UPOU Futurists-in-Residence Open Studio Doors This August
Featured photo: Embedded crystals in a ceramic sculpture (Photo by Roan Alvarez)
Diliman, Quezon City – The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), through the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), has launched its third Futurists-in-Residence Program on 6 May 2025 at the UPOU Bukas Space, DICT Building, Diliman, Quezon City. An initiative by Bukas Laboratory under the helm of Assoc. Prof. Diego Maranan, the program supports the faculty’s aim to nurture creative exploration at the intersections of art, science, and technology by providing a platform for artists, scientists, designers, engineers, and activists for critical inquiry and hands-on experimentation.
“I believe that it is important to engage with emerging artistic practices to expand how our students imagine and shape futures,” shared Dr. Shari Eunice San Pablo, FICS Assistant Professor and Project Development Associate for the Futurists-in-Residence program.
Artists Samantha Feleo and Roan Alvarez collaborate in developing “Cycles of Becoming: A Processual Exploration of the Emergent Morphology of Crystals”. The creative work draws upon new materialism and systems theory by manipulating variables such as chemical concentration, substrate, and temperature to transform natural processes into generative art forms as metaphors for transformation and becoming. As a project that leans towards process philosophy, the work will be documented through time-lapse photography, video, and other multimedia approaches to capture the ephemeral process. Overall, the work invites viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of things, the cyclical concept of time, and the interrelationship of art, science, and the natural world.
Freeform Circuit Sculpture, ST&&35R 128×160 TFT Screens, Teensy 4.0 Development Board, Sharp IR Distance Sensor, 220uf Electrolytic Capacitor, Micro-USB Breakout Board, 5V 2.5A Switching Power Supply, Tinned Copper Wires. Photo credit by: Roan Alvarez
The residency runs until 31 July 2025, but will be available for an open studio visit on 5-7 August 2025, 10 AM to 5 PM at Bukas Space, UPOU-DICT Bldg., Diliman, Q.C. For those interested in visiting, please click on the link: https://url.upou.edu.ph/OmvysrLLwt or contact: [email protected]