Being a professional photographer based in the Philippines, Artu Nepomuceno focuses on shooting pictures for fashion, portraits, and commercial works. His pieces are more than just a visual feast for viewers everywhere. To some, Nepomuceno’s work encompasses stories and experiences that are relatable and inspiring.
His passion for visual arts has some relation to his kin, being the grandson of the Father of Philippine Cinema, José Nepomuceno. His grandfather sparked his desire for photography by saying, “If you want to create a story with a thousand images, you have to be able to tell a story first with one single image.”
For years, Nepomuceno has used his eye for beauty and skillful manipulation of the lens to capture slices of life and highlight them from a fresh perspective. One of his recent undertakings is photographing the iconic Apo Whang-Od, the last and oldest practitioner of Kalinga tattooing, for the April cover of Vogue Philippines.
He made history by being the man behind the lens when Vogue Philippines as Apo Whang-Od earned international acclaim for her craftsmanship and for keeping a centuries-old tradition alive in modern times. But for Nepomuceno, this global fame doesn’t put pressure on him as a photographer to take his craft further. He’s content enough to see that people are celebrating beauty with him.
“I don’t feel any pressure right now,” he quipped. “Everyone is celebrating it, and that has been the greatest gift I’ve received. My job is the next job. Whoever I come across, whoever I need to photograph, I will photograph them with the same respect and the same love I gave Apo Whang-Od. My purpose is to photograph honestly, with pure intention, with love.”
Despite the tremendous success of having Whang-Od on the cover, some quickly called out the magazine for cultural appropriation. To which Nepomuceno says, “Apo Whang-Od is an institution on her own. Kung wala ‘yung Vogue cover, Whang-Od is still Whang-Od. The world still knows Apo Whang-Od.”
Whether or not Vogue Philippines decided to feature Whang-Od on their cover, the traditional tattoo artist wouldn’t need the platform because she gained recognition for her skills and created a well-established community that appreciates what she does.
On the other hand, Whang-Od’s appearance on the Vogue cover helped the magazine more because it established Vogue’s longstanding passion for appreciating beauty in all its diversity. More importantly, it highlighted what being a Filipino meant on an internationally recognized platform.
In the meantime, Whang-Od was more than interested in being the muse for the April cover of Vogue. Still, Nepomuceno and his team followed proper protocol by getting the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’s (NCIP) approval and conferring with Whang-Od’s granddaughter, Grace, to ensure a seamless and safe shoot.
The shoot gained global traction and recognition from supermodels Gigi Hadid, Tyra Banks, Hollywood celebrity Halle Berry, and more. They all had nothing but praise for seeing the traditional tattoo artist embody Filipina beauty and embracing the local, vibrant culture.
Nepomuceno’s iconic work with Whang-Od has sparked some discourse between the Vogue cover and the Sports Illustrated piece with American businesswoman and TV personality Martha Stewart. According to some, Nepomuceno emphasized the beauty of aging gracefully.
Yet for Nepomuceno, there’s nothing to compare between the two women because they grew up in different circumstances and have had different experiences contributing to their vibrant life stories.
“I think people are putting them side-by-side because of the conversation of age and beauty. But I feel like I can’t speak for the Martha Steward cover because I don’t know how their process went. For Apo Whang-Od, what you see in the photograph is exactly who she is. Walang photoshop,” he said.
He added that regardless of all the discussions, he’s happy to see societies celebrating age and seeing the elements that come with it, such as wrinkles and gray hair, as beautiful.
Nepomuceno is a firm believer that there’s wisdom and beauty with age. Growing up with his grandmother, he saw that wrinkles add to a person’s story.
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