The wholesome content we need right now
With international travel severely limited due to the pandemic, many Filipinos are taking the time to rediscover the beautiful sights and sounds of our motherland. One graphic designer from Parañaque has taken it a step further, injecting some imagination and creativity as she appreciates glorious landmarks around the capital.
Tonet Perez, 23, caught the attention of netizens on Reddit with her post “Starry Night sa Fort Santiago.” The historic Spanish fort located in the colonial district of Intramuros is set against a backdrop inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night.
Painted in the summer of 1889, The Starry Night depicts the sunrise view from Van Gogh’s window during a stay at a mental asylum, which he checked himself into after a breakdown. The Dutch painter was, unfortunately, never commercially appreciated while he was alive. Today, however, he is considered one of the most influential figures in art history. That may be because Van Gogh was so ahead of his time.
During the 19th century, nocturne paintings were quite literal, very dark and gloomy. Van Gogh’s The Starry Night brought out bright lights and rich color, swirling stars in a lush sky. While art is subjective, it is easy to see how aesthetically pleasing The Starry Night is, and why it continues to haunt and inspire artists to this day. Even during these uncertain times, we can still look for color in the darkest skies.
“I usually select topics that are related to our country because we really have such a rich culture, from our people to our food to our landmarks, and more,” says Tonet. “That is why I want to share and interpret them in my own way.”
“I share my posts on an account called Hiblahan, which translates to ‘to thread a needle,’” the young graphic designer adds. “It’s a passion project of mine that fuses my love for embroidery with my love for Philippine culture.”
Along with Fort Santiago, Tonet has embroidered other landmarks like the Manila Cathedral and the Rizal Monument, the rich flora and fauna of the Philippines, and even national heroes Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and Melchora Aquino for Araw ng mga Bayani (National Heroes Day).
Scroll through to check out other amazing works of embroidery from Hiblahan:
