MAGDALENA ARGUELLES
Parols of Leaving, Arriving and Being Left Behind #2 (2024)
Mixed media collage, bamboo
17” x 18.5” x 4”
$600
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Parols (Spanish word farol for lantern) are a symbol of the Filipino Christmas tradition. Parols, star shaped ornamental lanterns, were traditionally made of bamboo, colorful Japanese paper and illuminated with candles. They were used to light the path for worshippers during the procession to midnight mass (Simbang Gabi). Parols symbolize hope and joy. Parols, today, can be found hanging in homes, streets and businesses in the provinces and urban areas, in the Philippines and abroad. As a child in Iloilo City, I watched my Tatay design elaborate colorful parols made of bamboo, Japanese paper with intricate winter scenes in the center. Parols of Leaving, Arriving and Being Left Behind explores my family’s journey. From Iloilo City to Montreal, my parents left “pamilya” in1969 like hundreds of other Filipino families in hopes of finding greater economic stability for the entire “pamilya” and better educational opportunities for their children.
ARTIST BIO:
Magdalena Arguelles was born in Iloilo City, Philippines. In the late 1960’s her family initially immigrated to Canada, then to the United States. After pharmacy school, she received her BFA in Painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has studied printmaking over the years and most recently has been exploring Mokulito at art residencies in Spain and Portugal. Her paintings explore her memories of her childhood in Iloilo and how it shaped her as she assimilated into a new culture. These memories, visual impressions encountered throughout her travels and moments of daily life can be seen throughout her work. Being a collector of found paper, junk mail and old photographs, collage has been her recent medium of choice along with mokulito. She uses found supports such as ironing boards, discarded cabinet doors and thrifted canvases.
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