Martha Atienza
Equation of State
Silverlens Gallery, Manila

Known for its white-sand beaches and marine life, Bantayan Island in Cebu, like many coastal settlements, has borne the brunt of the global climate crisis. Rising sea levels have led to significant coastal land erosion, while warmer sea-surface temperatures contribute to increasingly destructive storms such as Typhoon Yolanda, which battered Bantayan in 2013. “Equation of State,” Martha Atienza’s third solo exhibition at Silverlens, revolved around Bantayan, documenting the impact of climate change on her hometown through video works and kinetic installations.

At the center of the first exhibition space was Equation of State II – Rhizophora stylosa (all works 2019), an installation of 24 mangrove shrubs tied to a mechanized pulley system that lifts the plants in and out of a steel-and-plywood trough, mimicking the rhythm of the tide. Common in the Philippines, mangroves have been reintroduced to coastal areas as a natural means to absorb greenhouse gases, protect against floods, and provide habitats for aquatic animals. Atienza’s intricate installation features natural elements including water, aquatic plants, and a variety of live fish, but also utilizes human-made materials to generate the mangrove’s artificial movement, such as microcontrollers, water pumps, and filters, signifying human interference into organic processes.