Probinsiya

San Miguel, Bulacan, Philippines 2020
Premium 260gsm Photo Paper Luster Finish - 20"x28"


The tagalog word for "Province".
In the Philippines, "province" means a rural area, or home town.

In 2020, I visited the Philippines for the first time as an adult. Covid hit in March and I was stranded in the Philippines. I spent a good portion of my time in the province—this basketball court is right across the street from our house.

The province is different. I imagine there's similarities in the West as well, with their countryside. Everything moves slower, and everything comes much closer. What do I mean?

In the province, life is chill. Sitting around watching the day go by, watering the plants, feeding the dogs and the chickens, walking to the store, chatting with neighbours, standing by the corner, and before you know it ... it's night time. Everyone knows eachother and they say hi when they're walking by. They'll spontaneously drop in and just talk. They share food, they'll drink and share the same cup. They share all their cigarettes, and buy a new pack for everyone when it's done. They sit right next to you, close enough for your legs to touch. They put their arm on your shoulder when you're walking down the street. They talk louder and laugh harder. They don't need an aux cable, because they have a guitar. I imagine there's a negative side to this as well: things get done slowly, people are always late, and everyone knows your business.

If you ever meet someone who's always late, it might be because they—or their family— comes from a place where time doesn't matter, where everything moves slowly, where things don't have to be done now—they'll be done eventually, where simply arriving is the same as arriving on time. It's not because they're being inconsiderate or ungrateful, it's because everyone does it, and it's not an issue.

This court reminds me of the province, because that's where everything happens: When you need to send money to relatives or buy a pack of smokes or a Coca-cola with a bag of ice—there's a Sari-Sari store (Equivalent to a convenience store) and a remittance place right beside the court. When there's a fiesta, thats where the games are situated. When there's a basketball tournament, everyone is there watching. And most importantly, when I was bored during lockdown, I went to shoot hoops. 

"Probinsiya" is 1/2 of a Diptych Set available called "Fast & Slow"

If you're interested in the set, check it out by clicking here.