Stephanie Comilang

Diaspora Ad Astra, 2020

Commissions

TBA21–Academy

Stephanie Comilang

Diaspora ad Astra, 2020

Single-channel video, color, sound 5 min 25 sec

Commissioned by TBA21–Academy with the support of Institut Kunst HGK FHNW in Basel.

As part of the third and final voyage of TBA21–Academy’s ‘The Current II’ fellowship cycle, ‘Spheric Ocean: Life For Beginners’ led by Chus Martínez, the Ocean Archive debuted the film ‘Diaspora Ad Astra’ (2020) by Stephanie Comilang.

Diaspora Ad Astra is a fictional, short video told from the perspective of a Filipino seafarer. There are 400,000 seamen from the Philippines, working in a profession that helps move 90 percent of global trade. Under brutal conditions, these men can make ten times more than they earn at home. They sign contracts for seven to ten months, leaving behind their families, with whom these migrant laborers struggle to maintain a connection due to the scarcity and unreliability of internet connectivity onboard. While making this video, stories of ships not allowed to dock in their home ports due to fears of the spread of coronavirus proliferated in the news. What is it like to see your home in front of you but be unable to return to it?

CURRENTLY ON VIEW:

Ocean Archive - a digital organism for a living Ocean - fostered by TBA21–Academy

Group show: Becoming Ocean: a social conversation about the Ocean

Curator: Hélène Guenin, Chus Martínez, Sébastien Ruiz, and Marie-Ann Yemsi

Venue: Villa Arson, Nice

Date: 8 May 2025 - 24 August 2025

The exhibition is part of the program for the Nice Biennial of Arts and the Ocean, organized by the City of Nice as part of the United Nations Conference on the Oceans (UNOC3) to be held in Nice from June 9 to 13, 2025.

Related works in the collection

Stephanie Comilang
Search for Life I, 2024

Stephanie Comilang
Search for Life (Mannequin 1), 2024
Search for Life (Mannequin 2), 2024

Related program

The Current II: Life for Beginners Expedition #3 led by Chus Martínez

About The Current

The Current II: The Waves of the Oh!s and the Ah!s
Convening #1 led by Chus Martinez

Stephanie Comilang. Search for Life Curated by Chus Martínez

Stephanie Comilang Diaspora Ad Astra, 2020

Becoming Ocean: a social conversation about the Ocean An exhibition at Villa Arson, on the occasion of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference, Nice 2025

Artists

Stephanie Comilang