With the art I transmit the importance of the living diversity of creatures on our planet. The girl depicted in this painting is my sister and offered her blood to me to emphasize the urgency of saving the Philippine Eagle. I used the blood by dripping it onto the canvas at the end of the work in progress. My intention in using the blood is to give dramatic emphasis to the painting’s message. Together with the gold leaf it gives sacredness to the artwork. There should be no hierarchy of importance between humans and animals. The blood of the girl symbolizes that of the animal.
This great bird of prey may soon no longer be found in the wild. The Philippine national symbol’s main threat is deforestation through logging and expanding agriculture. Mining, pollution, exposure to pesticides that affect breeding, and poaching are also major threats.
