Bakuran is a curatorial proposal that creates a parallel between the plights of our local communities and OFWs by seeking to define the identity of Filipino gardens. The proposal seeks to build two parallel gardens — the Philippine Pavilion at the La Biennale di Venezia and one in the barangay of UP Village — connected through a virtual portal that enables us to show what Filipino gardens are like to the world. This, in turn, shines a light on the need for hyper local community gardens and the lack of available open public spaces in one of the world’s densest and most crowded cities.
'Bakuran at the Biennale' is a recreation of a Filipino garden that allows us to define and share the structure and elements that make it so. It explores the origins and concepts behind what a Filipino garden is and identifies it as a vital space that can be shared with the Filipino diaspora community. It is a showcase of our country's rich tropical heritage and a touchpoint for our countrymen abroad.
'Bakuran sa Bawat Barangay' will feature a pilot project in Barangay UP Village that allows us to catalyze the formation of vital community gardens to strengthen our barangays and promote awareness about nature and public space for the people who need them most. It will highlight the cost effectiveness of these pocket gardens and benefit the benighted communities where some children grow up without ever experiencing what a garden or public space is. It is an exhibit that embraces our social roots and brings in the underprivileged through upliftment.
