The study examines the presence, creative process, and cultural role of magsasantong bading –gay men who participate in the practice of pagsasanto– and investigates how their devotional work becomes an expression of their queerness within the conservative catholic setting. Integrating theories from camp, queer aesthetics, performativity, and material culture, the study explores how magsasantong bading negotiate identity, faith, and belonging through their craftmanship, ornate carroza designs, and their role in caretaking an image of a saint. Drawing inspiration from the current practice of pagsasanto done by queer people, historical Catholic imagery, and alternative methods and ways of pagsasanto, the thesis work is a two-foot processional saint on top of a life-sized sculptural reimagination of a carroza crafted from non-traditional materials. It highlights the craftsmanship, creativity, and devotion of the magsasantong bading. The practice of pagsasanto became their fortress and a subtle resistance to the heteronormative practice. It is a venue where faith, queer identity, and aesthetics intersect.

This thesis explored the medium of animation and installation art to depict
the tonal shifts found in broadcast news, which are the constant changing of
intended emotions per news report. In particular, how serious news reports
regarding natural disasters, crime scenes, and government corruption are then
followed by lighter more positive stories such as celebrity drama, and local festivals.
The thesis is an exploration and critique on this specific element of broadcast news
and how this relates to our common understanding of safety and danger in everyday
life. As the primary conduit of these broadcasts, the television became key in
understanding the narrative frameworks constructed and broadcasted by these
news programs, specifically the local news programs. Furthermore, the widespread
accessibility of televisions resulted in mainstream audiences passively consuming
the curated media displayed on screen.
The work centered on the reinterpretation and transformation of the passive
television unit into a device that actively disrupts. Additionally, the animation
presented on screen employed a gaudy and exaggerated visual style. Through this
interpretation, the domestic familiarity and passive consumptive experience of
broadcast television, its constructed narratives found in televised news, and the
mainstream conventions of animation are challenged.
The study employed a free-form visual style that playfully reinterpreted the
chaotic information overload of news programs. The expansive digital landscape
within the animation acted as a surreal microcosm of a world filtered through the
news, another reiteration of this microcosm was done through an installation that
consisted of a revolving miniature house covered in reflective tiles. The thesis
animation was then casted onto the revolving house through a projector, which
bounced off of the house’s reflective surface, scattering the animation into abstract
streaks of light, creating an exercise in perception and the blurring of truth.
The significance of this thesis lies in its critical reframing of broadcast news
through artistic distortion. Through its disruptive approach using experimental
animation, the study exposed the dramatic structure embedded in broadcast media
and how it shapes emotional responses, ultimately contributing to the
normalization of absurdity in everyday life.

This thesis is an archive of my own, my queer found families’, and my queer adult figures’ clothing, in the form of triptych tapestries. The process comprises of sewing together the queer-owned clothing to create three (3) 4 x 11 ft. In these works, the object biography of the clothing and the method of queer archiving is combined to reflect the relationship and experiences I have in relation to my queerness. Through their creation, these tapestries become a literal and metaphorical depiction of taking the clothes and their identity out of the “closet”. The thesis aims to contribute to the overall study in artmaking using textiles, as well as add to the conversation of preserving queer narratives and experiences through archiving.

This thesis presents an installation of twelve glass lunchboxes displayed on a dining table with a solitary chair. Each container holds sculptural mixed media food forms primarily made from cold porcelain clay and acrylic, representing diverse manifestations of grief shaped by experiences of loss, change, instability, and pressures. Drawing from an autobiographical lens, the work explores accumulated grief rooted in emotional suppression under the pressure of fulfilling everyday responsibilities through the concept of baon or packed lunch. While grief has often been framed as something eventually resolved, this thesis instead explores how it coexists within everyday life through familiar food and ordinary objects. The food forms are chosen for their personal and cultural associations in relation to the grief each represents. The works appear realistic at first glance, but closer inspection reveals subtle surreal distortions and textual cues that emphasize emotional contexts. The installation allows viewers to sit and observe the work, creating an intimate space for contemplation of what has been contained. This thesis serves as a personal unpacking of grief while also encouraging conversations on emotional suppression, creating space for reflection, empathy, and raising awareness of hidden emotional burdens people carry.

This thesis utilizes papier-mâché and paper clay as a medium to portray my
experiences and struggles with memory. Because of my anxiety and depression, I
often become forgetful and emotionally unavailable. I discovered a means to manage
these problems through this thesis output and production. I found comfort in
reviewing my memories by creating a sculpture made from paper-based materials
to commemorate my past self.
The output is a cave-shaped structure made primarily from two paper-craft
techniques. The Taka papier-mâché technique by Maria Piday, and the paper-pulp
clay recipes by various artists inspired this thesis. This sculpture invites viewers to
explore the inner walls, which feature curated photographs taken with and by my
friends and family, as well as written letters from my loved ones.