EXPOSING ANA: DIGITAL DIARIES

REIMAGINING THE ASWANG 

THE GENESIS OF AN IDEA

Welcome! This blog marks the start of my capstone project, where I break down my thought process and share behind-the-scenes moments.

The concept started with wanting to bring Philippine folklore into modern times. I was inspired by Netflix’s Trese, Petra Collins’ Fairy Tales, and Telltale Games’ The Wolf Among Us (thanks Sir Abdullah for reminding me of it during my mock presentation). These works were my early inspirations to how folklore could live in today's urban settings. 

I noticed Western culture has always modernized its creatures, especially in pop culture, and I thought it would be interesting to do the same from my perspective as a Filipino. Though I was born and raised in the Philippines, I wasn’t exactly taught to fear these beings — I first saw them as stories that were part of my culture. I grew up on the borderline of a generation where many no longer know about these creatures or fear them, and that motivated me to create something that questions that.

Using photography, especially fashion photography, I wanted to reimagine these creatures. Early feedback pointed out that Filipino folklore is often vague in appearance, and fashion photography might shift focus away from that. I realized I needed to build a clearer personal perspective on the subject.

Thinking back, I remembered my family’s stories about the Duwende, Nuno, and even being compared to a Tiyanak as a kid, and most vividly, news reports about alleged Aswang attacks in the provinces, which stuck with me.

I realized that my contrast from folklore stemmed from geographical differences — these creatures are widely known in the provinces, but I grew up in the city. Nowadays, I mostly hear about them through forums and secondhand stories. Even when we do hear their stories, they don’t evoke the same fear they once did. This is when my narrative began to take shape: reimagining these creatures as hidden within familiar spaces in the city, blending into the crowd, symbolizing their gradual fade due to urbanization.

I was encouraged to focus on just one creature to keep the story linear. Given what stuck to me, the choice came naturally.