baliktad
a tagalog word meaning
inside-out or upside-down
Baliktad is an exploration of what it means to be comfortable in one’s own skin. The audio story and photo essay are examined through the lens of my autistic niece, Jayelle De Guzman, who was 6-years-old during the time of production. Like ethnic minorities, I feel those with mental disorders (such as autism) can find it hard to fit into the “status quo.” The tagalog word, baliktad, translates to “inside-out” or “backwards”, and in a sense, this may be what it’s like to live with autism: a little backwards but essentially taking what one feels inside to express themselves genuinely in their outer world. Through this story, I hope to remind people that we all struggle, but we all have the ability to find a way to embrace ourselves despite the limitations that we may be faced with.
Baliktad was included in Our Heaven, an exhibition put together in 2017 that showcased the work of Asian American multimedia artists. You can learn more about the show here: Our Heaven