About

"Little Manila Monuments" commemorates both the history and vital presence of the Filipino community in Woodside, Queens. The multi-media installation showcases the brick-and-mortar businesses in Little Manila, Queens as landmark monuments; paying tribute to the efforts of Filipino immigrants who built economic support networks that sustain their families and community. Abang-guard act as sentinels in front of mom-and-pop restaurants and shops, framing their significance as bridges and lifelines between families and their homeland.

Specs

2023, 2 C-print photographs (16 x 20 inches each), 2 Ceramic photo plates (8 inches in diameter each), 2 corrugated cardboard boxes (28 x 18 x 34 inches each), wood, fabric

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Artist Bio

Abang-guard (Maureen Catbagan: they/them + Jevijoe Vitug: he/him) is a collaborative project between artists Maureen Catbagan and Jevijoe Vitug that explores the intersections of immigration, labor, and visibility. The project began in 2017 through their occupation as museum guards. Since then, Abang-guard has performed at The Six Foot Platform at DUMBO Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Governors Island, Abrons Art Center, and Flux Factory at Socrates Park (all in NYC). Recent exhibitions include "Invisible Hands" at 601 Artspace, New York (2023); "in pieces…" by Residency Unlimited at PS122 Gallery, New York (2023); and "Invisible Bodies" at HUB-Robeson Galleries in Pennsylvania State University (2023). Abang-guard is the recipient of the 2024-25 Queens Museum-Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Artists.