Errol Sabinano

“Benevolent assimilation” was an idea introduced to the Filipino population by US President McKinley after the Spanish American war. The sentiment meaning, that during US military occupation they would not impose their might, but rather benevolently “integrate” the Filipino population into American culture and values. This concept I feel is still present in our collective consciousness; my family went through it during the immigration process. We had to understand and learn new customs, but also not lose parts of our Filipino heritage while integrating. I want to explore the moments of cultural exchange that occurs in the process. I reference material and visual histories of the Philippines, Traditional Filipino Folk art, Filipino counterfeit merchandise, Pattern and Decoration movement, and American iconography interspersed with images of my personal history to create compositions that are a result of benevolent assimilation.