A closer look at the finalists for The 2023 Sovereign Asian Art Prize.
Where did you come across the image of the three boys, and what first drew you to it?
The photograph was taken by Dean Worcester who was an American colonial administrator during US occupation in the Philippines. He took several photographs which became instrumental in justifying the violent occupation which lasted until WW2. The legacy of this colonial gaze persists in constant attacks on our sovereignty. The scene shows three young boys standing in a mass grave, presumably looking for loved ones, scavenging for valuables or playing. At its core, it shows how the youth was made to endure such realities of colonial violence.
Can you speak to the significance of the title ‘Espasyo at Soberanya’, part of which is embroidered on the artwork?
The title (Space and Sovereignty) speaks of how spatial realities and lived experiences are linked by political conditions. The embroidered elements act as motifs presenting this dynamic expressing the need to untangle complex power relations within contested spaces and notions of freedom.
In what way has art positively impacted your life?
My entry is a response to the idea of Sovereignty as felt and experienced by populations in contested spaces/ places. Art has the potential to be a vehicle to speak truth to power. For it to have a positive impact in my life means for it to have a positive impact in everyone’s lives.
This interview with Cian Dayrit is part of a series of interviews highlighting the shortlisted artists for The 2023 Sovereign Asian Art Prize – the 19th edition of Asia’s most prestigious prize for contemporary artists.
‘ARTIST HIGHLIGHTS: CIAN DAYRIT’ COURTESY OF THE SOVEREIGN ASIAN ART PRIZE, MAY 2023.
