Our second time participating in Print Day in May is reintroducing ourselves to serigraphy. We all had prior experience in this printmaking technique (as part of the previous secondary school curriculum), but using photosensitive emulsion is new to us.

PREPS AND MATERIALS

Screen printing is popular particularly because of t-shirt printing for various activities that need one design (usually logo) to be printed in multiple (e.g., school intramurals, Christmas parties, outreach projects). It is economical and time-efficient.

This year, we attempt to revisit and experiment. Screen printing materials were locally sourced. However, it took some days of getting the application of emulsion, curing time, and exposure right. Video tutorials helped, but we forgot the most essential factor -- we are in the tropical Philippines! So we adjusted all timing, and since we do not have a dark room, preparing the screens was DIY and au naturale. Coating was done at night, 12 hours of curing/drying in a black container, only 10 seconds of midday sunlight for exposure.

For the substrate, we upcycled flour sacks. Once clean, they were sewn together to make a whole.

THE IMAGES

Negros Oriental, Philippines, has coastal towns along Tañon Strait, which is known for its rich marine biodiversity. In this collaborative project, each artist selected one type of fish or marine life that is usually sun-dried or *bulad* and sold in our respective public markets.

THE ARTISTS

Our group in Negros Oriental is composed of mostly young artists who have found love in printmaking and have been printmaking since.

Carl Daniel Tamayo / Ched De Gala (design of one bulad) / Corey / Gerard Letigio / Irma Lacorte / Ledz Taboada / Methuselah Olazo / Mia Angela / MP Villahermosa / Tin Palattao

May 3, 2025 / Valencia, Negros Oriental, PH

Photos and videos by Methuselah Olazo, Mia Angela, Tin Palattao