Davao artist Noi Narciso inspired Filipinos to engage in recycling scraps as he opened an exhibit showcasing musical instruments made from thrown and used materials.

On September 15, Narciso launched his exclusive art display named ‘Ugong Sa Tig-ani’ in Davao City, showing his Do-It-Yourself musical instruments.

“Ugong sa Tig-ani is a retrospection and collection of my poems and performances I’ve attached to various sounds I have encountered and its evolution to sound performance and the production of DIY instruments,” Narciso said.

As explained by the Filipino artist, the exhibit title ‘Ugong sa Tig-ani’ came from the words ‘Ugong’, which means sound vibration, and ‘Tig’, which is coined from the word Tunog, which means sound.

These words basically explain the focus of his exhibition, wherein he caters to different instruments that still produce outstanding sounds even though they are made from scrap or recycled materials.

“In between sound narratives or notes, random patterns of music come to life in between conversations. Sound exploration is meditative for me, where in the middle of sound and listening comes silence. The process is reflective. It can heal pain and even rebuild lost moments and memories,” Narciso said.

The artist shared that his art was a product of his personal realizations during and after the pandemic, wherein he saw memories and stories from different perspectives.

“As my social landscape changed, I started to test my resilience as an artist by re-imagining and re-building my works through upcycling,” he added.

Before his recent art exhibition, Narciso was already known for his craft, as he became an awardee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and collaborated with other Japanese artist groups.

Even before, the artist from Davao encouraged individuals through his artwork to be responsible when it comes to their waste. With this, he showed through art the beauty of upcycling and recycling things into better products, such as musical instruments.

Sharing his talent in the world of art, Narciso is not only a notable artist but also a professor at a university in Davao teaching art appreciation.

Photo credit:
https://www.facebook.com/noi.narciso