Dap-ayan takes its name from the Ilocano word for a gathering place, a space where people come together to exchange ideas and reflect on collective experience. This notion of meeting and convergence echoes across Philippine languages, from tagpuan in Tagalog to tagboan in Bicol, underscoring the cultural importance of communal spaces as sites of connection and meaning.

Bringing together works by Miggy Alcala, Alfred Capiral, Marc Cosico, Reymar Gacutan, Alfred Galvez, Alee Garibay, Nina Garibay, Janno Gonzales, Lui Gonzales, Gerry Leonardo, Ryan Morales, Luce Melegrito, Alab Pagarigan, Henrielle Baltazar Pagkaliwangan, Jeric Sadullo, Don Salubayba, and Alim Vela, the exhibition traces the artists’ individual paths following their time in Makiling. While each practice has developed in distinct directions, Dap-ayan serves as a shared space where these trajectories intersect, revealing how a common point of experience continues to inform evolving artistic voices.

Across painting, sculpture, and mixed media, the works engage themes of memory, identity, and lived experience. Some pieces reflect quiet acts of remembrance, while others grapple with personal transformation, material exploration, and the search for meaning. Together, they form an ongoing conversation, one that moves beyond Makiling while remaining grounded in its influence.

Dap-ayan functions both as a physical exhibition and a metaphorical meeting place. It honors the empowerment found in gathering, exchange, and mutual recognition, affirming memory as a dynamic and unifying force in artistic practice. In doing so, the exhibition reflects the communal and ever-evolving nature of artistic identity, shaped not in isolation, but through continued dialogue with others.