Author: anahatacommunity

Deepening and diversifying my work in the culture, style and ethical‑practice space, it’s becoming clear that people aren’t just replacing disposable products — they’re actively seeking objects with meaning, authenticity and long‑term value. The more I research, the more I see that this shift isn’t just about market trends; it reflects a growing desire for design that honours identity, community and care.

As part of a diaspora community, this article reminded me that design is more than aesthetics; it’s how we tell our stories, include our communities, and build a future that cares for people and the planet. Seeing fellow Filipino creatives lead this shift gives me encouragement that purpose‑driven brands can achieve excellence by solving those deeper problems, not just by shaping trends.

https://www.introspeck.com/introspeck-insights/-design-beyond-desire-how-filipino-creatives-can-lead-the-future-of-inclusive-and-sustainable-storytelling?fbclid

Image credit: @themuseproject, Kultura Filipino

Marsha P. Johnson was a trailblazing Black transgender activist, drag performer, and a central figure in the LGBTIQ+ rights movement. She co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) with Sylvia Rivera in 1970 to support homeless trans and queer youth, and played a pivotal role in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Her radiant spirit and defiant visibility made her a muse for Andy Warhol’s 1975 Ladies and Gentlemen series—a collection of silkscreen portraits celebrating trans women and drag queens, primarily of color. Though Warhol only created two portraits of Marsha, her presence in the series stands as a powerful testament to her charisma, passion and resilience amid systemic marginalization. Read more in this article from Revolver.

Ladies and Gentlemen (Marsha P. Johnson), 1975 Screenprint by Andy Warhol

Revisiting this tribute to ‘Buffalo,’ the 80’s urban youth culture and New Romantic style movement spearheaded by zeitgeist Ray Petri (1948-1989)

Diversity and inclusion were key themes, alongside creativity, artistic expression and social justice, during a time of change and transformation around HIV and AIDS

‘We weren’t about broken boundaries… we were about breaking boundaries’ states photographer Jamie Morgan

Creating a style defined by ‘the juxtaposition of differing sartotial elements…’, designer Kim Jones also wrote…

‘Ray Petri is an inspiration for most people in menswear. He worked with a loyal group of people to create a new aesthetic, and his references were so on-target that they are still relevant today’.

#cultureartsfashion #fashioninspiration #artisticexpression #socialjustice #HIVawareness #ThinkPositive #HealStigma

Rediscover and read the article here. There’s a great short film too with oration by Neneh Cherry

Embracing the power of choice can be profoundly transforming. What would be possible if we truly owned our decisions? By recognizing that choices shape our lives, we can break free from limitations and unlock a future that aligns with our values and what we hold true.

Imagine the possibilities that emerge when we fully commit to the idea that we are the architects of our own destiny. We can shed the constraints imposed by external expectations and societal norms, allowing us to pursue paths that resonate with our true selves. By recognizing and harnessing the potential within our choices, we can create a life filled with purpose and joy.

This article about harnessing the power of choice to create a life you love really resonates with me. It explores various practical strategies to recognize and assert our choices in everyday situations, encouraging us to be more intentional about the decisions we make. You can find out more here.

Just getting ready for this next instalment of House of Dance, an inclusive themed club night on Saturday 24 August at The Little Red Door

Local selectors will be DJ’s: Miles // Mel Lake // Deom (Heart Heart Records)

Dress: leather // latex // fetish | Drink specials and surprise performances

More info and book tickets https://fb.me/e/1ZUnsjDXP

Image artwork: Photography by Thierry Le Goues for Allure (1995)

Heartfelt moments and was great to share and hold space for these wonderful folks as part of World Hepatitis Day https://youtu.be/HuggBe7okwo

#expressiveballoondance #groupwork #grouptherapy #therapeuticmovement #WorldHepatitisDay #holistichealth

The National Gallery of Victoria presents ‘QUEER Stories from the NGV Collection’ from 10 March until the 22 August 2022.

The exhibition has been five years in the making and is a ground-breaking Australian-first with over 400 artworks and is one of the largest collections of queer artworks exhibited in the country.

“The exhibition highlights that queerness is intersectional, and that LGBTQ+ rights are interwoven with other political and equality movements.”

“This NGV Collection spans historical eras and diverse media including painting, drawing, photography, decorative arts, fashion, video, sculpture, and design and explores queerness as an expression of sexuality and gender, a political movement, a sensibility, and as an attitude that defies fixed definition.”

More info here | Exhibition introduction: https://youtu.be/TyFrl6Qn_HI

Image credit: William YANG
William in scholar’s costume 2008; 2014 {printed}
from the Old new borrowed blue series inkjet photograph
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Greetings from the Festival State, South Australia. If you were in Adelaide for the Fringe Festival and/or the Adelaide Festival, here is another must see while in our humble yet beautiful City of Churches.
In a tribute to the ‘creative spirit’ behind the brands and designers amidst times of change, the David Roche Museum Foundation in partnership with SAMESH presents ‘Silhouettes: Fashion in the Shadow of HIV/AIDS’ from the 29 January to the 18 June. Bringing together art and design by artists, fashion visionaries and activists from the UK, Australia and the USA whom the world had lost to HIV/AIDS, this is a pivotal exhibition and retrospective about ‘changing hemlines, changing worlds and changing attitudes’.
I was lucky enough to attend the captivating official launch event on the 28th of February to open an exciting collection of artworks, couture looks and rarefied wearable artifacts created by designers and artisans affected by the AIDS epidemic. Over 100 vintage designer pieces are on display encapsulated and intricately sourced from institutional bodies and private collections from the United Kingdom, Australia, France and the USA. The designers represented include changemakers from Australia, Scotland and England, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the USA, and Argentina. Exhibition curator and fashion historian Skye Bartlett shared some insights about the featured designers.
Skye: Silhouettes started with the personal discovery of the life and works of Chester Weinberg, an incredibly influential American designer who was almost eradicated from fashion history, due to the stigma of being the first fashion designer to die of AIDS related illness. I then started researching other designers who had lived with HIV and died of AIDS related illness; big names like Halston, Peter Tully, Perry Ellis, Willi Smith and Franco Moschino, and lesser known, but equally important names like Patrick Kelly, Fabrice Simon and Ian & Marcel among others.

Read the full article in Q News

So excited to invite dear Adelaide friends and community folk to the official opening of the inaugural ‘Karangalan Philippine Arts’, a Community exhibition. Saturday 23 April 1:00pm for a 1:30pm start at the Migration Museum Courtyard & Gallery 8, 82 Kintore Avenue Adelaide.

We’ve curated artworks by 8 local Filipino-Australians working across disciplines including painting, photography, sculpture/ceramics, multi-media/video installation, design/textiles and the performing arts.

Exhibiting artists:

Jelina Haines, Jayson Castor, Peter Francisco, Norma Hennessy Gerry Mendoza, Lourdes Duenas-Blinco, Harold Camonias and Ben-Hur Winter

Guest performers: Marky Canios and Samahan Filipino

Karangalan (honour) is an initiative of the Filipino Settlement Coordinating Council of South Australia (FSCCSA) supported by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Multicultural Affairs SA.

If hashtags were to ever serve as a source of inspiration and become almost like something to live by, then #gratefulthankfulblessed would have to be one to remember. As difficult and distressing as the current health crisis may be, Law of Attraction practitioners very often note that cultivating an attitude of gratitude can help raise one’s vibration. “Gratitude connects you with a vibration of abundance rather than one of lack, getting you into a frame of mind that promotes openness, growth, and positive change” (lawofattraction.com). If you’re feeling low and need a reminder that there truly is a lot of good in the world, taking a few moments to feel grateful for all the things that bring you joy rekindles our need for hope, positivity and love in our lives.

For our Pinoy kapamilya who may be struggling with surviving the lockdowns, going through bereavement or who may be deeply concerned about not just contracting coronavirus but also suffering from anxiety and mixed messages regarding vaccination, Dr Ross Walker recommends that along with a positive attitude, maintaining healthy and established routines, sharpening your lifestyle skills, developing new skills and doing an online course may help lighten the burden many are experiencing during this current predicament.

Refocusing on wellbeing, health experts also recommend the following practices to maintain positive mental health: 1. Connect with family and friends or other supports in your community, 2. Look after yourself through good nutrition and healthy meals, 3. Don’t over-indulge in alcohol or comfort foods, 4. Make sure you have time out to relax, unwind and do activities that you enjoy, 5. Have a range of self-care strategies like cups of tea, time with your pets, getting outside in the sunshine or reading a book, 6. Try to minimise exposure to the extensive COVID-19 content on Social Media: ensure you have access to accurate and current information from reliable sources, and 7. Practice mindfulness. Likewise, given that prolonged sitting is not good for our health either, along with regular exercise and nurturing a mindset of peace and happiness, Dr. Walker’s ‘5 Keys To Good Health’ also serve an important reminder to help uplift one’s spirits during these challenging times.

As the coronavirus continues to be a major issue for all of us, particularly our fellow kababayan in Blacktown (NSW) and Tarneit (Victoria) which have some of the highest numbers of cases in the country, the FILCCA Board through the leadership of President Carmen Garcia would like to reach out as a gesture of support and solidarity to say thank you for all that you do in your respective communities, states and territories and for the Filipino-Australian community as a whole. We can get through this by staying strong in our faith alongside being filled with love and gratitude. #gratefulthankfulblessed #strongertogether #FilCCApamilya             

Links to health and wellbeing support for multicultural communities:  

COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line by SA Health to assist anyone feeling overwhelmed or needing additional support during the coronavirus pandemic. This support line is available from 8am – 8pm, 7 days per week by calling 1800 632 753 or using the online chat services at www.SACOVIDMentalHealth.org.au

Embrace Multicultural Mental Health (the Embrace Project): CALD mental health and suicide prevention information and services for multicultural communities https://www.embracementalhealth.org.au/community

ASKPEACE: Relationships Australia SA provides a mental health support line for culturally and linguistically diverse consumers called ASKPEACE. Monday – Friday from 9am – 5pm by calling (08) 8245 8110 by completing an online enquiry form at www.rasa.org.au/services/all-services/askpeace/; or self-wellness questionnaire https://www.rasa.org.au/self-wellness-test/

StudyAdelaide website for information specific to international students https://studyadelaide.com/whats-happening/covid-19-information-international-students

Maayong hapon ug malipayon Domingo sa tanan ~practicing my Cebuano (my grandfather’s dialect) an Austronesian language which together with Visayan is spoken widely in parts of the Philippines. The diversity with which it is spoken embodies distinctive Indo-Malay vocabularies and syntactic structures eloquently enunciated with Spanish derived words, eg. Domingo (Sunday) producing a beautiful, poetic and syncopated sound.

Distinguishable from the more formal intonation, timing and use of inflection found in Tagalog, Cebuano is said to have been pivotal in 16th century SE Asian mercantile trade routes and voyages of discovery. Historically, a Visayan speaking interpreter and quite possibly the original global Filipino, who also became the confidante of the Portuguese explorer Magellan, was attributed as the first to circumnavigate the world in 1521.

Quite an accomplishment I think considering the current climes. Read more about this phenomenal feat and other diaspora stories here at Positively Filipino, in an inspiring article by Professor Penelope Flores Professor Emeritus at San Fransisco State University.

Hinaot unta nga maayo ang uma abot nga semana ninyong tanan (wishing everyone a great week ahead)!

Well made and fully adjustable, with pocket for filter as well. Sakura range and Origami range AUD$25. Custom designed by Russell Villafuerte @russellvtv a Season 2 designer on Project Runway Philippines. Click on the link to order or contact Ben-Hur 0406 874 966.

Dance and physical activity should have the same status in schools as math, science and language. “Dance can help restore joy and stability in troubled lives and ease the tensions in schools that are disrupted by violence and bullying.” Read more about ‘the equal importance of dance with the other arts, languages, mathematics, sciences and the humanities’ in an article by global education leader and New York Times best selling author Professor Ken Robinson here.

Image credit: Stocksey

It was an exceptionally busy and challenging June leading up to the Umbrella Winter City Sounds music festival in Adelaide, a mid-year offering that showcases the live music scene, and which for me was a chance to include #thestylecollaborative‘s boutique club night ‘Maison De Danse’ in the program. After a dancers call-out to local arts networks I was able to get together with a team of very talented dancers, namely Tina Ebenreuter @glitteryducks and Felicity Boyd @brainkokain alongside veteran technical producer/video-jockey Peter Sansom @peetrssnaps  for a robust creative development at Australian Dance Theatre’s Tanja Liedtke Studio. So thankful to all the staff at the Odeon Theatre for looking after us and for allowing #thestylecollaborative to be part of their International Centre for Choreography (ADT ICC).

Through #thestylecollaborative since July 2018 I’ve been able to work with iconic Adelaide musician and performer, the stunning Becky Blake @beckyblake0 as well as seasoned professional South Australian singer and songwriter Lauren Greco @grcomusic revisiting some fun, sassy, lyrical house music compositions, that for me somehow have a sense of timeless ‘joie de vivre’.

‘Inspired by Harlem ball culture from New York in the 1920’s’ The Advertiser

One of these tracks is a song entitled ‘Everybody’s Free’ originally performed by British-Zambian electronic music performer Rozalla. Casted and choreographed by yours truly, Becky performed this live at last year’s Feast Festival (2018) to a minimal tech re-make soundtrack complete with VJ projections created by local DJ, producer and music educator Robert Koster @groovmekanic. For the Umbrella festival, Lauren lent her soulful vocal talents in a live rendition of ‘Let Me Show You’ first performed by British electronic music band KKlass. Our version was remixed by eminent Adelaide composer Tyson Hopprich (aka DJ TR!P) @finddjtrip.

The same show cast helped with this year’s Feast Festival (2019) duties which made for Maison De Danse’s 5th incarnation but its first at the West Oak Hotel in Adelaide’s Hindley Street West. Not to be outdone, it was a welcome surprise to get a phone call from Mildura Fringe director Gareth Hart @artgareth from Arts Mildura inviting us to come over to Victoria for their first queer laneway festival called Summer Thrills to perform. This meant re-grouping for rehearsals in preparation for a short summer roadtrip and it was through some effective networking that gender fluid dance teacher and performer Leo Ashenden @leoashenden was sourced to join the collaborative.

‘Amazing, and such an inspiration.’ Multicultural Communities Council of SA

The four and a half hour journey to beautiful sunny Mildura town was well worth it, if not for the warmth and hospitality shown to us by the production team, fellow queer artists, our lovely Airbnb host Fay or the cool artisan community vibe, then definitely for the inspiring creativity and artistry exuded by all of the artists, musicians, performers and participants that made this festival first a highly memorable one.

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#thestylecollaborative is available for bookings and can customize an ongoing boutique club night, music festival performance, dance party or more intimate event entertainment to suit all styles and tastes. To enquire or book please contact the author, producer and artistic director Ben-Hur Winter at thestylecollaborative@mail.com or by telephone on 61-406874966. You can also check out our promotional video edit here.

#thestylecollaborative is a multi-disciplinary boutique production house from Adelaide developing innovative projects through diverse stage settings, performative contexts and the corporeal body. Exploring thematic ideas, influences and perceptions around community, identity and social justice while utilizing dance as a collaborative and investigatory medium, artistic work is also distinctly shaped by technology and ethnomusicology.

Acknowledgements:

A heartfelt thanks to the production team, sponsors and enablers below for their contributions large and small to this ongoing work.

Dancers: Jake Walasek, Connor Gibson, Felicity Boyd, Leo Ashenden and Tina Ebenreuter Musicians/Vocalists: Becky Blake, Lauren Greco and aspiring singer Rhys Michael | Musical Production and Digital Art: Robert Koster | DJ’s: Tyson Hopprich, Luc Blanko, Jo Altman, Troy Jelly Been, Sleezy, Moody Marcello, Cusack, Phildo, Sofiann and Miles | A/V Interactive/ Digital Design: Peter Sansom | Costume Design: Queen B Couture Australia | Video Production: Felicity Arts | Videography and Video Editing: Media Inc. Adelaide | Adelaide City Council | Feast Festival | Adelaide Fringe | Australian Dance Theatre / International Centre for Choreography | ActNow Theatre | The Parkestone Foundation | Mildura Fringe.

Current mood, on a deeply personal level…
‘Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.’ Lao Tzu

And on goals… to try and emulate this boldness and resilience.

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The numbers don’t lie. In a study conducted by Ditch The Label in 2017, more than half of young people (13-26 year olds) in the UK and US said that they don’t identify as exclusively straight.

It shone a bright spotlight on a new generation of people who are more open about their sexual identity, refusing to conform to the status quo and more confident than ever to be true to their authentic selves. It’s likely what has helped turbo-boost the reclaiming of the word ‘queer’ from a derogatory term used against LGBTQ people from the end of the 19th century through to the 1990s, when LGBTQ groups – such as New York City activists Queer Nation – started to identify using the once pejorative word.

At the turn of the millennium, ‘queer’ was increasingly used as an umbrella term for people who ascribe to non-normative sexual and gender identities. As Queer As Folk and the original series of Queer Eye won legions of television fans in the early 00s, the word began to be embraced by more people from within the community.

The past few years in particular have seen young people use the identifier, revolutionising its use from one of discrimination to that of fluidity, freedom, and fabulousness. For some, however, they’ve had to dismantle their relationship with the word, shedding memories of playground taunts and public hate speech to recognise the power it can hold with its revitalised interpretation.

To get an understanding on what ‘queer’ means in 2019 here are the personal views of some prominent figures in the community as part of an article by Lewis Corner.

Era 7 (2017) Acrylic on canvas by @James Verbicky, great to come across this fun painted  collage piece. Read about the artist here https://www.artspace.com/james-verbicky/era-7# 

This winter feels like a good time for a bit of a reality check. With a few pending projects to think about, I’ve been probing some conceptual branding ideas lately, and lo, what I’ve discovered is a pre-occupation with stylization. Not least of all mine, and particularly with regards to Eastern trade routes and ethnicity; traditions and customs; faith-based practice; folk expressions and cross-pollinaton; gender roles, migration and self-preservation; musicality, performance studies and technology.

With an Artist-In-Residence spot at LWDance Hub coming up in July-August, I’d be glad to share my new buzzword for that enigmatic phenomenon called ‘style’. Estilo! Adapted from Latin (and later Portuguese and Spanish), ‘estilo’ is Filipino for ‘style’ which can also translate as grace, way of doing things, fashionable skill among others. Definitely some intrinsic attributes that I would say are constitutive to aspiring to uphold a sense of bravura when it comes to artistic endeavour. But how could I begin to describe the idea of a group of gung ho creatives looking at coming together in a dialogic space centred around that post-modern idea of collaboration?

My highschool gym coach was resolute about safety not being a compromise when it comes to team work. Likewise, working with an artform such as dance that can be quite visceral, trust is a vital aspect when it comes to how the composite parts might function harmoniously as a whole. ‘Breathe to prepare’ we we’re told at dance school and without hesitation we followed. This at best was applied at all costs ie. whether performing a simple porte des bras, while ploughing through a complex petit allegro sequence or navigating a big travelling jump combination.

Concurently then, as I find myself somewhere not unlike the ‘inter-sections where Art, Theatre and Fashion collide’ enclosed herewith, and mindful of the potential ‘artistic de rigeur’ that organic creative processes might fashion, I really hope that #thestylecollaborative can serve as an inspiring hashtag and platform for an exciting In-Studio Development with some cool Adelaide crew.

#lwdancehub #thestylecollaborative #instudiodevelopment #danceemancipation

Love this collection, Fenty X Puma Spring Ready-To-Wear (2017) which for me shall remain timeless, designed by Multi-disciplinary Artist Rhianna . Here are some excerpts thanks to @vogue, words by Chioma Nnadi.

“When it comes to street style, Rihanna is an expert shape-shifter, and is constantly toying with proportions at both ends of the spectrum: She’ll happily step out in an amorphous tracksuit one moment, then turn up with a sexy body-skimming slip the next.”

“She struck the same tension between tender and tough with her menswear pieces, including a floral brocade boilersuit that was draped off the shoulder of one bleach-blond male model. Hitting that gender-neutral sweet spot with convincing streetwise attitude—think: a do-rag fashioned from lilac lace and jumbo pearl necklaces in place of traditional gold dookie chains—isn’t easy, but it’s something that comes as second nature to Rihanna, who confidently flirts with all aspects of a cool guy’s wardrobe.”

Read the full article and see the whole collection here

Government House Open Day

Was a great day to get amongst it today with other fellow subjects at the Government House Open Day. Captured a few moments here with the Canon EOS 600D #sundaybest #governmenthouse #impeccablegarden #colonialstyle #architecture #paintings #portraits #highart #beautiful #historical #artifacts #historyfestival #familyfriendly #grateful

“It’s the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future.”

australiaday.org.au

Adelaide was dubbed the ‘hottest place on the planet’ by the United Nations last 17 January, and throughout the six day heatwave, our City of Churches was placed under extreme fire danger. Unsurprisingly, many of the air conditioned malls and shopping centres were well utilised just like in the Philippines on hot summer days, as workmates, students, friends, families and other barkadas (mates), no doubt would have enjoyed dining, window shopping, socialising or just cooling off. Despite the heat, ‘Australia Day in the City’ presented by the Australia Day Council in conjunction with the Adelaide City Council on Sunday 26 January was said to be the biggest ever. Commencing at 6pm, an estimated 4000 people joined the main parade down King William Street to ‘celebrate what they love about Australia and being Australian’, or for some, Filipino-Australian. This public celebration saw the main strip and surrounding streets lined with an estimated 150,000 spectators relishing the colourful costumes and driving rhythms of this festive occasion.

Sanctioned in 1935, the year this momentous date was recognised by the name we know it today, the parade has become a hallmark tradition for South Australia, with over 80 organisations and cultural groups represented this year. The day of observance commemorates the First Landing or Foundation Day of the nation in 1788, when Captain Arthur Phillip, commander of the First Fleet arrived in Sydney with eleven convict ships.

“It’s the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation.”

The South Australian Filipino community were represented by a bright contingent comprising of the Sampaguita Dance Group Inc., Samahan Filipino-Australian SA Inc., Bayanihan Sa Bahay Kubo Inc. and the Filipino Settlement Coordinating Council of South Australia (FSCCSA). Participanting groups brought their Sunday best to the occasion, and even posed for photos with the VIP’s and event patrons.

From the urbane street vibe, the party moved to Elder Park for an entertaining concert featuring emerging Australian artist Sarah De Bono, complete with fabulous back up dancers, followed by the dynamic Timomatic as the headline act. The event concluded with a spectacular fireworks display that surely topped off the occasion, making it an Australia Day to remember. Afterwards, under the benevolent night sky, strolling homeward bound through the peaceful city streets, mother and son even shared a laugh while admiring the architecture and public art that seems to pop up in wonderful and unexpected places. Still makes me think, what a way to end a historical day, with so many things to be thankful for?

Photo: Sydney Morning Herald

Facebook album links

Photos by Ben-Hur Winter https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.698942216803834.1073741835.492104977487560&type=1

Photos by Fe Durward https://www.facebook.com/fe.durward/media_set?set=a.10200970269133739.1073741895.1676731039&type=3