Tovic Salvador

Filipino photographer Jan Mayo in Tokyo as the sakura blooms.

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Albert Josef Lirio

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175237080262734a02443a21ceb995f43bb7a453802edb534eb049ae14376711c192d45f58103-rimg-w1200-h1005-dcffffff-gmir.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Filipino portrait photographer Jan Mayo is showcasing the beauty of Philippine and Japanese indigenous plants at a special exhibition in Tokyo, Japan.</p><p>“Faces and Flora: Philippines and Japan Native Plant Photography” combines the elements of plants and people of the two countries to show how one reflects the beauty of the other.]</p><p>The special exhibition is being held at The JP Tower Museum Intermediatheque starting on July 12, in time for the 70th Philippines-Japan Friendship Month. It will last until November 9, 2025.</p><p>It is a collaboration between the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) and the University of Tokyo, and supported by various institutions including the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, The Japan Foundation, Manila, and the Museum Foundation of the Philippines.</p><p>Mayo’s work was previously exhibited in Japan in 2023 along with the other winners of the GFX Challenge Grant, sponsored by Japanese camera and film manufacturer Fujifilm.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/life/04/18/23/pinoy-photographer-ginawaran-nginternational-award">Jan Mayo, nagwagi ng international award sa 2023 GFX Challenge Grant Program</a></div><p>In a way, Mayo said the special exhibition of “Faces and Flora” in Tokyo was a homecoming -- one that took a few setbacks over the years.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1752305934596IMG_7501.JPG" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Courtesy: Jan Mayo</em></span></span></span></div><div><strong>Second time’s the charm</strong></div><p>It was Mayo’s second time to enter the grant competition in 2023, after his failed bid in the previous year. Noting how his first proposal was “too complex,” he opted for something simple and “very Filipino” where he can incorporate local heritage and culture.</p><p>As a mainly fashion and beauty photographer, he turned to natural resources, specifically flowers.</p><p>“One thing kaya ko siya naisip, because parang when it comes to magazines, most of the time… wala siyang cultural backing or research. (Bukod sa palamuti,) parang dapat mayroon siyang pinapakita, may lesson kumbaga,” he shared.</p><p>(One thing that made me want to do the project is because, most of the time, features of local flora in magazines lack cultural backing or research. Aside from adding aesthetic, it needs to show more, a lesson.</p><p>This gave way to his collaboration with scientists at the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology and the Philippine Taxonomic Initiative. Mayo created a diptych, a style where two different photos serve as one story.</p><p>“Naisip ko, maganda ang idea ng mga halaman kasi marami tayo nito, na kahit mga tao mismo sa bansa ‘di rin masyado aware. At higit sa lahat, puwedeng ibida sa international stage,” he explained in an interview with ABS-CBN News in 2023.</p><p>(I thought of plants because we have an abundance of them that even some Filipinos aren&#x27;t aware of. Of course, it can also be showcased on the international stage.)</p><p>Mayo compared the local flora to the faces of a Filipino, with the scale enabling the audience to have greater appreciation of the plants.</p><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@janvmayo/video/7407270402667449618" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7407270402667449618" id="v13323373602142762" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v13323373602142762" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7407270402667449618?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-07-12T06%3A25%3A46.690320%3Ad30726cf-0bc3-4a86-8361-434d2782f05e%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:757px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:757px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><p>The concept won among more than 2,000 submissions, making Mayo the first Filipino recipient of the GFX Grant in 2023. But he didn’t stop there.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Bringing the exhibit home</strong></div><p>After the first exhibit in Japan finished, he sent a cold pitch to the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) to offer to exhibit his work. He received a reply weeks later, and after some negotiations, the NMP agreed.</p><p>His work was shown at the National Museum of Natural History from February to May 2024.</p><p>The exhibition of “Faces and Flora” aimed to highlight the importance of local indigenous plants and advocate against introducing non-native species in the Philippines.</p><p>While it received mixed reviews from critics, the exhibit drew audiences as it also featured local celebrities Nadine Lustre and Iza Calzado, which was welcomed by the National Museum.</p><p>Aside from the NMP, one of their partner museums from Japan also took notice, to Mayo’s delight.</p><p>“Na-excite ako. Umoo na lang ako kahit alam kong wala na akong funding this time… Ito na ‘yon eh,” he recalled.</p><p>(I got excited. I said yes even if I know I won’t be funded this time around. This is it.)</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1752305999098IMG_7496.JPG" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Courtesy: Jan Mayo</em></span></span></span><strong>Homecoming</strong></div><p>Mayo flew to Japan in April to shoot a new collection to add to the exhibit presented in Manila, featuring the faces and flora of the Land of the Rising Sun.</p><p>The experience helped him learn a lot about dealing with international people, especially how the Japanese do their work.</p><p>“Na-raise ‘yung standard lalo… Kahit wala naman sa usapan talaga or wala sa kontrata namin na we have to create a catalog or a book based on the exhibition, napagawa kami… kasi ganoon ‘yung standard sa Japan,” Mayo shared.</p><p>(My standards were raised. We had to create a catalog or book based on the exhibition, even though it wasn’t part of the agreement or mentioned in our contract. It was the standard in Japan.)</p><p>The language barrier also proved to be a challenge during the shoot, with some instructions getting lost in translation.</p><p>But all the hard work paid off, said Mayo, who considers the special exhibition a homecoming for his work.</p><p>“Kasi doon siya nag-start eh… Na-feel ko talaga na full circle siya in a way na may baon na ako, kasi nagawa ko na siya and at the same time dinala ko rin ‘yung network na puwedeng idala sa museum,” he elaborated.</p><p>(It started there. I really felt it was full circle, because now I have something more to offer. I have finished the exhibit, and at the same time, I also brought the network I have to the museum.)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>A set-up for success</strong></div><p>Like “Faces and Flora,” Mayo’s journey to photography also took its time to bloom. Before being a full-time beauty and fashion photographer, he dabbled in other disciplines.</p><p>He attended the University of the Philippines and took a sports science degree, while being a member of the UP Pep Squad.</p><p>“Growing up, marami akong interests. Pero ang dream ko talaga was to become a dancer… international dancer. Pero when I graduated college, sabi ko I’ll put this dream off and go to pilot school,” he recounted.</p><p>(I had a lot of interests growing up, but my dream really was to become a dancer, an international dancer. But when I graduated college, I decided to put that dream off and go to pilot school.)</p><p>As he finished flying school and became a licensed commercial pilot, another thing piqued his interest: auditions for &quot;Miss Saigon&#x27; in London. He tried out and was on the waitlist for a year. But the offer for a role never came.</p><p>The rejection caused him to give the arts an ultimatum of sorts: “I’ll do one last theater production, then I’ll say goodbye to the arts.”</p><p>He landed a role in the local Disney stage musical “Newsies,” which incorporated various dance techniques -- perfect for the former pep squad member. It was here that he honed his hobby for photography, as the cast and members of the production took notice of his skills.</p><p>“Doon na siya nag-start, and then someone just said, ‘Alam mo, you can do this as a job.’”</p><p>(It started there, then someone told me, “You know, you can do this as a job.”)</p><p>And it did. After trying out different fields, he eventually found his niche in photography.</p><p>Like him, Mayo encourages aspiring photographers to always look out for opportunities.</p><p>“Send that cold e-mail, because you’ll never know where (that) opportunity will take you.”</p><div><br/></div><div><em>Jan Mayo’s special exhibition, “Faces and Flora - Philippines and Japan Native Plant Photography”, will be on display at The University Museum, The University of Tokyo from July 12 to November 9, 2025. Find out more about it <a href="https://www.intermediatheque.jp/en/schedule/view/id/IMT0288">here</a>.</em></div>

<p>Jan Mayo, the first Filipino winner of the Fujifilm GFX Challenge Grant, will have his work “Faces and Flora” exhibited at The JP Tower Museum Intermediatheque in Tokyo, Japan.</p>

Jan Mayo, the first Filipino winner of the Fujifilm GFX Challenge Grant, will have his work “Faces and Flora” exhibited at The JP Tower Museum Intermediatheque in Tokyo, Japan.

Jan Mayo's showcase of PH, Japanese flora goes to Tokyo

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Jan Mayo's showcase of PH, Japanese flora goes to Tokyo

Albert Josef Lirio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 13, 2025 09:52 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 14, 2025 08:06 AM PHT

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Jan Mayo

Faces and Flora

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