MANILA WORKER Finds a New Collector in New York
MANILA WORKER Finds a New Collector in New York
I am pleased to share that MANILA WORKER has found a new collector in New York, continuing the international journey of this series.
The series was created after I had lived in the Philippines for several years and became fascinated by the people shaping the rapidly developing Manila skyline. The photographs portray construction workers in downtown Manila and their traditional ways of protecting themselves from the intense sun, heat and dust.
Working behind construction-site barriers, these workers are often largely unnoticed by the people passing through the city. With my series, I wanted to bring these individuals into focus and give them a small stage of their own. The project culminated in a photo installation at the Ayala Artist Space in Manila in 2018, presenting the workers not simply as anonymous figures within a construction site, but as individuals contributing to the transformation of the city.
MANILA WORKER was subsequently recognised with an Honorable Mention at the 2019 International Photography Awards (IPA) in the Fine Art Portrait category.
Today, seeing the work enter a private collection in New York is particularly meaningful. From the streets and construction sites of Manila to an international audience and now a new home in New York, the photograph continues its journey while retaining its connection to the people and city that inspired it.
I am grateful to the new collector for giving MANILA WORKER a new place within their collection.
