Project Proposal: “Mending the Threads of Bayanihan – Visible Repair in Manila’s Urban Fabric”
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™
June 25, 2026
The Scandal That Should Finally END Martin Romualdez
Grant Proposal: Application to the TED Conferences x POSCA Global Artist Residency 2026
Visible Mending – Acts of Repair as Visible Expressions of Hope, Resilience, and Collective Transformation
Applicant: Amiel Gerald A. Roldan
Nationality/Location: Philippines (based in Mandaluyong/Manila)
Profession: Painter, Printmaker, Independent Curator, Educator
Date: June 2026
Submission Deadline Alignment: July 31, 2026
---
Artist Statement / Introduction
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan is a multidisciplinary artist, printmaker, painter, and independent curator with over three decades of practice rooted in the Philippines. Born in 1972 in Mandaluyong City, Roldan holds a BA in Fine Arts (Studio Painting) from the University of the Philippines Diliman. His career bridges studio practice with curatorial and educational work, including roles as an IB/PYP/MYP Art Teacher, program director, and connector within Manila’s vibrant art ecosystem (e.g., Independent Curator Manila, contributions to exhibitions like Manila Bang Show, and writings on contemporary Philippine art).
Roldan’s work has been recognized internationally through prestigious fellowships, including the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Grant (2003, Philippines to US for observing contemporary art scenes), Starr Foundation Fund, Chashama Residency (NYC), and Vermont Studio Center. His practice explores dichotomies—personal vs. collective, tradition vs. modernity, fragility vs. endurance—often through painting, printmaking, and community-oriented projects. As a cultural worker in his 50s, Roldan reflects deeply on art’s role in society, as seen in essays like “Cultural Workers: Not Creative?” emphasizing sustained commitment to painting and artmaking amid socio-political contexts.
This proposal aligns Roldan’s expertise with the residency’s 2026 theme, **Visible Mending**, positioning his participatory practice as a timely intervention in Philippine communities facing layered traumas (post-colonial legacies, urban inequality, environmental vulnerability, and social fragmentation).
---
Project Proposal: “Mending the Threads of Bayanihan – Visible Repair in Manila’s Urban Fabric”
Concept and Relevance to “Visible Mending”
“Visible Mending” celebrates repair not as hidden restoration but as a bold, public declaration of resilience—transforming damage into beauty, akin to Japanese *kintsugi* or global textile traditions of sashiko and darning. In the Philippine context, this resonates powerfully with *bayanihan* (communal unity and mutual aid), a cultural ethos of collective repair that has sustained communities through typhoons, political upheaval, and economic precarity.
Roldan proposes a participatory, public-facing project in his home community of Mandaluyong/Manila, focusing on **textile and print-based mending workshops** that engage local residents—artists, elders, youth, informal settlers, and cultural workers—in “mending” both literal fabrics and metaphorical social fabrics. Using POSCA markers, printmaking techniques, embroidery, and found materials, participants will visibly repair discarded clothing, banners, or community textiles, embedding personal stories of loss and hope into the repaired objects.
The project will culminate in **public installations** (e.g., pop-up “Mending Circles” in public spaces like parks, barangay halls, or street markets) and a collaborative exhibition/archive shared globally via TED and Fine Acts platforms. This embodies the residency’s emphasis on:
- Participatory, public-facing work.
- No relocation required (projects developed *within* home communities).
- Civic engagement and collective imagination.
- Global visibility while rooted locally.
Objectives
1. Community Repair and Resilience: Facilitate workshops where 50–100 participants co-create visible mends, fostering dialogue on personal/collective healing.
2. Artistic Innovation: Integrate Roldan’s printmaking/painting expertise with POSCA tools for hybrid works (e.g., printed patterns on mended fabrics that tell stories of Filipino resilience).
3. Public Activation: Host open mending events in accessible spaces, turning repair into performance and spectacle.
4. Documentation and Sharing: Produce photo/video essays, zines, and digital stories for TED/Fine Acts amplification, contributing to the global residency cohort’s archive.
5. Sustainability: Emphasize reuse, upcycling, and skill-sharing for long-term community impact.
Methodology and Timeline (2026–2027)
- Preparation (Q3–Q4 2026): Research local needs via community consultations; source materials; collaborate with local organizations (e.g., barangay groups, artist collectives).
- Implementation (2027): Series of 8–10 workshops + 3–4 public events. Use $15,000 honorarium for: artist fees, production (POSCA supplies, fabrics, printing), community stipends/activation, and documentation.
- Outcomes: Public artworks, participant testimonies, digital archive. Share via global platforms.
- Evaluation: Participant feedback, attendance metrics, qualitative stories of transformation.
This project requires no relocation and leverages Roldan’s deep local networks as an independent curator and educator.
---
Why This Project Fits the Residenc
Roldan’s profile perfectly matches the call: an artist with proven community engagement (curatorial work, teaching, public writing), international visibility (ACC, etc.), and a practice centered on transformation and connection. His work in Manila’s dynamic, challenged urban environment directly addresses “how acts of repair can become visible expressions of hope, resilience, and collective transformation.” The use of accessible tools like POSCA aligns with democratizing art-making in public spaces.
---
Budget Outline (High-Level – Detailed Upon Request)
- Artist Honorarium & Coordination: ~$5,000–6,000
- Production & Materials (POSCA, fabrics, prints): ~$4,000
- Community Engagement & Stipends: ~$3,000
- Documentation & Dissemination: ~$2,000
- Total: $15,000 (scalable with provided resources)
---
Conclusion and Call to Action
Amiel Gerald Roldan brings decades of studio rigor, curatorial insight, and grassroots commitment to the TED x POSCA Global Artist Residency. “Mending the Threads of Bayanihan” offers a timely, locally rooted yet globally resonant project that embodies Visible Mending—turning visible scars into shared strength. This residency represents an ideal platform to amplify Philippine artistic voices in international dialogues on art, community, and resilience.
Roldan is eager to collaborate with the cohort, Fine Acts, TED, and POSCA to co-create meaningful impact.
References / Supporting Materials Available:
- Portfolio: Instagram (@amiel_roldan), Fine Art America, personal archives.
- CV, letters of recommendation, past project documentation.
- Links: Asian Cultural Council profile, writings on Pressenza/arts publications.
Application Link Reference: https://fineacts.co/ted-posca-residency (or ted.com/posca). Applications close July 31, 2020.
---
**Refined Grant Proposal: Application to the TED Conferences x POSCA Global Artist Residency 2026 (Curated by Fine Acts)**
**Theme: Visible Mending – Acts of Repair as Visible Expressions of Hope, Resilience, and Collective Transformation**
**Applicant:** Amiel Gerald A. Roldan
**Nationality/Location:** Philippines (Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila)
**Profession:** Painter, Printmaker, Independent Curator, Educator
**Proposed Project:** “Mending the Threads of Bayanihan – Vertical Repair in Mandaluyong’s Urban Fabric”
**Date:** June 2026
---
### **Artist Statement**
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan is a multidisciplinary Filipino artist, printmaker, painter, and independent curator with over three decades of practice. Born in 1972 in Mandaluyong City, he holds a BA in Fine Arts (Studio Painting) from the University of the Philippines Diliman. His career seamlessly integrates studio work with curatorial, educational, and community initiatives, including teaching IB/PYP/MYP Art, directing programs through Independent Curator Manila, and contributing critical writings on Philippine contemporary art. International recognition includes the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Grant (2003), Starr Foundation Fund, Chashama Residency (NYC), and Vermont Studio Center.
Roldan’s practice explores dichotomies of fragility and endurance, personal and collective memory. As a cultural worker, he advocates for art’s role in societal healing, as articulated in reflective essays emphasizing sustained creative commitment amid socio-political challenges. This proposal aligns his rooted expertise with the residency’s call for participatory, public-facing projects that engage local communities.
---
### **Project Proposal**
**“Mending the Threads of Bayanihan – Vertical Repair in Mandaluyong’s Urban Fabric”** reimagines Mandaluyong City’s dense high-rise environment—its building facades, rooftops, and vertical edifices—as dynamic canvases for **Visible Mending**. Drawing on the Philippine value of *bayanihan* (communal unity and mutual aid), the project transforms acts of repair into public, participatory expressions of resilience, turning urban infrastructure into living tapestries of hope and collective transformation.
#### **Core Concept & Alignment with Residency Theme**
In a city marked by rapid urbanization, inequality, and vulnerability to climate events, this project uses textile-based mending to “repair” both literal fabrics and social fabrics. Participants will visibly mend discarded clothing and textiles, embedding personal and communal stories. These mended pieces become **alternative cloth blinds** installed on building windows, balconies, and facades, while **light performances** activate them nocturnally, creating a glowing “mended skyline” visible across Metro Manila.
The project is fully community-rooted (no relocation required), leverages POSCA tools for accessible mark-making, and culminates in public activations and global documentation—directly supporting the residency’s goals of civic engagement, collective imagination, and platform visibility.
#### **Community Engagement Strategy: Rooftops, Edifices & Participatory Integration**
Engagement centers on Mandaluyong’s vertical urban landscape, turning rooftops into production and gathering spaces, and building facades into public galleries:
- **“Mend Your Skyline” Open Call**: Launched through barangay networks, markets, schools, social media, and posters. Invites residents (youth, elders, families, informal settlers, workers) to contribute fabrics, stories, and labor. Incentives include POSCA materials, shared meals, certificates, and global feature in TED/Fine Acts outputs.
- **Partnerships**: Collaborate with Mandaluyong City government (Cultural Affairs), barangay officials, public schools, housing cooperatives, and local NGOs for access, permits, and safety.
**Key Artistic Elements**:
- **Alternative Cloth Blinds**: Participants mend fabrics using sashiko stitching, darning, patchwork, embroidery, and POSCA-enhanced prints (incorporating Roldan’s motifs of resilience and local history). Modular panels are assembled into functional blinds or banners hung on building exteriors, windows, and balconies. This provides shade/privacy while creating a collective visual narrative across edifices. Rooftops serve as workshops for assembly before lowering/installing pieces, fostering ownership (“This is *our* building’s mend”).
- **Light Performances**: Evening activations transform mended cloths into luminous screens. Backlighting (solar LEDs), projections of participant stories/animations, and interactive glow elements create “Skyline Mend Nights” on rooftops and facades. These performances include storytelling, music, and coordinated light displays, turning repair into communal spectacle and hope after dark.
**Phased Implementation (2026–2027)**:
- **Preparation (Q3–Q4 2026)**: Community consultations, material collection, initial rooftop workshops.
- **Core Activities (2027)**: 8–10 hands-on mending sessions + 3–4 public light events across 5–10 buildings/barangays.
- **Culmination**: Public installations, digital archive, and cohort sharing.
This vertical approach maximizes visibility in a dense metro setting while ensuring broad, inclusive participation through accessible rooftop and ground-level entry points.
#### **Objectives**
- Engage 100+ direct participants and reach thousands via skyline impact and documentation.
- Build skills in sustainable repair and collective storytelling.
- Create semi-permanent public art that enhances urban livability and sparks ongoing dialogue.
- Contribute to the global residency archive with compelling visual and narrative outcomes.
#### **Budget Outline (from $15,000 Honorarium + POSCA Support)**
- Artist fees & coordination: $5,000–6,000
- Production (fabrics, POSCA tools, rigging, prints): $4,000
- Community activation/stipends & events: $3,000
- Documentation (drone/video, projections, archiving): $2,000
#### **Expected Outcomes & Impact**
- A visible “mended skyline” in Mandaluyong symbolizing resilience.
- Strengthened community bonds through *bayanihan* in action.
- High-quality documentation (photos, videos, zines) for TED and Fine Acts platforms.
- Long-term legacy: Transferred skills and inspiration for future local initiatives.
---
### **Conclusion**
Amiel Gerald Roldan’s deep ties to Mandaluyong, combined with his international experience and curatorial vision, make him an ideal participant for the TED x POSCA Global Artist Residency. “Mending the Threads of Bayanihan” offers a timely, site-specific response to the Visible Mending theme—leveraging urban rooftops and edifices for participatory cloth blinds and light performances that celebrate repair as public hope.
Roldan is committed to collaborative creation within the international cohort and looks forward to amplifying Filipino artistic voices on global stages.
**Supporting Materials**: Portfolio (Instagram @amiel_roldan), CV, past project references, letters of intent from potential local partners.
**Application Reference**: https://fineacts.co/ted-posca-residency (Deadline: July 31, 2026).
---
This refined version seamlessly integrates the community engagement details into a cohesive, academic, and compelling grant proposal. It is concise yet detailed, with stronger flow, specificity to Mandaluyong’s architecture, and direct ties to the residency criteria.
| by CJ Hirro
https://youtu.be/Q-lGipwnCe0?si=L5xoHXLdX9lTh1Nk&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPMjc1MjU0NjkyNTk4Mjc5AAEeVeknWDZQFnSz7oQnCgPaBzJLHSTP_K9Y1tOk_xaEZq_kFryVA-OWSlLCAYI_aem_kJaaaT7cMsaL5HUWo2oOPg
---
*** credit to the owners of the photo & articles otherwise cited
If you like my any of my concept research, writing explorations, art works and/or simple writings please support me by sending me a coffee treat at my paypal amielgeraldroldan.paypal.me or GXI 09053027965. Much appreciate and thank you in advance.
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™' s connection to the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) serves as a defining pillar of his professional journey, most recently celebrated through the launch of the ACC Global Alumni Network.As a 2003 Starr Foundation Grantee, Roldan participated in a transformative ten-month fellowship in the United States. This opportunity allowed him to observe contemporary art movements, engage with an international community of artists and curators, and develop a new body of work that bridges local and global perspectives.Featured Work: Bridges Beyond Borders His featured work, Bridges Beyond Borders: ACC's Global Cultural Collaboration, has been chosen as the visual identity for the newly launched ACC Global Alumni Network.Symbol of Connection: The piece represents a private collaborative space designed to unite over 6,000 ACC alumni across various disciplines and regions.Artistic Vision: The work embodies the ACC's core mission of advancing international dialogue and cultural exchange to foster a more harmonious world.Legacy of Excellence: By serving as the face of this initiative, Roldan's art highlights the enduring impact of the ACC fellowship on his career and his role in the global artistic community.Just featured at https://www.pressenza.com/2026/01/the-asian-cultural-council-global-alumni-network-amiel-gerald-a-roldan/
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™ curatorial writing practice exemplifies this path: transforming grief into infrastructure, evidence into agency, and memory into resistance. As the Philippines enters a new economic decade, such work is not peripheral—it is foundational.
I'm trying to complement my writings with helpful inputs and prompts. Bear with me as I am treating this blog as repositories and drafts.
Please comment and tag if you like my compilations visit www.amielroldan.blogspot.com or www.amielroldan.wordpress.com
and comments at
amiel_roldan@outlook.com
amielgeraldroldan@gmail.com
A multidisciplinary Filipino artist, poet, researcher, and cultural worker whose practice spans painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and writing. He is deeply rooted in cultural memory, postcolonial critique, and in bridging creative practice with scholarly infrastructure—building counter-archives, annotating speculative poetry like Southeast Asian manuscripts, and fostering regional solidarity through ethical art collaboration.
Recent show at ILOMOCA
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16qUTDdEMD
https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go?messageThreadUrn=urn%3Ali%3AmessageThreadUrn%3A&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pressenza.com%2F2025%2F05%2Fcultural-workers-not-creative-ilomoca-may-16-2025%2F&trk=flagship-messaging-android
Asian Cultural Council Alumni Global Networkhttps://alumni.asianculturalcouncil.org/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPlR6NjbGNrA-VG_2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHoy6hXUptbaQi5LdFAHcNWqhwblxYv_wRDZyf06-O7Yjv73hEGOOlphX0cPZ_aem_sK6989WBcpBEFLsQqr0kdg
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™ started Independent Curatorial Manila™ as a nonprofit philanthropy while working for institutions simultaneously early on.
The Independent Curatorial Manila™ or ICM™ is a curatorial services and guide for emerging artists in the Philippines. It is an independent/voluntary services entity and aims to remain so. Selection is through proposal and a prerogative temporarily. Contact above for inquiries.
LanguageLoginCreate connection,Value conversation.For youWho we areMeet the teamICM cultureHow to applyStoriesContact usLanguageManage your cookie preferencesPrivacy & Cookie PoliciesTerms of useGlobal code of conduct & ethicsAll rights reserved Amiel Gerald Roldan® 2026***Disclaimer:This work is my original writing unless otherwise cited; any errors or omissions are my responsibility.The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any organization or institution.Furthermore, the commentary reflects my personal interpretation of publicly available data and is offered as fair comment on matters of public interest. It does not allege criminal liability or wrongdoing by any individual.
*** credit to the owners of the photo & articles otherwise cited
Comments