The University of the Philippines Diliman campus glows tonight with the 2024 UP Lantern Parade, drawing multitudes to witness the much-anticipated celebration. Alongside the parade, the campus-wide “Pailaw” holiday lights and decorations illuminate the Academic Oval and the University Amphitheater, marking the festive season.
In the last nine years, the campus decorative lights took on socially resonant and thought-provoking themes created by renowned Filipino visual artist and UP professor Toym Leon Imao.
Imao’s Pailaw transformed the UP Diliman campus into a beacon of light and enlightenment, showcasing artistic commentary on social issues. The much-anticipated event showcased the tradition of transforming the entire campus into a beacon of light and meaning during the holiday season.
Nine Years of Pailaw: Art as Enlightenment and Protest
From 2015 to 2023, Toym Leon Imao’s Pailaw installations went beyond holiday decorations, serving as platforms for commentary on pressing social issues. “‘Pailaw’ as ‘illumination’—not just in a literal sense, but in a deeper, more metaphorical way, as a form of enlightenment for the audience and the community,” Imao explained.
Imao’s inaugural piece, Sulo/Dingas (2015), called for voters to choose enlightened leaders during the presidential elections. This was followed by Budyong (2016), a warning against the escalating violence of the drug war. View the installations here:
Mulat (2017), a memorial for young victims of extrajudicial killings. See the installation in this video:
In 2018, Kamalayag highlighted disputes in the West Philippine Sea. View the installation here.
Santuaryo (2019) protested campus police incursions. Here’s the installation:
The pandemic-era Parola (2020) honored lives lost in the UP community. Read the artist’s notes here:
Watch the video here:
Sambaybayin (2021) was a pre-election commentary. View Imao’s installation here:
Kathakataka (2022) responded to the political climate leading to the 2022 elections. See the installation here:
His last installation, Tatsulokuyan (2023), celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. View the installation here:
The 2024 Unrealized Pailaw
This year was supposed to mark Imao’s final Pailaw design, encapsulating his decade-long journey. His vision was a poignant tribute to the struggles of Muslim communities worldwide, represented by five symbolic birds: the Sarimanok, the Palestine Sunbird, the Dove, the Ababil, and the Huma. “This installation was meant to serve as a powerful symbol of unity and empathy,” Imao shared.
The exhibition showcasing nine years of Pailaw at the UP College of Fine Arts Parola Gallery was also canceled. However, Imao remains hopeful. “I will likely share the unrealized design with you all, as it’s something we’re deeply proud of. Despite everything, I remain hopeful that one day, the messages we sought to convey through our art will still find their rightful place in the broader conversation about solidarity and justice,” adds Imao. “We lighted UP’s Pailaw during our nation’s darkest of times, it was truly an honor. Your Pailaw design team for 2015-2023 signing off,” he said.
This Year’s Pailaw
For 2024, the campus-wide illumination features vinta-inspired designs by UP College of Fine Arts alumnus Kublai Millan. His interactive art installation, Lawig Pailaw sa Kalinaw, won the inaugural Oblation Plaza Site Design competition earlier this year. The design includes glowing vinta boat lanterns across the campus, symbolizing peace against darkness. “The flagship invites all of us to overcome the seas that divide us and sail together towards shared horizons,” Millan explained.
Celebrate the enduring legacy of the UP Diliman Pailaw and more holiday decor on Good Show.
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