Artist Statement

My art originates from my personal experience. “The Passage” and “The Walker” are part of my  series called LIFE WITH DAD PORTRAITS, a collection of photographs I made when I became  my father’s caregiver during the pandemic. Traditionally, Filipinos are expected to take care of  their aging parents. I’m no exception even though I’ve been living in America since I was seven  years old. As my father’s caregiver, I observed my dad struggle with his mobility, his memory,  and his physical decline. Living with my dad forced me to confront my own mortality. Making  photographs with my dad helped me explore the role of photography in how I relate to memory  and to mortality. 

I didn't choose photography; photography chose me. The camera is the perfect device for a  self-described ‘outsider’ like myself, allowing me to compose the world through my viewfinder. Through my lens, the world becomes my canvas, my stage. I seek beauty in the mundane and in  serendipity with the focus on sharing stories of outsiders and the underrepresented.

Biography

Pablo Tapay Bautista is an American artist born in the Philippines and raised in San Francisco,  CA. He holds a BA in Industrial Arts from SFSU and an MFA in film from Columbia University.  His photographs have been exhibited in numerous group shows including Arts Benicia,  MarinMOCA, the DeYoung Museum, and at San Francisco’s City Hall. He currently is based in  Oakland, CA.