Lifestyle Inquirer: Ayka Go’s ‘Tending the Garden’ Explores Womanhood, Fertility, and Resilience

20 Nov 2024

Filipino artist Ayka Go’s latest solo exhibition, tending the garden, is currently on view at Ames Yavuz Sydney on Reservoir Street. Spotlighted by Lifestyle Inquirer, a leading Philippine media outlet, Go’s journey and her deeply personal work are being explored in an article written by Lala Singian.

The exhibition presents nine large-scale pieces and several smaller experimental works, each a testament to Go’s signature style of intricate paper collages transferred onto canvas. These visually striking works delve into themes of loss, resilience, and intimacy, exploring the complexities of womanhood and fertility with raw vulnerability.

tending the garden redefines womanhood and fertility. At first glance, the works appear as floral forms, but upon closer inspection, life-sized vulva representations are revealed. This duality is central to Go’s work, underpinned by her use of colour. Dominated by red, her palette conveys power, pain, and love, while shades of pink and white evoke transition and growth, underscoring the multifaceted nature of her themes.

Since the exhibition’s opening, Go has highlighted how the show has created a space for women to share their personal experiences with reproductive struggles, deepening its emotional resonance.

“This show is about being brave. And acceptance. Tumatapang ako kasi ’yun ’yung coping mechanism ko,” she reflects.

Image: Profile of Ayka Go, photography by JT Fernandez. Courtesy of the artist and Lifestyle Inquirer