"Filipino-American duo Abang-guard weaves together labor, legacy, and social justice in their thought-provoking exhibition "Abang-guard: Makibaka" now on display at the Queens Museum. The show is a powerful exploration of the winds of change through the lens of Filipino history and that of the Queens community.
Meet Maureen Catbagan and Jevijoe Vitug, both Filipino artists who work as guards at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and have collaborated since 2017. Their collaborative name Abang-guard is a play on avant-garde and the Tagalog word "abang," which translates to waiting or watchful.
Standing guard automatically assigns importance and value to whatever is behind it – be it a priceless object, VIP, or monument. The physical act of standing guard can seem humorous and absurd. However, they want the performance to lead to a deeper examination of what is valued in our day-to-day lives and communities and what is overlooked, erased, and considered disposable.
The Queens Museum exhibition coincides with the 60th anniversary of the World's Fair, an event that marked a pivotal moment in Filipino-American history. In 1965, three significant events took place – the Delano Grape Strike, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, and the launch of Medicaid and Medicare programs. These events highlight the struggles of immigrant communities, particularly Filipinos, who were invited to participate for the first time.
The exhibition also explores environmental justice through "The Air We Breathe (For Dawn Mabalon)", a work that reflects on air quality and public health in predominantly poor, working-class neighborhoods. Esteemed historian Dawn Mabalon's legacy is honored, highlighting the long-term health effects of exposure to pollution.
By reimagining Pop art from the 1964-1965 World's Fair, Catbagan and Vitug tell Filipino histories that were absent at the time. Works by Warhol, Rauschenberg, Rosenquist, and Lichtenstein are reframed with archival photos, restoring visibility to silenced violent histories.
The exhibition serves as an entry point for reflecting on Filipino immigrants' vital labor contributions to the farming and healthcare industries of the United States. More importantly, it honors how Filipinos built unity and kinship against oppressive systems, not only caring for one another but also standing in solidarity with other POC immigrant communities.
For Catbagan and Vitug, "Makibaka" is a call for solidarity, courage, and collective action – reminding us that the struggle for equity, recognition, and historical truth continues.
Meet Maureen Catbagan and Jevijoe Vitug, both Filipino artists who work as guards at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and have collaborated since 2017. Their collaborative name Abang-guard is a play on avant-garde and the Tagalog word "abang," which translates to waiting or watchful.
Standing guard automatically assigns importance and value to whatever is behind it – be it a priceless object, VIP, or monument. The physical act of standing guard can seem humorous and absurd. However, they want the performance to lead to a deeper examination of what is valued in our day-to-day lives and communities and what is overlooked, erased, and considered disposable.
The Queens Museum exhibition coincides with the 60th anniversary of the World's Fair, an event that marked a pivotal moment in Filipino-American history. In 1965, three significant events took place – the Delano Grape Strike, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, and the launch of Medicaid and Medicare programs. These events highlight the struggles of immigrant communities, particularly Filipinos, who were invited to participate for the first time.
The exhibition also explores environmental justice through "The Air We Breathe (For Dawn Mabalon)", a work that reflects on air quality and public health in predominantly poor, working-class neighborhoods. Esteemed historian Dawn Mabalon's legacy is honored, highlighting the long-term health effects of exposure to pollution.
By reimagining Pop art from the 1964-1965 World's Fair, Catbagan and Vitug tell Filipino histories that were absent at the time. Works by Warhol, Rauschenberg, Rosenquist, and Lichtenstein are reframed with archival photos, restoring visibility to silenced violent histories.
The exhibition serves as an entry point for reflecting on Filipino immigrants' vital labor contributions to the farming and healthcare industries of the United States. More importantly, it honors how Filipinos built unity and kinship against oppressive systems, not only caring for one another but also standing in solidarity with other POC immigrant communities.
For Catbagan and Vitug, "Makibaka" is a call for solidarity, courage, and collective action – reminding us that the struggle for equity, recognition, and historical truth continues.
. But at the same time, I think it's kinda heavy-handed to just blame everything on systemic oppression... some people might say we need to take responsibility for our own lives, you know? 
It feels like we need to balance out the narrative a bit... and also, can't we just appreciate Abang-guard for their awesome guard-inspired name 
?
It's like, yeah, we gotta stand together, but also let's make sure everyone's invited to the table...
I love how Abang-guard weaves together their experiences as guards with Filipino history and social justice, it's like they're shining a light on all the important stuff that gets overlooked 
Their use of Pop art is genius, reimagining it with archival photos to bring attention to silenced histories is so cool 
. I also love how they're highlighting the struggles of immigrant communities, particularly Filipinos, and their contributions to US industries. It's like, we need more people talking about this stuff and giving credit where credit is due 
The way they're highlighting the struggles of immigrant communities and environmental injustices is so needed in today's world 
. I love how they're reimagining pop art from the 1964-1965 World's Fair to tell stories that were absent at the time - it's like they're giving voice to our silenced histories 
. Can't wait to check out the exhibition and learn more about their work 
their collaboration as guards turned artists highlights that even in the most mundane jobs, creativity & vision can thrive 
this exhibition feels like a call to action for all of us to be more mindful of who we value & prioritize in our daily lives & communities
. Standing guard as artists, guards at the Met, is a powerful metaphor for valuing our communities and what's behind them 
. We need more conversations about air quality and public health in low-income neighborhoods. And I love how they're celebrating Filipino immigrant labor & solidarity 
. Its a call to action, reminding us that we still gotta fight for equity, recognition, and truth 
it's like they're taking all these forgotten stories and reimagining them with such power 
the way they're exploring environmental justice through "The Air We Breathe (For Dawn Mabalon)" is like, totally on point 
i wish more people would take a closer look at our history and recognize the contributions of people who've been erased or overlooked - it's time for some real change 
just heard about this exhibit at Queens Museum, Abang-guard: Makibaka... it's all about Filipino history & social justice 
still struggling today 
and now this exhibit is tryna remind us of that 
it's like, good on them for shinin' a light on this stuff but sometimes I just wanna stay in bed & forget about all the bad news 
It's so refreshing to see Filipino histories being reframed and visibility being given to silenced stories 
The Queens Museum exhibition is a must-see, trust me! 
but seriously tho, these two artists are straight fire! i love how they're like "hey, we were invisible for so long, now it's time to make our voices heard" and with that air quality work, i'm dying over here 
what i love most is how they're weaving together themes of labor, legacy, and social justice – it's a powerful reminder that our daily lives are shaped by systems of power and inequality