Igorot Artist Creates Realistic Diorama of Cordillera's Batad Rice Terraces

Photo Courtesy || Julius Paladin

Cordillera - The artist, sir Julius Paladin featured the Batad Rice Terraces of Banaue, Ifugao. 

Sir Julius dedicated over a year to creating a diorama of the Batad Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Philippines. 

"It's been more than a year since I started this diorama of the Batad Rice Terraces. I went through a lot to complete this piece—stress, exhaustion, and sleepless nights, as well as finding the time to work on it while juggling other responsibilities," Paladin wrote. \

"And now, I've finally achieved my dream of finishing this diorama. Ever since I learned how to create dioramas, one of the ideas I had was to recreate the Banaue Rice Terraces, because I wanted to depict a historic place in our country. I started this project last May. As I worked on it, I struggled due to the lack of references, so my wife and I decided to visit the site to take photos from every angle," he added.

Despite facing numerous challenges such as stress, exhaustion, and balancing other responsibilities, he pursued his passion for capturing this historic place. 

His journey even included a four-hour trip to Batad, Banaue, to gather accurate references. 

"It's a four-hour trip from our place in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya to Batad, Banaue, Ifugao. I was truly amazed when we arrived there—you can't believe that the ground you're stepping on was built by our ancestors over two thousand years ago. The view is worth the tiring journey despite the exhaustion. Yes, it is really tiring with lots of uphill and downhill walking." Paladin said.

Paladin used styro, dental cast stone, soil, rocks, glue, static grass, epoxy resin, popsicle sticks, coffee stirrer, aluminum foil, balsa wood, wire, blended foam, crepe paper, acrylic paint and super glue as materials in creating his wonderful diorama.

Julius's dedication and love for the Batad Rice Terraces are evident in his detailed work, which transports him back to the serene and awe-inspiring beauty of the site.