Garapata Art Reveals the Funny and Weird Things Filipinos Do During Lockdown
Like many in the country, artist Dex Fernandez has been spending his days indoors, keeping tabs on the latest COVID-19 news on the radio, Internet, and social media, and maybe going a little stir crazy.
“It's sad to hear and see how our country's status is getting worse every day,” says Fernandez, “but it's very inspiring [to know] how our frontliners are doing their best to help save our fellow Pinoys [in] this health crisis.”
Moved by the heroes doing life-saving work, the artist wanted to help, as well, and the best way he knew how was through his many-legged friends. Last Saturday, the creative, who is known for the alienesque garapata art you see on bags, stickers, and walls, took to social media and asked people to share their quarantine stories, which he promised to turn into a comic strip.
View this post on Instagram>p>p“As an artist, I have to do my role in our community. I want to contribute in my own small way—as small as a garapata,” says Fernandez. By sharing the lockdown experiences of Filipinos in his signature arachnid style, he hopes to add a bit of sunshine to uncertain days.>p>p
Photo by Dexter Fernandez.>p
Photo by Dexter Fernandez.
>p>p“It's like saying, ‘Come on, we're having a hard time now, but cheer up, people. Check out these humorous stories and see how really witty we can be in midst of this crisis,’” he adds.>
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