beyond the veil

The Philippine Pavilion brings a mystical mountain to the Venice Biennale

- AUDREY CARPIO

IN THE STORIES OF OLD, THINGS ALWAYS SEEM TO TAKE PLACE IN THE FOREST. Folk tales and fables from across the Philippines tell of creatures that roam the jungle and spirits that protect the mountains. It was on the slopes of Mt. Banahaw where the lay priest and mystic Hermano Puli led pilgrimages as the leader of the Cofradia de San Jose, and where he sought refuge as Spanish troops hunted him and his followers down in 1841. Puli, more than just a folk hero in the annals of Philippine history, is also credited as being an early source of inspiration for the events that led to the Cavite Revolt of 1872, a link that the movie GomBurZa clearly makes.

In April 2024, the magic of Mt. Banahaw was transported to the lagoon city of Venice, itself a miraculous mirage built on top of over a hundred smaller islands—a former maritime empire, slowly sinking to the very sea that has brought it untold riches in the medieval period. At the 60th La Biennale di Venezia, the Philippines, a regular participant since its return to the scene in 2015, presented Sa kabila ng tabing lamang sa panahong ito/Waiting just behind the curtain of this age, the country’s national pavilion curated by Carlos Quijon Jr. with the artist Mark Salvatus. That same month, a contingent from the Philippines almost didn’t make it to the pavilion’s official opening (some of their luggage certainly didn’t) when an unexpected deluge swept through the transit hub of Dubai, causing havoc and delays on flight paths around the world.