Abang-guard Makibaka at Queens Museum 03.16.25 - 10.05.25

Artist duo Abang-guard (Maureen Catbagan + Jevijoe Vitug) contends with visibility through the lens of immigration and labor in their multidisciplinary practice. For their first museum solo exhibition, Abang-guard reconfigures the iconic architecture of the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair’s Philippines and New York State Pavilions as a scaffold to structure their investigation into the layered significance of the year 1965 in Filipino American labor history. Abang-guard takes stock of how these narratives have been lived, remembered, erased, and fought for. Makibaka, roughly translated from Tagalog as “coming together for change,” is a rallying cry used by Filipino movements and communities in fighting against exploitative systems. The spirit of makibaka is woven into Abang-guard’s paintings, sculptures, performances, and videos that pay homage to significant Filipino American sites. 

Abang-guard: Makibaka is organized by Sarah Cho, Assistant Curator and will be on view at the Queens Museum from 03.16.25 - 10.05.25.

More Than Lumpia Exhibition at Epiphany Center for the Arts

Abang-guard’s Little Manila Monuments - Little Manila Ave. (2023) will be on view in the More Than Lumpia exhibition curated by Cesar Conde at the Epiphany Center for the Arts from October 6 - November 17.

As Filipino cuisine gains recognition, More Than Lumpia explores Filipino-American identity, socio-cultural experience, and politics behind the lens of visual art. The exhibition aims to address and challenge the underrepresentation of Filipino-American artists in the art community. Despite being the second-largest Asian group in the United States, Filipino-Americans have often been overlooked and marginalized in mainstream art institutions. By exploring the Filipino-American experience through visual arts, this exhibit aims to challenge stereotypes, promote representation, and foster a more inclusive art community.