HOME AND HEART

Austin magazine and guidebook shares joy of local Filipino community

TAYO NA Magazine'sfirst issue was a celebration of Filipino community.

Photo by Joi Conti

For Austin artist Joi Conti, it's all about community. Her brainchild, Tayo Na Magazine, releasing its second issue at a launch party September 26, is a resource for supporting local Filipino businesses and a photo essay documenting the joy in a common bond.

"We knew that we wanted to show the idea of kapwa, the Filipino word that can translate to kindred, neighbor, and fellow humans," says Conti about the first issue. "But what I know of kapwa goes a little deeper: the sense of connectedness that you extend with a shared community that you treat like family."

The magazine was conceived in 2023 and brought to life with the help of Conti's creative collaborators and a grant from the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce. Initially, she envisioned the project as an online project, but working with art director Travis San Pedro and designer Lisa Crawford, the guidebook made its way to print.

Tayo Na Magazine cover The cover for the new issue of Tayo Na.Cover courtesy of Tayo Na

"Originally, the approach would be to photograph and post online, but I've always found posting on social media to be ephemeral, and I wanted something to feel more tangible," Conti explains. "I wanted to highlight and put my fellow artists on a platform that encouraged people to acknowledge what each artist did, actually see them, and hire them."

Together, the team hooked the first issue around the idea of a kamayan, the Tagalog word for "by hand," describing both a traditional form of eating and a communal feast. The storyline follows the various revelers on a hunt for gifts for the host. Unexpectedly, they run into each other at Filipino-owned establishments.

Tayo Na Magazine A spread in the previous issue shows off local art.Spread courtesy of Tayo Na

"From my experience, food and Filipinos go hand in hand," says Conti. "The first thing someone asks you when you enter a Filipino home is "Kumain ka na?," which translates to "Have you eaten yet?" It's a way of showing you care for someone by looking out for their wellbeing, something that I've always loved hearing no matter how full I actually am."

The conceit is a clever way to highlight various artisan goods from Filipino creators, but it also reveals the collaborative nature of the community of printmakers, weavers, and other creatives. Almost every photo features broad smiles.

"The joy is 100 percent authentic and captured in real-time," assures Conti.

Tayo Na Magazine True authenticity.Photo by Joi Conti

Fans can expect the same celebratory tone from the second issue, which debuts September 26 at a launch party at Peached Social House. This time, the crew of artists will come together for a Sabado Night. Literally translating to Saturday night, the term colloquially refers to a casual hangout with family and friends.

Conti drew inspiration from her childhood, modeling the story after the Sabado Nights her dad hosted in the family's open garage. She said it was natural to include area musicians, a reflection of Austin's distinctive culture and the convivial spirit of the hangouts.

"True to Filipino form, you can expect someone to pull out a karaoke mic," she says of Sabado Nights.

Tayo Na Magazine Nothing brings people together like great food.Photo by Joi Conti

Although Tayo Na currently focuses on Austin's scene, Conti does not rule out sharing her point of view throughout Texas.

"My mind says yes, but my body does not know that yet," shares Conti. "It's certainly a dream that I'd love to extend to other Texas cities, especially if each city is willing to fund the printed and online project, because I'd also want other Filipino artists living across Texas to feel seen and heard."

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New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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