Filipino Belen
2006 - 2023
Resin, Textile, Wood, Tin Metal, Glass Beads
Dimensions Variable
The Filipino Belen is a sculptural group that first came to life in 2006 and was updated in 2023. It follows the traditional Filipino Santero style and features figures clothed in embroidered garments. The figures are scaled in different sizes based on their importance, with the Holy Family being depicted as the largest, as they are the central characters of the nativity story.
The shepherds that come to adore the Christ Child are dressed in 19th-century Filipino clothing, as is customary in traditional 19th-century Filipino “belenes.” This was influenced by the rise of the Filipino Ilustrado class, who wished to see themselves represented in the art they consumed. The Filipino-Catholic syncretism is further reflected in the depiction of San Jośe wearing a Filipino straw sombrero together with the nativity animals that include the beloved "aso at pusa," the domestic dog, and the cat.
In this particular Filipino Belen, the shepherds or pastores who come to adore the "Niño Dormido" are inspired by the miniature "tipos del país" paintings of the 19th-century Filipino painter Damián Domingo.
