Aina Zulueta-Valencia

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Aina Valencia with collaborators Ar. Alfred Andrew Tan, L. Ar. Tovie Del Rosario at Rizal Park
Native Tree consultant Lydia Robledo
NPDC Exec Dir Cecile Romero, Donor Linda Francisco, Aina Valencia, Dep. Dir. Jezreel Apellar, Ar. Andrew Tan, Rose Palou-Policarpio, Jaton Zulueta at the opening of the Children’s Play Garden, Burnham Green Rizal Park

MFA Grad Talk June 18, 2023

Lesley School of Design, Cambridge, Ma.

MFA THESIS PROJECT: Art and Civic Practice- Building The Children’s Play Garden

Bayanihan from bayan (country) is a value commonly shared among Filipinos. It is a way of being in the world where sharing and participating in collective efforts strengthen bonds and help make communities adaptive and resilient. This project is guided by this Filipino bayanihan spirit. 

The Children’s Play Garden was opened to the public on November 17, 2023. It is a collaborative project in partnership with the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) under the Philippine’s Department of Tourism. It is an 800 square meter space in a corner of Burnham Green, in the western side of Rizal Park fronting the Quirino Grandstand. The Children’s Play Garden is a Philippine native tree garden and playground where children can play in nature while learning about our indigenous and endemic native trees and plants. Landscape Architect Tovie del Rosario, Lydia Robledo and Rose Policarpio, were co-collaborators in choosing some 30 native Philippine trees for this mini arboretum. Care was given in choosing appropriate trees suited to an urban setting. We planted Aherns Balok, Alibangbang, Ardisia, Aunasin, Bagawak Morado, Balitbitan, Banaba, Banai-banai, Bani, Bantolinao Bolon, Gatasan Dagat, Kahoy Dalaga, Kamuning, Katmon, Labayanan, Lagundi, Lamog, Malak-malak, Mali-Mali, Maritima, Palawan Mangkono, Pamitoyen, Philippine Teak, Salimbobog, Tagpo.

I undertook this project as part of my MFA thesis at Lesley University School of Art and Design, Cambridge Massachusetts (2021-2023). In the first term of the program, A teacher, Alex Jackson asked the class to draw the answer to the question ‘What is your best art?’. I began to draw what to my surprise turned out to be a park with flowers and trees and a playground. I came into the MFA wanting to discover my direction as a painter so that drawing came as a surprise to me. I realized that I was most interested in the idea of integrating both a painting practice and a civic or public practice, following the example of artists who enter into civic projects that find solutions to our most pressing urban problems today.

Collaborative Project

The project supports the idea that artists can carry the role of instigator, convenor, and conduit between communities, government institutions, non-profit groups, private corporations, and in this case- architects, landscape designers, environmentalists and volunteers in social projects that move beyond the realm of the gallery and museum spaces. Civic work is also collaborative work, where artists enter into alliances that create an open and dynamic space where all voices are heard, and a process of sharing ideas becomes a powerful tool in addressing the most common problems we have today.

The pandemic showed us how a disconnection and an oppressive stance towards nature has brought the world to a precarious state of climate chaos, disease and tragedy. It also showed us the dire need of Metro Manila citizens to have access to parks for their own wellbeing, especially the children.

Rizal Park Luneta

Rizal Park is one third of the remaining 12 percent green open space in the city of Manila, the most dense in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. It is the Philippine’s National Park, a memorial site of our national hero Jose Rizal and other Philippine martyrs. It is 58 hectares of gardens, memorial spaces, picnic areas, gardens as well as an auditorium. There are about 4,000 trees in the park, half of which are exotic trees, 400 of which are the invasive Mahogany. Planting more native trees in our public parks and city streets helps cool our cities and bring back the wildlife in our urban areas. Planting only native trees protects our country’s rich biodiversity. There is an estimated 3,200 native tree species in the Philippines.

The Children’s Play Garden is an artistic gesture, a living art form that hopes to reconnect park visitors, especially children to nature and to our ecological inheritance.

– Aina Valencia, January 2024