YAMAN NG DAGAT

(Treasures of the Philippine Seas)

The Philippines is home to extraordinary marine life, with its waters recognized as a global center of marine biodiversity. Growing up in the Philippines, the sea and many of the creatures represented in this collection were not distant ideas to me. They were part of a world I was fortunate enough to experience firsthand.

Yaman ng Dagat brings four of these treasures together through texture, color, and Baybayin: Sagay, Mutya, Butanding, and Pawikan. Each carries a different story, but together they speak of the richness of the Philippine seas and of a heritage that exists not only in our language and writing, but also in the natural world around us.

I created this collection with one hope: that future generations will not know these creatures only through paintings, photographs, and stories of what once existed. Preserving memory also means protecting what is still here. May these works remind us that the treasures of our seas are ours to appreciate, but also ours to care for.