Filipino-designed 'Made with Mahal' murals to be unveiled in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas
Two new murals by artists Venazir Martinez and Andre Sibayan, exploring the Filipino word for love, "mahal", will be unveiled at a free block party with a Filipino fashion show and love-song karaoke in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas on Friday, 13 November.
Two Filipino-designed murals, described as a showcase of love for the Filipino American community, are set to be unveiled in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas on Friday, 13 November, INQUIRER.net USA reported. Created by artists Venazir Martinez and Andre Sibayan, the murals explore their interpretations of the Filipino word for love, "mahal".
Kultivate Labs will unveil the works in front of Jessie West on Mission and 5th St, according to the organisers' announcement, which describes SOMA Pilipinas as the city's Filipino Cultural Heritage District. The unveiling doubles as a free, all-ages block party with the theme "Made With Mahal", running from 6 to 10 p.m. Registration is suggested.
Two takes on "mahal"
Martinez's piece, Pamana (Heirloom), explores the double meaning of mahal: both "love" and "expensive". In the artist's statement, Martinez links the "expensive" side to the gold of ancestors, which appears smeared across the subjects' faces in the mural.
The gold of ancestors is our inheritance, infused in our blood.
INQUIRER.net USA reported that the Tarlac-born artist received the Regional Gold and National Bronze awards at the National Mural Awards earlier this year.
Sibayan's "Isang Mahal", Tagalog for "One Love", is his interpretation of the theme and takes the shape of a postage stamp. In the upper right corner, Baybayin script reads "Habang Buhay", meaning "Forever", a nod to the U.S. Forever Stamp. Sibayan said the stamp form symbolises the letters and money Filipino immigrants sent home, and said he partnered with 1AM Projects to render the work. A third mural is due to be completed in 2027, according to the announcement.
What happens on the night
| Time | Programme (per the Luma event page) |
|---|---|
| 6 p.m. | Doors open |
| 6:30 p.m. | Programme begins with introductions to the mural artists |
| 7 p.m. | Filipino fashion show and performance, with a special appearance by Jollibee |
| 7:30 to 10 p.m. | Love-song karaoke hosted by The Juice, with lyrics projected onto the alley walls |
The fashion show features Bay Area-based designers Calixta Lehman, Johny Cariño Marquez, Emordes Studio and Niana Collection, and the Filipinx American dance collective Kapwa Pula opens and closes it, according to the organisers. The event page lists UNDSCVRD SF, Balay Kreative and Make It Mariko as hosts, and also mentions an art-making station, food, a bar and desserts.
The block party is the third installment celebrating 10 years of UNDSCVRD SF, which has run since 2017 as what organisers call the nation's first Filipino inspired night market and a launchpad for small businesses.
Read the web like we doTurn any page into clean, ready-to-use data with FirecrawlKey facts
- On Friday, 13 November, Kultivate Labs will unveil two murals by artists Venazir Martinez and Andre Sibayan in front of Jessie West on Mission and 5th St in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas.
- The unveiling runs from 6 to 10 p.m., is free to attend and open to all ages, and organisers suggest registering online.
- The evening includes introductions to the mural artists, a Filipino fashion show with a special appearance by Jollibee, and a love-song karaoke session.
- The block party is the third installment celebrating 10 years of UNDSCVRD SF, which describes itself as the nation's first Filipino inspired night market.
Official sources
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