A Tree Grows on Concrete
A Tree Grows on Concrete is an exploration of the spatio-temporal similarities and differences between the places I move through, particularly rural Cavite where I live and urban National Capital Region where I work. Using double exposure technique on film, I layer images of these localities to both juxtapose and reconcile their contrasts. I do not note which specific subjects appear on each slide, and the final images emerge purely by coincidence. Cows appear against skyscrapers, steel towers intersect with tree-lined roads, while trees multiply across themselves or blend seamlessly into surfaces.
Through these surreal combinations, I aim to question how we perceive place and progress. The work is an experiment that draws attention to the unexpected resonances between environments that seem at odds, while also revealing how spaces evolve in dialogue with one another. By collapsing disparate images into a single frame, the resulting double exposures invite reflection on the fluidity of place and the ways our surroundings continually transform in response to shifting cultural and social currents.
