A PHOTOGRAPHY exhibition unveiled at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila has gained recognition for its well-researched approach to merging Filipino beauty with biodiversity.
Jan Mayo, the photographer behind the Faces and Flora: A Philippine Native Plant Photography Exhibition, said he put a different spin on photography as an art form by collaborating with botanists and researchers to debunk the stereotypes claiming that the craft is only for “aesthetics.”
The photos displayed 16 endemic plants embedded in the facial features of Filipino celebrities, namely, Iza Calzado, Nadine Lustre, Maria Isabela Galeria, and Jach Manere.
“I feel that photographers can appreciate and continue collaborating with different fields, and then I wanted to show that photography is also an art form because, I mean, for the longest time, you know, due to the innate characteristic of photography [and] its reproducibility, it’s not considered an art form by at least the collectors,” Jan Mayo told Manila Pulse.
According to Mayo, his work served as a “life-long lesson” for him to constantly learn his subjects by heart after his earlier work received backlash for misrepresenting a particular industry.
“[A] dance editorial with this celebrity, it wasn't well-received by the ballet community because the pointe shoes weren't correctly worn. Or, of course, pointe shoes are — what do you call that? They are earned. So, you can't just do a photo editorial that's not well-informed,” he recalled.
Mayo noted that photographers should first consult with the affected or concerned sectors to gain a deeper and more grounded understanding of the subject they want to pursue before publishing.
Mayo, a University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman alumnus, contacted UP Biology and UP Los Banos scientists to help filter plants based on its seasonality and use the endemic flora obtained from the UP Arboretum, the university's botanical garden. Some scientists also brought in various native plants for the project.
He said “logistical challenges” arose throughout the process, citing the limited number of plants in the arboretum currently in season, the permits needed from environmental agencies, and the short life spans of the flora chosen for the project.
Mayo emphasized that Faces and Flora had portrayed his critique of the photography industry, which tends to isolate itself from a “wider audience” by focusing too much on the subject, which can lead to neglecting the context behind the photograph.
He claimed that the photographs speak volumes on their own; however, he mentioned that it could be better if the creative industry and scholarly experts were in constant collaboration.
"That's my critique of our industry—that no one sees it. I mean, that's why I was hoping to open it to a wider audience—that, of course, this is what we do in our industry, and this is what we can do if we collaborate more with the authorities of that field," Mayo said.
Mayo emerged as the Regional Award winner for the Philippines with his entry, Faces and Flora, at the 2022 Fujifilm GFX Challenge Grant, a program that recognizes remarkable works by creatives worldwide.
In honor of National Arts Month, the Faces and Flora is open for public viewing from Feb. 15 to May 31. – Cali Asajar and John Gabriel Yanzon/Manila Pulse
Comments