lunar eclipse event, featuring katlo
march 3, 2026
On March 3, 2026, twenty-nine of us gathered at Homebody Hands (thank you, Jordan!) around my piece Katlo to talk story about the lunar eclipse.
Our snack table featured fa gao cakes from Tian Tea House (each with 7 moons on them!), SPAM musubi (“sponsored” by my dad, and rolled by my mom and me), and a heartwarming tea made by Luna, the curator of the Seed to Seed exhibition housing the artwork.
Folks trickled in as we began. We acknowledged all those in the room — the artists, the elders, and ancestors who we were carrying in our hearts. I dedicated Katlo and the evening to my grandparents, Adriano and Mariquita.
Two other artists featured in the exhibition were in attendance. Aliena Mobley presented their piece, followed by Luna. Luna’s sun print of indigo led us to a conversation about Maynila.
With Luna’s first trip to the Philippines quickly approaching, we took a moment for Dr. Manuel Pardo to bless her trip. His benediction encouraged us to make the most of our creative abilities, to foster them wherever we go, and reminded Luna that she will be going to a place that will welcome her home.
I then shared the very real story of the bakunawa. We banged pots and pans to scare it away! (It worked, of course.) Our friend Hai Chen then shared some of his favorite factoids about the moon, and fielded some wonderful questions from the youngest in the room.
We learned more about rice in the Philippines from Dr. Lillian Pardo, received a video call from Guåhan with the CHamoru culture-keeper Hila’an San Nicholas (who enraptured us about the role of the moon and sinahi in the traditional CHamoru worldview), and then watched a rice harvest dance from Bulacan (the Katlo).
And finally, we banged pots and pans again as we revealed the piece hidden behind the curtain: Katlo.
People said “ooooo ahhhhh.”
Si Luna read the description of my piece, with a sweetness and wonderful softness.
And I was so humbled and happy.
We turned the lights back on, enjoyed each others’ company, tried to finish the musubi, sold an art piece or two, and took “picture picture” to wrap the evening!
Photos by Mark Serrano
