Placemaking are processes that informs our understanding of the history and ways of living in a community. These are articulated in narratives that may be in the form of an institutional history, oral histories, creative writing, visual arts, or performance – storytelling that dynamically depicts the fluidity and plurality of identities – voices and viewpoints that are shaped by a past, forged in the present and imagines a future. The exhibit explores the power of narratives in shaping the minds and viewpoints about a community, empowering its members and legitimizing their place in the community.
As these narratives show, the story of the University of the Philippines is one of deep resonance and wonder. The exhibit aims to traverse these stories of placemaking in UP Diliman from the lenses of history, anthropology and geography, using archival research, ethnography, interviews, workshops and consultations, and exhibited as artworks about life and culture of a community.
We look back to see how UP Diliman is doing in the 70th year anniversary of its transfer from Manila in 1949 as “lupang hinirang” or beloved land -- as the nest for cultivating critical engagement for the scholars of the nation. How has the space been transformed by the migration and settlement of the University in its new home? What kind of stories are being created and told about UP Diliman by its inhabitants – their triumphs and failures? Who are these storytellers and what do their stories say about life in UP Diliman? This exhibit enjoins people to take part in creating the story of UP Diliman, a community built on a sense of mutual understanding and hope for a more compassionate future.
