leah valle
SOCIAL BOOKMARKS
Artist / Visual Ethnographer from Southern Mindanao, Philippines
Her main medium is photography. She’s photographed, exhibited, and independently curated in and outside Asia including the Philippines, Hong Kong, Morocco, France, US, and Bahrain.
Not A Bakery
Not A Bakery is an ethnographic series on Bontoc and their culture of meat. While the north is known for its breathtaking rice terraces and head-hunting practices, it is also known for its unique and delicious meat dishes. The local vendors in Bontoc still posses an extensive knowledge of traditionally preparing “innasin” – delectable salted pork that is a staple in the region. It should be noted that innasin should not be confused with “etag”, another popular meat dish in the area that uses different types of meat such as beef, deer, carabao, and more.
Hapag Kainan
From varieties of fruits and vegetables and from the efforts of farmers and fisherman, this photo documentary has two objectives. First, to raise an interest on the lives of the people who cook them, the relationships they maintain, and the culture they transmit. And second, to make the viewer explore the profound roles that food plays in our lives.
The bond we share with others is strongly sustained when we share food because, most importantly, food is about caring and we work all our lives not to be hungry.
Buena Mano
Buena Mano is a term we used in the Philippines to describe the first sale of the day. Once payment is received, “tinderas” (the ones in charge of the market stall or store) would fan the paper money and touch the goods with it for good luck and higher profit. This photographic series is a walk in different Asian markets— like window shopping —for meat, produce, and whatever is available as the market comes alive in the morning.
Photographing Mindanao
Around 1000 Lumad / indigenous people evacuated Talaingod last April 2, 2014 due to intense militarization. Bearing only what they can carry on their backs, they walked from the mountains for three days to reach Davao city to seek refuge.
Until now, this group is still displaced.
In Limbo
In Limbo is a visual qualitative research study of Filipina migrant workers in Hong Kong. A three-year research study and visual exploration where I am primarily using photography as a methodology. A visual ethnography focusing on migrant women’s physical and cultural displacement and their abstract sense of home through open-discussion, immersion, and analysis of their spatial empowerment through cultural and physical appropriation.
Visual Blog / Diary
…of things, thoughts, and happenings