mixing it in to the soil. I saw a lot of pumpkins, gourds from Halloween maybe, whole apples and frozen veggies. This is the best viable wastes to create compost. Come to think of it, we make so much food waste! From this, we create a mound to be able to keep it warm even in cold temperature, fermentation generates heat, so the 20 inch wood chip wall serves as the oven to keep it warm and keep it away from rats and other pests.

It’s amazing how systematic they work, and how the Red Hook Community Farm came to existence - from park, baseball court, landfill and finally a community farm. This farm aims to make healthy food easily available for its community in Red Hook, which is considered a low income neighborhood and a  food desert in terms of available food source. Every weekend, they have a harvest market where one can buy cheap veggies from the same place where they make the compost. This compost is also given to other urban farms and gardeners in NYC. Just today, a group of 10 volunteers produced 2.75 tons of compost! That’s a lot. Red Hook is also off the grid, using only solar, wind power and renewable energy. It took a lot of research and experiments before they attain of what it is now. It’s a really inspiring initiative.

After Red Hook, I stayed a bit in nearby Ikea because I feel so cold and hungry. Chilled there and when I needed to go to my next itinerary, I waited for so long for the bus to come, around 30 minutes+ then had to go the trains to reach Whitehall and ride the ferry to Governor’s Island. Unfortunately, I missed it :( So I went to the nearby Smithsonian Museum of American Indian instead. They got a comprehensive collection of archives and artifacts from different tribes that lived in America, pre-colonial. This part of America is not seen by most. Most of the culture from that time has a similarity with other tribes in South America and Asia. It could have been a time where all civilization is seen as one nation. I’m also amazed of the contemporary works of art by American Indians, showing that they too are part of our modern society. Their narratives are usually about hunting, landscapes and the weather. I’ve been to several activities that exposes me to Indigenous Americans and I really learned a lot from it. These connections allow me to further understand origins and how it is important to know this. 

In the evening, I went Uptown Harlem at the historic Apollo Theatre to watch Ballet Hispanico. The building looks so amazing. Inside, I seated on the upper mezzanine. As I waited, I look around and the crowd and it seems to be more of a Latin American crowd. The show started and I am pleased of the performance. It was a mix of classical ballet and modern movements. It highlights Latin identity and women empowerment. There’s a lot of mix of different styles, there’s even an Ariana Grande sequence. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it is to me the quintessential Latin American - passionate, playful and dramatic. A good end to a long day, perhaps a taste of another culture in just another side of the city, and I think you can only have that in New York.

D

#derek tumala #inbound from manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 8

Visiting one of New York’s iconic structures today - the Grand Central Terminal. This magnificent structure is amazing and a testament to New York’s great architectural marvels. Strategically located in Midtown, it shows the grandeur that NY has during the 19th century. It shows class and power, a central hub for transportation and meeting point for people. Listening to the Bowery Boys Podcast is entertaining while walking inside, I learned about the Vanderbilts and the inception of Grand Central, the introduction of electricity in the city and the start of the railroad industry in NYC.

After that I walked to Japan Society to take an intro class for Japanese or Nihonggo. Made me miss Japan as the animated instructor teaches us the basics of Japanese. Japan is one of my favourite country and it boasts a lot of wonderful cultural and social aspects. 

Then I head over to Nancy for our weekly meeting. I must say that having a therapist is a great privilege. While I have friends to talk to, a therapist is someone that you can talk to without passing the grudge or heaviness of my insight. The aim is to analyze and to look into the bigger picture or zoom out into a different perspective. This helps me a lot in trying to understand my behaviour and how I feel about things. There is a sense of relief when I attend this kind of meetings. 

D

#derek tumala #inbound from Manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 7

Some fitness today, I attended the morning LIV definition class. I had muscle cramps after, it’s been long since I went to the gym, but I noticed that it made my body warmer that I can let go of thermals for now. I thought, I’ll make time for fitness while I’m here.

I’m heading Uptown today to attend a luncheon at the posh Upper West Side. It was hosted by the League of Women Voters of the City of New York with guest author and real estate expert Jason Haber. The attendee dempgraphics are mostly women in the age of 50 up and white. It was held in the New York Society for Ethical Culture. The organizers explained that they admire Jason Haber’s work, so they invited him to speak for their organization. He discussed various transformations of New York as an urban space. The highlight of his talk was the man, Robert Moses. While Moses contributed a lot to what New York infrastructure is now, he was the villain in the story. Haber said that because of his vast developments for cars, it has affected largely of what NYC is now in terms of transportation. New York is distinguished for its well-planned urbanscape, like the grid system that was established in 1811. Originally, cities are designed for people to walk to with the help of public transport and easily go from one point to another, but for Haber, when Moses introduced his big-scale projects that cater to cars, it affected the city’s capability to make it navigable by walking. It also caused the decline of population at one point as more neighbourhoods were demolished in lieu of roads. But here comes the heroine, Jane Jacobs, a writer/activist that helped stop massive urban developments that doesn’t benefit most of New Yorkers. A call to action, a chance to rethink the urban development, she started a revolution of mindful development. But, there are also some points to criticize, that Jacobs was only to cater the upper class neighborhoods and its beautification. We all hold some reservations to these kind of movements, but me personally, a change of culture is hard to do. Collective action must be taken on a big scale to create effect. The women attendees were deeply disappointed of what have New York has become. Haber also pointed out the lack of affordable housing in NYC now that flushing people out of main parts of the city, bringing out the culture they have as well. Most of Manhattan now caters to big businesses, millionaires and those who can afford the high life. This also lead to higher cost of living. But, Haber said that the millionaires are not the only one to be blamed, it’s the city government of New York that owns 1,162 vacant lots that is not being used. In a city as big as New York in terms of financial and cultural capital, it is very hard to resolve issues of housing, diversity and cohesive planning for the city. At the end of the talk, a lady jokingly asked Haber to run for politics, but he shrugged it off in an appreciative manner. No need to say, but they hate Trump.

Somewhere in Chelsea

Next on the agenda is a short class for framing architecture at Apple store and a chill time at the Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Hall. I looked it up, Rubenstein is one of Manhattan’s billionaire. 

Last agenda for the day is at the Fashion Institute of Technology where I met Shakira Stewart, who joined me to attend the talk. It was a talk with the women of Harlem retail fashion. I am aware that Harlem is one of New York’s catalyst for Black culture and fashion. It is an important part of New York City, but it is also threatened by gentrification. On the panel are several woman owners of shops in Harlem. They cite the hardships of maintaining their business, some are in existence for 20 years now. Harlem retail is going through challenges like gentrification, appropriation and increasing costs of operation. Appropriation is also one of their main concern, but as this issue is ambiguous, Atim Annette Oton of Calabar Imports said that the bigger problem lies in copying of exact products by China. This is a huge lost of money for them, as Chinese copycats offer it at lower costs but not better. It steals not only their identity but their sales, which for her is a more important issue. All of the speakers enthusiastically describe Harlem’s importance and why they chose to continue despite challenges. It is important for them to push not only their livelihood but also their culture and identity. 

Afterwards, I then had coffee with Shakira, donning an amazing purple afro. She was from Jamaica. I asked her why she chose to live in New York, she said that the quality of life is much better here than home. Given that Shakira is on her early 20s, being young is an amazing time to explore options to pursue. I told her, I also came from the islands, and I do understand her and her motivations. The effects of colonial rule and a corrupt government is showing its effects and it is also the cause of migration. By being aware of this, we can determine on how we can see ourselves on how to move forward and how where we are at best. We parted ways, knowing that we are the lucky ones who were able to set foot in New York and be able to experience this amazing city.

D

#derek tumala #inbound from Manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 5

Sunday chilly sunday in Staten Island. I took the free ferry cruise (25 mins) to outer borough Staten Is, which I think is fascinating a. because it’s free, b. it’s so easy to aboard. SI was like another city, a bit relax but filled with outlet shops. I am heading towards the Chinese Scholar Garden at Snug Harbor, in which transports me back to Asia. The story behind its inception and the meticulous details made the garden really special and I had some quiet time amidst the autumn cold. I was the only one there, I didn’t felt lonely, I felt lucky for having the whole place for myself. Snug Harbor features several spaces and I saw there was a space preparing for the Winter Lantern Festival. It looks fun but synthetic, something for the kids perhaps. The shops were closed and they are very few people, so I thought of just walking around. I went to a botanical garden beside it and sat. I saw one last rose bud in the garden, I thought it was special, so I took it (sorry). I thought of my father and family back home. It was so chilly that I tried to look for places to get warm, but yeah, most establishments were closed. I almost skipped the next activity, but I’m glad I didn’t.

The sea shanty session inside Bldg D was entertaining. Like watching a bunch of sea folks sing country songs and enjoying each other’s company. While I’m not familiar with the songs, I can imagine that some of these are from Mark Twain’s era or so. It transports me to older times and jolly simple days.

So after SI, I went back to the apartment and chill a bit. My last itinerary for the day is a stand-up comedy show called “Doctors without Boundaries” which I think is a spinoff of “Doctors without Borders” It was entertaining and informative (the comedians are doctors, giving medical advices in between). While there are too many jokes to quote, it was surprisingly inspiring and critical as well. One comedian says, “The reason you’re not progressing is because your habit is stronger than your hustle.”

As I walk away home from East Village, I found myself smiling and having a lighter feeling. It felt like a wrap-up of a hectic first week. Thinking of my habits and hustle, I thought, yeah maybe sometimes all I need is a good laugh and a 99c pizza to get by.

D

#derek tumala #inbound from manila

[apexart-journal]

Derek Tumala in NYC, Day 4

It’s a beautiful Saturday, and my first time Uptown. Again, some roadblocks as some train station was closed for repair. I’m on my way to a Shabbat. I was bit excited to be honest. Upon entering the venue, I was a bit intimidated but they let me in and made myself comfortable. There is a young rabbi leading the ceremony, so there was an english subtext. As they go reading the Torah, it amazes me on how each one has their own rendition. I was brought up in a Roman Catholic household and school. There’s a lot of similarities with Catholic readings in the Hebrew Bible. It’s almost like a performance to me when they do the chant, with the robes and the gestures.

After that, I went further Uptown to Inwood Hill Park to participate in the Lenape Harvest Tour. I really enjoyed this one, the Park Rangers enthusiastically discussed the way of life of the Lenape mostly by way of food. Tracing origins through food gives us an insight on how we evolve as people and how we eat today. The Lenape people are the first one to inhabit New York and it’s great to learn about it by way of food. The park is where they inhabit, hunt and get food. Some of the plants are still thriving in the area. Food represents not only our survival, but our way of life and an important part of our culture. Learned a lot about Lenape and the true origins of New York. This needs to be more defined and be known by most people. Precolonial past is an important part of history and not much of it is uncovered because of colonial power. At the end of the tour, we were treated to a Lenape meal made mostly of what is found in the park. It was absolutely delicious.

The Lenape meal: Boiled cornmeal, smoked oysters, mashed cornmeal with raspberries, popcorn with sunflower oil, acorn cookies, pumpkin cookies, sunflower cookies with preserved raspberries and deer jerky.

The Lenape activity lasted later than expected, so as I head to the next activity, I got lost once again in the park on my way out! It was extremely cold and tiring but yeah, I made it to Bronx Museum, but on the latter part of the Mosaic Literary  Conference: Another Country, Building Sustainable Mythologies. Coincidentally, the last part is about food and heritage. Onika Abraham’s keynote speech is about the importance of understanding culture through food, especially of the Black community that she is part of. She traced back the legacies of Black slavery and its effect in their food. It is hard to identify what is culturally theirs as it was affected by systemic oppression. Black people relies in its community, and farming is one of their earliest legacy. By creating conversations around food, we make ourselves aware of our heritage and how it evolved to what it is now. A lot of this tracing is widely affected by colonial oppression. Onika reminisce her childhood being surrounded by gardens and parks as she grew up in “The Hood”. This greatly inspired her to what she does now at Farm School NYC and its goal to relearn agriculture in the urban setting.

D

#derek tumala #inbound from Manila