A gigantic piece of art will be greet visitors at the Bangkóta, the Philippines Pavilion at the Expo 2020 in Dubai, when the global event opens in October 2021.
The 18-feet-tall figure, which is named after female deity Haliya, has a sharp blue color and will be positioned as the pavilion’s welcome figure.
It was created by globally-recognized Filipino sculptor Duddley Diaz, who has been known for recreating the images of Philippine myths in contemporary sculpture.
“This immense piece named after the female deity Haliya, positioned as the pavilion’s welcome figure, brings the past to the future. It signals differently to the world: this time, the Filipino as confident culture bearer,” the Philippines Expo 2020 Dubai described on its Facebook page.
The design of the Bangkóta Pavilion, or “coral reef” in ancient Tagalog, honors the natural resources that the Philippines has to offer, specifically the architectural character of the coral reefs native to the archipelago.
Designed by Budji+Royal Architecture+Design and curated by Marian Pastor-Roces, the 1,386-square-meter pavilion reimagines the Filipinos as a coral reef, interconnecting not only with each other but also with the world, thereby making them an extensive global community.
Last December, the Philippine government announced that the construction of the Philippines Pavilion has already reached 87 percent completion.
