Rowena Katigbak

she/they

Tkaronto (Toronto), Ontario, Canada

Rowena Katigbak is a queer Filipinx artist living in Tkaronto on Turtle Island. Their practice is a revolving door of mediums and ideas. They started in jewellery making and then moved on to encaustic painting, sculpture, and carving, Their recent work has circled back to jewellery making and carving where they continue to explore the connection between sustainability, spirituality, identity, and empowerment. They see the beauty in imperfection and repurpose materials and collected ephemera as part of their practice. Rowena recently received an education grant from the Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths. They’re excited to forge functional and sculptural tools and blades that bring together their art, spirituality, ancestry, and Filipino martial arts practice.

“Masks and the act of masking, have many meanings. The Pandemic forced us to look at the masks we wore every day and what made us feel safe physically, and spiritually. These pieces are expressions of my lived experiences in a society where my culture and identity are white-washed. They ask us to examine the current societal standards of beauty, ageism, and privilege, to reflect on these internalized colonized beliefs, and to connect with the power and beauty of our Truth. They explore the connections between materials, identity, what we hold sacred, and what it means to be sacred.”

rowenakatigbak.com

@rowenwoodstudios
@wabisabimami

How does your work relate to the theme connection?

“Most of my work involves movement and connection. My latest work, Step In (2024), is meant to be worn for meditation, ritual, and shadow work. My sculpture, Saving Face (2024), is based on deadfall snare traps. It’s all about making connections. It’s meant to be assembled on-site with different interchangeable magnetic components. The magnets pull harder as they draw closer to the metal. The click as they stick to the mask is so satisfying. It adds another element of connectivity that viewers don’t get to experience unless they try it for themselves. The relationship between the trap’s stability depends on how it’s set up, what’s added to it, and what’s happening around it. Heavy vibrations or a even a slight touch can set the trap off. Participants are invited to look under the mask to reflect on what lies underneath and what beauty means to them. These sculptures are made from found or repurposed objects such as Step In’s KN95 elastic mask straps and Saving Face’s plastic spoon and rusted metal face. They connect the past with the present and ask us to envision and work towards a better future."

"Step In (Transform)", Repurposed KN95 mask elastics from Pandemic Times to present, plastic mask, brass, charms, sterling silver, recycled silk sari yarn, Scythian arrowhead, labradorite and opal crystals, 50” x 4” x 7.5”, (This is an ongoing work. The mask height at submission was 25”. This mask will continue to be extended as KN95 masks are used), 2024

“From My Heart to My Head to My Hands:

Pakikipagkapwa is the Filipino core belief that we are all connected. On a deeper level, it recognizes our kinship with all things. The heart of my work comes from this animist perspective. I honour our kinship and connection with the earth by making conscious choices in sourcing materials, crafting processes, and finishes. My practice is rooted in developing a deeper understanding of the connection between spirituality, identity, and environment for empowerment and authentic self-expression.

My Creative Process:

I love the interplay and dialogue when individual parts form a larger work. I tend to gather things together at the beginning of a project. I start with concepts, research, and lots of walks to mull things over. I tend to find the best stuff on my walks. Then, I may noodle around in the studio for a bit, moving bits and bobs, laying things down, taking things away, or grouping things depending on how they resonate. At other times especially when I get into a creative rut, I’ll throw everything together to see what sticks then take things away to get to the heart of the piece.

For Step In, I researched how masks were used in ritual, i.e. Filipino Death Masks and shamanic practices; and mourning shrouds. Inspiration for Step In also came from the Queen of Swords and the Queen of Wands from Monica Bodirsky's Shadowland Tarot. Most of the items on the mask have a personal meaning to me and represent protection and divination. The Labradorite and Opal are protective and facilitate clarity and connection. How pieces related and connected The act of knotting elastics together became a meditative act and time for reflection which allowed me to connect with my subconscious. Step In is meant to be used for shadow work and meditation. It's protective and expansive at the same time allowing for deep dives. I made the mask to create a safe space to reconnect with myself so that I can go even deeper to find my truth."

What role does connection play in your creative process?

NYCJW24 @ UrbanGlass, Francely Flores

What connection(s) does your queerness make to the world around you?

"Coming out later in life as queer and connecting with my community has been freeing in many ways. Being able to express myself fully, honestly, and unapologetically in my life and my art has been empowering. I’m lucky to be surrounded by a community, family. and friends who accept me for who I am. At the same time, I’ve had to confront some vulnerabilities and internalized colonized perspectives that I didn’t expect. In confronting, and acknowledging these vulnerabilities, I’ve been able to connect with others more meaningfully. I found greater strength and found my community through our shared experiences."

"Saving Face", Found metal, brass, aluminum tray, antique nails from Salem, plastic spoon, mirror with deer antler stand, earth magnets, Tourmaline crystal, lipstick, lip gloss, and mascara, 7" x 13.25” Diameter, 2024

NYCJW24 @ UrbanGlass, Simon Leung

Anything else you would like to share about this work?
This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.

“Background & Research:

It was important to me that these pieces were created from items that I had on hand or found. I wanted to create from a place not driven by consumerism but by thinking about how each piece was valuable in its own way, whether they truly belonged, and how they connected in a physical and spiritual way.

For example, Anting-Anting was created during the Awakening residency on Toronto Island. All materials were either found or brought from home. I was looking inward and reflecting on my identity. I created it as a talisman to remind me that I am Safe and I am Enough.

For the masks, I researched how masks were used in ritual, i.e. Filipino Death Masks and shamanic practices; and the use of shrouds in mourning. Inspiration for the Transform mask came from the Queen of Swords and the Queen of Wands from Monica Bodirsky's Shadowland Tarot.

Transform is meant to be used for shadow work and meditation. It's protective and expansive at the same time allowing for deep dives. The Labradorite and Opal are protective and facilitate clarity and connection. I created the mask out of a need to go even deeper to find my truth, to create a safe space to reconnect with myself. Most of the items on the mask have a connection to protection of some kind. The elastics were saved from KN95 masks that I wore during and after the Pandemic. They've been washed, and sanitized.

Transcend - Saving Face is a work in progress. It's an outcry against society's norms and the need for us to be youthful and beautiful or handsome (all genders). Women are meant to be seen and not heard; Women should be pretty or beautiful and feminine, etc."