Artist Statement
It is difficult not to feel trivial when documenting one's own birthplace. The familiarity extends itself to an aloofness and apathy that is really toxic to the creative spirit. A scene presents itself, a moment is experienced as they have happened a thousand times. So why pick up the camera, and write?
Pampanga is a landlocked province in the Philippines commonly known for its rich culinary traditions, military history (search Philippine Revolution and Macabebe Scouts), and a rapidly developing economy. The people of Pampanga refer to themselves as Kapampangans, though most people term them as Pampangos. Kapampangan is also the language used by its 2,000,000+ speakers. It is my home province, where I spent all my childhood and adolescent life.
I immigrated to the United States at the age of 17. Having gone nowhere far prior, it goes without saying I did not have an easy time processing the transition in my mind. And as cliché as it may sound, one can never fully appreciate a thing until it is gone. Homesickness can be paralyzing. The feeling is a constant longing for how things were, while the mind reinvents a new identity capable of tackling new challenges, all in the middle of trying to blend in and learn one's new society.
Photography is cathartic for this reason. While it is nothing but a representation of a past reality, it provides a space to affirm the better aspects of our humanity. In other words, photography reminds us of the things we need to align with while we are in a period of transition. It aides our memories about the things we must choose to cultivate–the good, the true, the beautiful.
These photographs were produced in three different times, nine years apart each time. Although I was raised in the Philippines, much of my photography practice occurred outside the country. Assembling this collection was an edifying activity for me–very much like writing a love letter to my birthplace.
Hansel Ong | December 2024
Pibayitan (Birthplace)
Pibayitan is a Kapampangan word which means Birthplace. Tagalog: Pinagsilangan.
Philippines, 2005-2006, 2015, 2024.
See the Collection
2005-2006
These photographs were made during my high school years, when I first learned the technical foundations of photography. I made them using the cheapest photography equipment I could have: a point and shoot Canon camera that I begged my father to purchase, a knock-off, unbranded digital camera, and a Sony Ericsson W580i cellphone. I remember attending a two-day session from a photojournalist, so these photos bear the mark of a newspaper photographer. Although I never worked for a newspaper, they represent the initial efforts in my lifelong practice of the craft. These are my very first photographs, and they occupy a special place in my total body of work. For that reason, I have decided to include them in this collection.
Magdarame (mourner, or one who mourns)
The Magdarame is a distinctive practice in the province of Pampanga, where Catholic devotees engage in self-mutilation for any of these reasons: as a mark of their penitence, to gain favor from God, or to express a repayment of an oath. Some of the devotees eventually get crucified. It is a well known practice that has boosted tourism in the province.
2015
In 2015, I visited my relatives in the Philippines before the end of my service tour in South Korea. At this point, I had been away for several years and had been practicing photography for nine years. Being away gave me the present of seeing familiar things in a new light, and gaining new life experiences deepened my desire to produce meaningful work beyond my impulsive shutter presses. I believe this album reflects my approach and style while I was documenting South Korea during the same timeframe.
2024
Once again in 2024, I visited my relatives, although the situation was a little different for me. I did not completely engage in photography as I prioritized my family during this trip. In any case, I made photographs when the situation deemed appropriate, and set the camera aside for the rest of the time. I consider this album incomplete, which is in some way fitting. When do we really "close out" our relationship from our birthplace? I think it is quite fair to assume most immigrants leave a piece of themselves in their birthplaces as they face new frontiers.
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