ABOUT HATAK:

​October is FilAm History Month! Five Fil/-Am founded art spaces virtually connected starting Saturday, October 1, 2022 and showcased a variety of programs throughout the month and beyond. Join us as we celebrate the arts across the globe!​

HATAK is a Filipino word used to convey the act of tugging someone along.

​2022 participants include:
Shout out to past​ participants:


​
​Mata Art Gallery Presents

HALIMAW

Solo exhibition of visual artworks by Rialin José on view starting Saturday, October 1, 2022.

With YouTube Premiere opening performance by Xuvenir.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:

​Content warning: Artist statement mentions trauma. The artwork portrays body horror, gore, and blood.

The word HALIMAW means monster in Tagalog. This collection features a variety of creatures from Philippine mythology, including: the bungisngis, aswang, tiyanak, manananggal, nuno, and pugot.

​Made with ink and paper, each creature is represented grotesquely, but is also intertwined with deeply human themes. This marriage of the unnatural and natural aims to challenge the juxtaposition of what is good and evil. By tying in uniquely Filipino cultural traits and values, Rialin José hopes to shed light on their dark consequences. HALIMAW explores tsismis (gossip), codependency, childhood trauma, utang na loob (a sense of debt to one's inner-self), respect, piety, and hiya (shame). Some pieces contain phrases in Tagalog and Ilokano.

​Click images to enlarge.
Email queries to [email protected]

​​Content warning: The artwork portrays body horror, gore, and blood.
​​Content warning: The artwork portrays body horror, gore, and blood.

​Click images to enlarge.
Email queries to [email protected]
Thank you for another year of Mata Art Gallery! Please consider donating to help us keep this project going. We're a completely not-for-profit creative space funded by the community. We never ask for submission fees or commissions, & artists receive 100% of their artwork sales. Your donations help pay the artists directly & help us continue to sustain this space.

Please send donations to:
🌸 Venmo: @nicaaquino
🌸 PayPal: @nicaaquino (send as friends & family)
🌸 Cash.app: $nicaaquino666
🌸 Zelle: [email protected]