A Kiss on the Ground

In A Kiss on the Ground (Halik sa Lupa), a solo show by acclaimed Filipino artist Leslie de Chavez, he returns to his native Quezon province as both witness and interlocutor. Curated by Joyce Toh, the exhibition unfolds as a vibrant tableau of mixed-media installations, sculptures, and paintings, drawing from Lucban’s celebrated fiestas—the Pahiyas harvest festival, Holy Week rites, and the parades of Higantes (giants). Through these culturally rooted yet visually sumptuous works, de Chavez explores how faith, excess, and endurance intertwine within the collective psyche of a people shaped by both bounty and inequity.