The Orchid Pavilion

The Orchid Pavilion, the first of Navarroza’s trilogy of exhibitions, considers the exchanges and acculturations that accompanied the movement of people and objects through the Philippines before and during the centuries of the Manila Galleon trade. It focuses on the country’s pan-Asian heritage and, more specifically, on the longstanding Chinese presence woven into Filipino culture and identity. Although Navarroza appears throughout The Orchid Pavilion, these are not self-portraits in the traditional sense. She describes using her body as a medium, “like a babaylan,” invoking the precolonial Philippine spiritual figure. Her body remains constant while costume, gesture, and attributes change, allowing her to inhabit different personas within the photographs.

Wawi Navarroza, Ten Thousand Things (Blue & White, Self-Portrait with Promise Piece), 2026 - Courtesy of the artist and the gallery