Village Connect
A celebrated work by Filipino visual artist Impy Pilapil has found a new home as Singapore Airlines (SIA) commemorates six decades of operations in the Philippines.
SIA officially gifted Pilapil’s original sculpture, Flight, to the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Manila, marking the airline’s 60th anniversary of connecting the Philippines and Singapore.
The turnover ceremony was held at the Singapore Embassy in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, with Pilapil leading the presentation. Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Her Excellency Constance See and Singapore Airlines Philippines General Manager Liwei Tai were also present.
The sculpture joins three other original Pilapil works already displayed at the Embassy, bringing together four pieces by the award-winning Filipino artist in one setting.
Flight was commissioned by Singapore Airlines in 2015 to interpret the experience of flying with the carrier while highlighting SIA’s long-standing collaboration with Filipino artists. For about a decade, the sculpture was displayed at the airline’s SilverKris Lounge at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
There, the artwork became a familiar feature for passengers before departing Manila. Following its years at the airport lounge, SIA sought a meaningful new location where the sculpture could continue representing movement, connection and cultural exchange.
“Art has always served as an important instrument in bridging countries and cultures,” Tai said. As SIA celebrates 60 years in the Philippines, she expressed hope that Flight would continue its legacy as a symbol of the enduring relationship between Singapore and the Philippines.
Its transfer to the Embassy also reunites the sculpture with Pilapil’s three other works that have been housed there since the Singapore Embassy building opened in Manila in 2008.
For Pilapil, seeing the four sculptures together creates a more complete artistic conversation. She described Flight as the missing dynamic element among the works, noting that art, like flight, represents movement, connection and the ability to go beyond physical boundaries.
“Every artist wishes to have a good home for their work, and then it becomes a gift when the ‘home’ is occupied by good people,” Pilapil said.
Known for working with materials such as stone, glass, steel, wood and paper, Pilapil explores themes of nature, harmony, tranquility and community. Her works have been exhibited in the Philippines and internationally, including Singapore, Japan, Australia, Italy and the United States.
Ambassador See welcomed the sculpture to the Embassy and highlighted how the milestone reflects the longstanding relationship between the two countries.
She noted that for six decades, Singapore Airlines has helped connect people, businesses and economies between Singapore and the Philippines. She also welcomed the opportunity to celebrate Filipino creativity alongside the airline’s anniversary.
With Flight now displayed alongside Pilapil’s three other works, the sculpture begins a new chapter—moving from an airport lounge to a diplomatic setting where it can continue to represent the cultural connections that have developed between Singapore and the Philippines over the years.
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