The Supplyframe DesignLab is pleased to present Late Bloomers as part of its exhibition series, opening on Friday, October 5th, 7:00pm - 10:00pm. There will be a fashion show by Rebirth Garments at 8pm. Light refreshments will be provided by L.A. Rose Cafe. Why are Pilipinos stereotypically late? What exactly is Pilipino time? Could it be that we are making up for stolen time? Are we, as a diaspora, perpetually jet lagged? In the exhibition Late Bloomers, we recognize that we don’t fit in, haven’t peaked early, and couldn’t care less. When PHPOP, a Pilipinx brand, posted a picture on Instagram of a person wearing a graphic tee that reads, “Better late than later,” we found it funny, in a beautifully kindred way. Yes, admittedly Pilipinx are late, but as Late Bloomers, late is better than later. Instead of subscribing to Western expectations, we ask ourselves to create a new measurement of time that we properly align with, and to imagine a world we thrive in. Through our work, we are using explorations of time and technologies as process and material to shift our connections to time, and make space for alternate realities and futures. When thinking about Pilipino time, it is important to consider its overall history. Before Spanish Colonization, Pilipinos used to tell time by observing the sun’s position in the sky. Clocks and language referring to time simply did not need to exist in the culture. Months and seasons were determined by tracking the phases of the moon. However, the Gregorian calendar completely eradicated this system when it was set in place in 1582. Ultimately this led to the death of our own time, and our relationship with the sun and moon as we immersed ourselves in European time. It is no wonder we navigate this world in confusion, in “lateness,” in a different way altogether. We are late bloomers, but better late than later, we are blooming like golden California wildflowers in the vast and expansive Mojave Desert.