Jeanne F. Jalandoni, a 2026 MA painting candidate at the Royal College of Art in London, presents her series "Life for a Life" (2026) at the RCA degree show. The works feature sculptural installations of irregularly shaped wood cutouts that depict brightly colored flora on one side and faded family photographs on the other, exploring familial memory and imagined history through traditional Philippine textiles and cultural symbols. Jalandoni, a second-generation Filipino American born in New York and based in London, also draws on earlier works such as "Filipino Party" (2021) and solo exhibition "In the Belly" (2023) at Taymour Grahne Projects, using hybrid protagonists like the carabao to navigate the complexities of diaspora and identity.
This article matters because it highlights a rising artist whose multimedia practice addresses the nuanced experience of second-generation immigrants, particularly Filipino Americans, through a blend of personal narrative, cultural symbolism, and material experimentation. Jalandoni's inclusion in the RCA degree show and her previous exhibitions at venues like LATITUDE Gallery and Textile Arts Center signal her growing presence in the contemporary art world, offering a fresh perspective on how memory and heritage are reconstructed across generations and geographies.