The San Francisco Arts Education Project is thrilled to announce Mabuhay, Friend! – an art installation and exhibition by Artist Mentor and puppeteer extraordinaire Ramon Abad. Mabuhay (pronounced “mah – BOO – high) translates to “welcome” or “cheers to life” in the Filipino dialect of Tagalog. This installation features a new series of interactive sculptures of puppets which visitors of all ages are encouraged to activate and move through touch.

Artist Statement
The seed of Mabuhay, Friend! sprouted during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns. In the beginning of 2021, excited about having a new workshop area at the then burgeoning artist studio space Balay Kreative Studio, I had a chance to create a temporary art installation in a vacant spot inside. At that time I could not perform my puppet shows before live audiences since public gatherings were banned. So, I tried something new: I designed and made an installation with puppets that people could activate on their own. The puppets were placed away at a safe “six feet distance” which was then the recommended protocol to keep away from other people in public. The puppets were photos of me since my wife Anila was the only person able to take pics in a time when all of the Bay Area was sheltering-in-place.

As restrictions gradually eased, more visitors were able to enter the Balay K studio. While observing the delight of adults and children visitors activating these initial puppets, I was inspired to develop this concept further. Now, instead of seeing just my mug, I reached out to friends old and new from a variety of backgrounds to be the subjects of some of the puppets. I wanted to expound on an idea of “inclusion.” I want the gallery experience to not be limited to grown-ups but also include children by creating art that engages all ages as well. Specifically inviting people from diverse backgrounds of identity, I also wanted to involve divergent narratives that have a place in art for young people. My heart breaks to see news of the current culture wars over what is placed in front of our children. This work is my attempt to welcome the need for more of us working together for diversity.

SFArtsED