Fresh Faces: Doktor Karayom

Doktor Karayom, 'Katok Sa Kahoy' (Knock on Wood), acrylic paint, woodclay, resin, wood sculpture, 243.8 x 304.8 x 152.4cm. Image courtesy of the artist.

This work taught me a new way to be disciplined to make an idea come to life. It began with a simple sketch until it became real. From constructing the altar to shaping all the characters, It felt like I was playing "Bahay-bahayan" with them. Thinking about their stories and what each one was trying to insinuate while I was making it.

I created a great story yet did not even notice how it grew, even more, each time, like a novena prayer. Whenever I am alone, it plays with my eyes as I deepen my perception of it. In the midst of the pandemic, the work embraced and comforted me. I was welcomed by their doors as I stepped out from reality. To avoid being affected by fear and unhappiness in the physical realm. My fragmented thoughts are well-hidden in each corner of these creations. It took me more than four months to finish all these pieces. To save funds, I started to try out different raw materials as my medium. While I wait for each finished piece to dry, my courage waits with it.

This is the forefather of ‘Sariling Sulok (Own Corner)’, which I showed at Art FairPhilippines 2022.