Between Hands
Between Hands showcases sculptural works by students from Sculpture II and Sculpture III at San Diego State University, curated by the Sculpture III class.
This exhibition explores how materials and intention come together in the creative process. Each sculpture reflects a dialogue between nature, imagination, and expression, revealing the diverse perspectives and experiences of each artist.
The works in Between Hands occupy the space between making and meaning— between tradition and experimentation, and between the organic and the handmade. Together, they invite viewers to consider how materials hold stories and how the act of shaping them can connect us through shared creativity.
Curation Process
Through the Sculpture Department at San Diego State University, I had the opportunity to curate my first exhibition. In collaboration with Lily Shea and Stephania Ross, our curation process centered around understanding the processes in artists’ work, materials, intention, and experimentation. As curators, we met with different artists, learned their concepts, and explored various cultural backgrounds. Together, we shaped exhibition layouts, selected pieces, and organized a fluid setup to highlight pieces in relationship to process, gesture, and storytelling.
Between Hands occupies the space between meaning and creation, between tradition and experimentation, and the partnership found in relation through cultural narratives. Between Hands invites viewers to reflect on how materials hold histories and shared meaning, and the act of shaping them together emphasizes a community.
Featured Sculpture II Students
My Exhibtion Pieces
With this experience, I also had the honor of featuring two of my pieces in Between Hands. My goal with art is to create with intention, to curate pieces fueled by cultural background and understanding. The narratives of my pieces are all branches and concepts crafted through personal experiences as a Filipino American.
Why Do Pineapples Have 1000 eyes? , Pinang (2025)
Materials: Yarn, plastic eyes, wood, and natural fruit
A sculpted representational piece of Filipino folklore, Pinang, using yarn and multiple eyes to symbolize the importance of lessons carried through storytelling. Filipino culture uses the bond of folklore to pass down narratives connected to values, warnings, and to emphasize the importance of identity. By reshaping the pineapple with watchful eyes, it emphasizes how tradition teaches communities to view things with care, consciously, and consideration. Folklores continue to shape people’s understanding of the world, and claim their own sense of responsibility, memory, and community. Material: Yarn, plastic eyes, wood, and natural fruit
Home Of The Lapu-Lapu (2025)
Exploring the craft that comes from creating pieces with intention, connected to her roots as a Filipino American. The piece is fueled by the story of Lapu-Lapu and the long embedded history of Filipino culture regarding pride and strength used to resist colonization. Using bended bamboo, fish netting, and yarn materials rooted in Filipino life, she created a personal piece representative of traditional fishing in the islands of Luzon to explore the interconnections of strength, survival, and identity. The form of the piece creates an object that symbolizes the pride that ties the Filipino community together. Even when challenged or pressured, Filipinos move together with unity, power, and resilience.
Materials: Bamboo shoots, nets, yarn, chicken wire, and acrylic paint
