Bakas Filipina Imprints spotlight on Marz Aglipay’s “The Marzing Machine”: Leaving Bite-sized Prints in Iloilo
Enticing viewers to the ongoing “Bakas | Filipina Imprints” exhibition at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art is an interactive work that has been making its rounds on social media. Marz Aglipay presents a unique and interactive experience with her work “The Marzing Machine: Mga sangkap sa hain ni lola (The Marzing Machine: Ingredients for what Grandma’s serving),” a vending machine dispensing bite-sized treasures of art.
Instead of sugary snacks or fizzy drinks, Aglipay’s machine dispenses miniature trading card-sized prints, each featuring intricate food illustrations. She meticulously carves eraser stamps to bring these culinary delights to life, employing a technique called Keshigomu hanko or Eraser stamps. Often viewed as a hobby in Japan, Aglipay embraces its accessibility, using readily available erasers and ink pads to create her miniature masterpieces.
This edition of “The Marzing Machine” celebrates the idea of care from domesticity, particularly the food preparation often associated with women. “I chose to depict food items bought from the market, produce that can be planted in our own yards, and home-cooked dishes,” Aglipay shares. Each miniature print captures Filipino viands and produce that evoke memories of trips to the market and the warmth of shared meals.
Beyond their aesthetic charm, Aglipay’s tiny prints resonate with a deeper meaning. “I am committed to this technique because I think that making tiny prints with stamps will be my own mark that I get to leave at this point in time,” she says. “Eto ang aking munting bakas sa pagkalakilaking mundo ng sining (This is my small mark in this huge world of art).” In the vast landscape of the art world, Aglipay chooses to leave her mark through meticulous details and miniature masterpieces, proving that size doesn’t diminish the impact of art.
For those looking to own a piece of Aglipay’s miniature magic, the Marzing Machine dispenses prints for 60 pesos, which can be manually purchased using six (6) new 10 peso coins. Instructions are provided next to the machine and bills exchange may be requested at the museum’s concierge. “The Marzing Machine” is part of Bakas | Filipina Imprints admission is free to this part of the museum. The machine itself is available for purchase through Pablo Galleries.
We invite you to delve into the works of Filipina Printmakers, one of which Aglipay is one of. Let “The Marzing Machine” dispense a tiny yet delicious bite of art for your collection.
Bakas | Filipina Imprints runs from October 2023 until January 2024.
Words by Marz Today Staff
Our artist is open to brand collaborations and thematic versions of the Marzing Machine. Please contact us with your proposal for this particular piece. This work is also available for purchase, for inquiries on the Marzing Machine please contact Pablo Galleries.
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