『 s i g l o 』
『 s i g l o 』 (b. 1992) is an art-maker whose works interweave in the cultural ecology of puppetry, game performance, and community engagement.
『 s i g l o 』 is curious to investigate dynamic relationships of social act-ors and the systems they participate in. His practice in puppetry piqued his musings on the cultural ecology of movements, operations, and creative expressions in societies.
『 s i g l o 』 attended international and local festivals and conferences for performance, puppetry, and children's theater such as Tokyo Festival Farm 2022 (Japan, 2022); SCENES: Participatory Practices 2020 (Singapore, online, 2020); The Virgin Labfest (Philippines, 2020&2022); Failing Daily as the Song of Tidal Waves — 2019 TECland Arts Festival and TASA Annual with Southeast Asian Arts Residencies Meeting (Taiwan, 2019); KARNABAL Festival: Performance and Social Innovation (Philippines, 2017); Zürcher Theater Spektakel 2017 (Switzerland, 2017), Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts (Australia, 2017&2020), Asian Theatre for Young Audiences, Ricca Ricca Festa (Japan, 2016), Chiang Mai International Puppet Festival (Thailand, 2014), International Storytelling Festival (Singapore, 2013), Bali Puppetry Festival and Seminar (Indonesia, 2013), ASEAN Puppetry Festival (Singapore, 2012 & Vietnam, 2014), among others.
Projects include: Omiyagekage Project (artist); Education [in your language] (collaborating artist); Dream&Build_PH (Dream Master); KOMUNIDAD Project (Artist-Facilitator); Sleeping Duwende | interactive moonlight midnight gathering (DJ); Museo Pambata Shadowlab (Guest Storyteller); Future Living Museum (Co-Director); Tagu-taguan, Nasaan Ang Buwan? (Shadowplay and Video); Bilanggo ng Pag-ibig (Shadowplay and Graphics); Adarna (Shadowplay Apprentice); Umaaraw, Umuulan, Kinakasal ang Tikbalang (Shadowplay Apprentice and Stage Manager); Hibla ng Langit (Script and Shadowplay); Creation Stories from the Philippines (Shadowplay); Istariray (Shadowplay); Serbisyo (Stage Manager); Langgam UNLTD. (Script and Shadowplay); Are You Ready to Take the Law Into Your Own Hands? (Actor and Project Manager); Mad Forest (Actor); Yenyen de Sarapen (Greeter & Stage Manager), among others.
photo courtesy of Ocs Alvarez
『 s i g l o 』has voiced for various projects for education, brand advertisement, events, and animations. In 2017 to 2019, he introduced fights for the Manila Wrestling Federation, a Filipino wrestling promotion. He also hosted online educational programs in 2020 such as DepEd DRRMS’ OKKK Tambayan, and Booklatan.
His formal education centered on performance and theatre arts. He completed a Certificate in Theatre Arts, and still pursues a degree in BA Theatre Arts at the University of the Philippines - Diliman. He is an alumnus-puppeteer at the UP Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas (UPTMP), and an alumnus-artist of the Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (DUP) and the UP Playwrights Theater (UPPT).
Artist Statement
My practice explores the power of art-making as a unique process to understand the relationships we forge as humans with time, space, environment, fellow humans, and cultural expressions. It is a way for us humans to connect, to engage with each other. The tools of art are essential to begin conversations, ask questions about the world we live in, and provide a critical lens about the societies and cultures we are a part of. When creating, I am particularly curious about the dynamics of the elements in human-designed systems through my lens and practice as an art-maker, specifically as a puppeteer. The projects that I initiate and take part in investigate the roles and relationships of key elements, creating a conversation about dominant cultures, cultures in the shadows of society (umbral communities, according to their budding collective mooniwaga), and cultures that are yet to become. It is important in my art to curate gatherings that allow us to exchange energies, presence(s), ideals about the contemporary issues we face as humans together.
『 s i g l o 』