Filipino Belén
2006 - 2023
Resin, Textile, Wood, Tin Metal, Glass Beads
Dimensions Variable
The sculptural grouping of Filipino Belén first came to life in 2006 and was lovingly reimagined in 2023. I created it in the tradition of the Filipino Santero style, clothing each figure in embroidered garments. Their scale reflects their place in the story: the Holy Family stands largest, at the center of the nativity, while the others diminish in size according to their role.
The shepherds who gather to adore the Christ Child are dressed in 19th-century Filipino clothing, just as they appeared in traditional Filipino belenes. This choice reflects the influence of the Ilustrado class, who longed to see themselves represented in the sacred art they cherished. Filipino-Catholic syncretism also reveals itself here: San José wears a humble Filipino straw sombrero, while the nativity animals include not only the ox and donkey but also the beloved aso at pusa—the faithful dog and cat of every Filipino home.
For this Belén, I drew particular inspiration for the shepherds, or pastores, from the delicate tipos del país miniature paintings of the 19th-century Filipino artist Damián Domingo. I wanted them to feel at once familiar and timeless, as though they had stepped out of history to kneel before the Niño Dormido.
