A must-see at this year's FPAC is the Pilipino Artist Network (PAN) Pavilion, a space that showcases Pilipina/o artists and provides you the opportunity to participate in their interactive workshops, purchase their fine art and prints, and meet these visual artists, authors, and editors.
Loralei Rose Bingamon is one of the many artists who will be at the PAN Pavilion. This Cerritos-based artist not only has a strong background in the arts, but is also a social justice advocate with a degree in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, San Diego. She now focuses on her art, with an emphasis on collage, but brings that passion for social justice into her works.
"SoulPeace" by Loralei Rose Bingamon
How did you involved in the visual arts?
I have always had a passion for the visual arts ever since I was a kid. I remember painting and drawing every chance I got. It always made me feel alive. As a teenager, I took art all throughout high school. I went up to the advanced levels of crafts and took drawing and ceramics classes. The pure act of creation seems to put me in a different state of being. It is like being in a different world where time and space don’t exist. Maybe that is one reason I find creating art so attractive and have stuck with it all this time.
I see that you specialize in collaging. Why collage?
What I really love about collaging is the process that I have developed for creating my pieces. For every piece that I make, I usually begin by setting an intention for the feeling I want to convey in the work I have yet to birth. Then, since I mostly work with my own photography as well as found images, I begin digging through the material I have and really use my ability to connect to my intuition to find the correct combination of images which will convey what I desire to express. So, if you want to know why I have chosen to focus on collage, it is because for me, it is a deep process where I have to be vulnerable and pretty much get in touch with my soul. This process is full of self discovery and has a cathartic effect on me emotionally. When I find images that express what is going on within and when I piece them all together to form a new image, my piece, it is like looking in the mirror and seeing myself reflected back at me in a clearer way.
You call your work your "heARTwork." What does heARTwork mean to you?
I call my artwork “heARTwork” because all my pieces are a reflection of my inner self in relation to my muse in that particular moment. Every time I sit down to create, I have to dig within myself to be in that vulnerable place where I can access my emotions, even some emotions I have put 20 foot walls up in front of. Every piece represents this real and raw part of me. Every piece was created out of the intention of getting to the root of love - be it
self-love, community love, or love in relation to the Source/God. My “heARTwork” is my healing work. It is healing for me and perhaps even brings healing and/or peace to people who can connect with it.
How are your art and your activism connected?
My personal philosophy on activism is that being an activist does not just pertain to taking to the streets and pushing for revolution in this manner. I feel that activism begins with changing the hearts and minds of individuals and groups of people. I firmly believe that art speaks to the heart and has the power to incite change. At this point in my life, I feel that art has become my main source of activism. I create art to heal myself, but also to inspire others to reflect and gain a deeper sense of self. I also conduct art workshops for this reason. In my workshops, I use exploratory art methods to guide participants to entering a state where they can reflect on themselves and what is going on within their lives.
What inspires you?
Everything inspires me. I am a deep thinker and philosopher when it comes to life, and this trait highly impacts my creative flow. Mostly, I feel that I am inspired by the very essence of my own spirituality in combination with the desire to express my feelings about my muse of the moment. In the past, I have been inspired by social issues, specific life experiences, inspirational individuals and groups, nature, music, dance, poetry. Anything and any experience that can evoke feeling out of me, be it positive or negative, inspires my creative process.
Got any current projects you're working on right now that you'd like to tell us about?
Yes! Right now I am actually in the process of getting some shirts made which will debut at FPAC. The shirts feature one of my earlier pieces entitled Babaylan, which depicts a pinay with a stern and resilient look in her face. She stands in front of the twin towers as they collapse and gives off the essence that despite any chaos which occurs, her spirit remains strong. Shirts are available in women’s sizes S-L and printed on a v-neck cotton tee.
I am also working on a collaboration project/fundraiser with Maria from Vintage Renewals Clothing. We are making limited edition plastic wallets featuring my heARTwork. Only 50 wallets, featuring 5 designs, will be available at FPAC. A portion of the profit will be donated to AF3IRM/ GABNET.
Shirts and wallets can be bought at the Vintage Renewals booth Saturday and Sunday of FPAC.
This shirt is available at the FPAC PAN Pavilion!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Ten years from now, I envision running a self-sustaining community center, meaning instead of depending on grants, the center would have some method of generating income built in to the business plan. The focus of the center would be to create a space where art, social justice, and wellness merge. I have been thinking about this for years and I hope that in 10 years, it won’t be a dream any longer, but a reality instead.
For more information on Loralei and her work, visit her blog at www.loraleirose.com. To see a list of the other artists at the PAN Pavilion, go to the FilAm arts website.
