May 14, Manila—Thanks, Atom Araullo, for featuring The Apocalypse Project on ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda, a morning show that airs in the Philippines. The link to the episode’s recording is here, or if you’re based outside the Philippines, here at The Filipino Channel. The clip is around the 6:20AM mark, with a segment about The Mind Museum.
It’s the first Tagalog interview I’ve given in my life. You have no idea how much the museum staff are patting me on the back for this.
Thanks to a bit of downtime after my exhibition opening, I was finally able to check off another thing on my to-do list this year: getting my scuba diving license. As I expect to do more expedition-based projects, I foresee myself having to go underwater at some point. For what project, I still do not know. But! It’s definitely important to be trained for this, especially when there’s some math and physics involved, not to mention encountering endangered species.
The checkout dives were in Anilao, Batangas. The rainbow-tipped cloud wave that we saw on our way to our first dive spot boded well for our weekend.
I’m happy to have seen a Philippine turtle, nudibranches (hurray!), beautiful yet poisonous fish, multicolored worms, an abundance of starfish, and amazing coral. This opened up a new world for me, and I can’t wait to see what projects will come out of it.
On a side note: it was great to be exposed to the anti-apocalypse. After months of being involved in climate change, I’m just happy to see something that I want to see this time. I hope this place keeps being so.
As part of The Apocalypse Project: Imagined Futures exhibition, questions about climate change are hidden in the exhibits of The Mind Museum. My goal was to recontextualize all of the museum—that is, after you see the Apocalypse exhibits, then visitors can see the current exhibits as representations of things that are under threat.
As I cannot be in the museum each day to handle hundreds of visitors, I am extremely happy and grateful for these people who now form the Manila crop of the Apocalypse Squad. The suits are looking really cool, you guys.
The Apocalypse Squad, Manila
In addition to facilitating the scavenger hunt, they also get to lead participants to have an oath-taking ceremony, where they pledge to help the planet. They are then awarded an Apocalypse Project Commander Badge and are knighted. With a sword, of course.
Knighting people who have won the Mission Apocalypse scavenger hunt
Many thanks to the hundreds of people who have done the Mission Apocalypse scavenger hunt. The work is just beginning for me, and I needed a few days to rest. Tune in for more developments!
Top photo by Darwin Cayetano of Tracking Treasure, used with permission.
April 25, Manila—Mitzi Borromeo of Solar Nightly News interviewed me about The Apocalypse Project: Imagined Futures at The Mind Museum, and featured Climate Change Couture (Singapore and Manila), The Ephemeral Marvels Perfume Store, and the Apocalypse Commander Badge. I’ll post a link to the interview when it’s available. Scroll down for a link to the video.
Thanks so much to Lisa Nicandro of The Mind Museum for additional support!
With Mitzi Borromeo of Solar Nightly News
with Mitzi Borromeo of Solar Nightly News
The link to the video is here, somewhere past the 30′ mark:
Solar News filming The Apocalypse Project booth during Media Day last month
Edit: An earlier link mistakenly linked to Solar Network News, instead of Solar Nightly News. Apologies to people who were confused (sheepish glance at SVA’s Communications person who emailed me).
April 25, Taguig, Philippines—The Apocalypse Project: Imagined Futures is now open for your interactive sensory pleasure at The Mind Museum. I have five exhibits curated by the awesome Maribel Garcia, with the exhibition installation managed by Marge Arciaga, the museum’s assistant exhibition manager (and my former capoeira classmate).
Here are some quick photos of the exhibition:
The show is at the second floor, in the museum’s Technology Gallery.
The Apocalypse Project: Imagined Futures at The Mind Museum
Climate Change Couture, volume 2, Manila
Climate Change Couture: Volume 2, Manila
The Ephemeral Marvels Perfume Store, a collaboration with Givaudan:
The Ephemeral Marvels Perfume Store, a collaboration by The Apocalypse Project and Givaudan
The Planetary Poetry Board, a collaboration with poets and my friends Alena Widows and Harriet Sandilands:
The Planetary Poetry Board: a collaboration between The Apocalypse Project and poets Alena Widows and Harriet Sandilands of The Poetry Machine
More documentation as well as images coming soon! In the meantime, a huge thank you to the museum staff—this was a brutal installation because there were so many exhibits to be installed in one night after the museum’s operating hours, but this was hands down the calmest and cheeriest installation I’ve had. Thank you for the help and for being game with everything!
(22 March 2014, Manila)—Yesterday, I had a booth at The Mind Museum’s Media Day, where the museum celebrated their second birthday. In the second photo, you can see Maribel Garcia, curator of the museum, and Manny Blas, managing director of Bonifacio Foundation, Inc., speaking about their activities for the year, as well as talk about the museum’s accomplishments in the past two years, including winning the 2014 Thea Award in the Museum Exhibits category by the Themed Entertainment Association. Solar News presenter Mitzi Borromeo hosted the show. (Fun fact: She and I used to go to the same boxing class and just formally met yesterday.)
In the middle of other booths, where the museum’s Mind Movers (resident scientists and all-around awesome people) presented their own projects, I gave people a preview of the show that will open next month (NEXT MONTH! Ayayay.) I wore my Apocalypse suit, now upgraded with a Commander’s patch, and remixed some Climate Change Couture. When taking a break, I helped myself to some salted butter ice cream by Sebastian’s, and a tiramisu cup made to look like a plant by Kyle Imao of Kyle’s Lab.
The show is getting really close and I am freaking out. Only because I care.
The Apocalypse Project: Imagined Futures
This is the poster I designed for my upcoming show at The Mind Museum. If you are in Manila, please do stop by! Otherwise, all projects will be documented on the project website.
Climate Change Couture was featured on volume 51 of Metatrend, a Korean micro-trends magazine focusing on contemporary products. It’s a membership-only magazine, but they very kindly sent me the feature. Kamsahamnida!
Climate Change Couture on Metatrend
Metatrend Volume 51, March 2014
On a trip to Corregidor Island, the largest of the island defenses west of Manila and a memorial to the Filipino and American forces that fought the Japanese during World War II, I came across this acacia tree that survived one of the bombings. You can tell—there’s a concrete block still stuck to it.
An acacia tree that survived a bomb explosion. Go, tree, go!
Let’s take a closer look.
Close up of the concrete block
It’s quite a poetic thing to see in an island that has seen both grisly and heroic things.
Some updates from this end of the apocalypse: I am currently working on at least five more projects under this platform. Questions I am asking are: What are disappearing because of climate change? How do we adapt? How can we train ourselves to think deeper about the future of the planet?
I am working on these while doing a self-directed art/science residency at The Mind Museum, a science museum in Manila. This location seems to be a perfect fit for me for the following reasons:
1. The Philippines is one of the top countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. Unlike Singapore, where this project began and where natural disasters are relatively rare, the Philippines often experiences extreme climate events. I think there will be a lot of opportunities for discussion and learning around this topic, and I am sure these projects will give birth to new projects.
2. The Mind Museum is one my favorite places. I never thought Manila would have anything like this—I started knocking on their doors before they were even built. I had to be based in different countries in the past several years, so I think it’s a wonderful opportunity that I have right now. I really believe that science museums are an important bastion of knowledge and inspiration for a city. The curator and the staff have also been really amazing in terms of supporting my work and giving me constructive critique.
3. A science museum will allow me to reach a lot of children, which I’ve always believed are a crucial part of my audience as an artist/designer. I think the most heartstopping questions and feedback I’ve had in the past have come from five year olds.
4. This is my home city. After living in different countries for the past decade, this is an interesting homecoming of a sort.
I hope to exhibit by late April, which isn’t too far away. At this stage, I am already excited and overworked. It’s always great to have a personal project that consumes you. Check back here for updates!
Catherine Sarah Young 