This first piece was created as an introductory portrait for one of the two characters that I've created to embody my inquiry. This portrait "The Bearcat"  focuses around a singular character and animal, the title of the piece itself is in reference to both the character and in turn animal. The character, a feminine presenting person who I depict wearing traditional filipino garment (Filipiniana), sits upon a throne like structure, constructed by roots in connection to two pillars encompassing the throne and it's two occupants.

 

As the character sits still, staring off to something distantly off frame, the animal sits just as still but with its attention trained onto the audience before it.  The animal, as I earlier named, is known commonly as a Bearcat, but the true name being a "Palawan Binturong", a subspecies of the Binturong. I connect this animal back to the character by their physical connection: Their dark hair, round face, the characters long train in connection to the animal's long tail, even in  to the movement of the lines within the dress and fur; I attempt to connect them to each other.

 

There is reason to their resemblance as well as parallelism, from the character's lighter dressing in comparison to the animals dark coat, as well as where one looks off into the distance while the other looks forward into the audience; the reason for their connections, being that they are supposed to be kin. As I said before, the title is in reference to both the animal and character, for they are one and the same.

 

To the why the animal addresses the viewer, while the character stares off is due to the theme of my inquiry: Romantic Cannibalism. The animal is to view the audience in reflection to how I believe the audience will in the end view the character, as an animal. 

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The piece itself is made up of two pieces of multimedia paper, marked upon by a black pen, a black alcohol marker, and a black sharpie. Within the piece I used multiple elements in connection to the Philippines, such as the Sun behind the character itself, the three stars, which were specifically inspired by the Filipino flag. The flower also drawn is the national flower of the Philippines, a Sampaguita. All in all, the piece is supposed to connect itself to the heritage of the character, as well as my own.