Diverging from the usual visual installations, a sound-only exhibit by Baguio-based artist opens at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Gallery last September 10, 2025.
Entitled ‘Breathing as Afterthought’ by Benjamin Meamo III, the audio installation is a testament to the sounds of the City of Pines amidst its chaos as a tourism hotspot in the country with more than 60,000 visitors during its peak dates.
The exhibit is curated by Mervine Aquino and is an auditory trip for its attendees. With its simple and dark interior within the NCCA Gallery, the audio installation invites listeners to feel, hear, and breathe as one with Baguio City.
Aquino, while curating the exhibit, come up with questions to ponder on which in turn he asked the attendees to do the same with; How does Baguio City form its own picture in people’s minds just by hearing parts of it?
Attending the opening are Marawi-based artists, PHINMA-Saint Jude College of Manila students, friends and supporters of the artist, and NCCA-Program Management Division Chief Renee C. Talavera.
In her welcoming message, Cultural Heritage Section Head Veronica D. Amboni emphasized the importance of hearing Baguio City in its most natural form—away from the crowds and its everlasting hustle and bustle.
“And here lies the importance this gathering, especially Meamo’s work. By layering sounds of the beauty of everyday in Baguio, the artist lets us hear and reimagine the city in both familiar and fragile setting,” said Amboni.
In his message, Meamo III urged the attendees to start listening intentionally in order to fully grasp the spaces people occupy and make part of their daily lives.
“Sana po one-step [ahead] tayo na mag-pay attention and then listen. Because eventually when we listen, we can further define our space and we can define yung karanasan at experience natin,” Meamo III said.
Meamo III layers different recordings and channels them through wired speakers and attaches notes of its location, dates, timestamps.
Running throughout the entirety of September, ‘Breathing as Afterthought’ is open at the NCCA Gallery from 8 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free for the public.
