Mesa; Philippines, first quarter of the 20th century.

Table; Philippines, first quarter of the 20th century.
Molabe, Balayon and Narra wood.
Measurements: 71.5 x 108.5 x 451.5 cm.
This table is a material testimony to the complex cultural and productive relationship between the Philippines and the United States during the first quarter of the 20th century. Its structure rests on two solid black metal legs, with simple and functional lines, which support a solid wood top made from hardwoods and hardwoods typical of the Philippine archipelago.
The tabletop comes from an old bowling alley made during the period of American occupation, when Philippine society adapted its artisanal and industrial production to respond to new demands for leisure and consumption. The surface still bears the marks and geometric rhythm characteristic of the lanes, making the piece an object charged with memory. This reuse not only evidences an exercise in the use of materials, but also establishes a dialogue between local culture and foreign influences, integrating the functional and the symbolic.