Celebrating creativity and cultural heritage, “Luwad x Lalang” is a dual exhibition featuring clay-centered works by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) students. The exhibition, which opened on Aug. 20 and lasted until Aug. 28 on the 10th floor of the Benilde Design and Arts (D+A) Campus, bridges tradition and contemporary expression, inviting audiences to see how culture takes shape in new hands.

Molding Filipino culture through student artistry one piece of clay at a time, “Luwad x Lalang” is a collaborative exhibition of clay-centered works. “Luwad,” translating to “clay,” showcases 120 ceramic tiles crafted by select Benildean students taking the subject Art Appreciation (ARTAPRI). 

On the other hand, “Lalang,” meaning “creation,” presents works by five Benildean Fine Arts (BFA-CBA) students to express how memories take form from nothing. Together, these pieces honor traditions by playing with form, inviting viewers to witness how culture takes shape in young hands.

Digging through the soil

The dual exhibition aims to unearth the layered narratives of Filipino identity while answering: what culture becomes when new hands give it form.  In an exclusive interview with The Benildean, Mr. Timothy Dacanay, one of the ARTAPRI professors and organizers of the exhibit, said, “[The students] are being made aware of what our ancestors have been doing since time immemorial. They are contributing to the creation of images by our ancestors.” 

“Luwad” unfolds in two themes—Halaman (plants) and Hayop (animals). Together, these categories encourage rekindling towards the earth and its living kin. By engaging with these motifs, the exhibitions invite viewers to reflect on the deep relationship between nature and culture. All works can be explored through the online catalog, allowing one to appreciate both the makings and meanings. Select pieces are also available for purchase. 

On the other hand, “Lalang” stands as a testament to the growth in conceptual development and artistic expression. Each piece reflects the student’s exploration of memory and creation, manifesting their ability to transform intangible concepts into tangible forms. Information about the artists and their works is available in an online brochure. This offers viewers deeper insight into the creative processes and inspirations. 

Where memory meets clay

For Mr. Dacanay, the exhibition is less of an event than a reminder. “We should make art part of our lives,” he said. “Even if we are not artists, this is an essential part of being human. The act of creation is very crucial.” In class and in the studio, students were nudged from viewers to makers, ”Pushed... to become creators, to become artists regardless of their course.”

For ID124 Diplomacy and International Affairs (AB-DIA) student and “Luwad” exhibitor Shane Go, that nudge felt like a reset. “It’s contrary to popular opinion just because it’s unrelated [to your course] doesn’t mean it’s useless. I truly believe there’s value in knowing how to appreciate art," illustrating the educational value of creativity beyond academic disciplines. 

Go shared that the course’s true value lay not in technical mastery but in cultivating appreciation. “Of course, as part of the course, we had to learn to create, but for me, the value was more of not becoming a great artist, but knowing how to appreciate great art.” He emphasized the universality of creative potential, “not everybody will become a great artist, but everybody has the capacity to create.”

If clay could speak, what would it say? For “Luwad” exhibitor Bernadette Catunao, an AB-DIA ID124 student, it would echo a quiet assurance: “When you look into the moon, there’s still hope and guidance.” Her work, titled Chang’e The Lunar Watcher, and those of her peers read like small constellations–each piece its own story, its own way of remembering. ”You realize how diverse the perspectives are, and I hope they will remember our roots tied with making the clay and designing it.”

This is the very heart of “Luwad x Lalang.”  In “Halaman” and “Hayop,” students rediscover kinship with their land and living things. In “Lalang,” they test how memory takes shape from nothing–how an impression becomes an image, a feeling, a form. Together, these works honor the old ways while making room for new hands and new voices to look up to. 

To explore and support the evolving expressions of Filipino culture, visit the “Luwad” and “Lalang” Facebook pages.