Harborfields Central School District

Harborfields High School senior Samantha Urmaza was selected for the prestigious Long Island’s BEST Young Artists Exhibit. Her original piece, entitled “Manananggal (Severance)”  is displayed at The Heckscher Museum in Huntington. The Heckscher Museum offers students an opportunity to show their work in a professional gallery setting. For Samantha, this is the second time her artwork has been selected for this prestigious exhibit. 

This annual juried exhibition features extraordinary works of art created by high school students throughout Long Island. Nearly 500 works of art were submitted, but only 77 were chosen for display in the exhibition. All student artwork is inspired by work exhibited in the Museum during the 2024-2025 school year.  Samantha based her creation on Ruth Douzina’s work, Star Store, where she used stitchwork and textiles to explore both connection and repair. 

“I aimed to create a sense of detachment and chaos by unraveling and tangling thread,” Samantha shared about her piece. “As a part of my series exploring Filipino mythology, I decided to create a piece inspired by the “manananggal.” 

The manananggal is a spirit who takes the form of a young, beautiful woman during the day, but at night its torso detaches from its lower body to feed on the vulnerable - babies, children, pregnant women. While the manananggal is rooted in native folklore, it was used to weaponize indigenous Filipino women during Spanish colonization. Women who did not fit conservative western standards, such as leaders, priestesses, and healers, were considered heretics and therefore deemed incarnations of the malicious spirit. 

Samantha used this as inspiration to highlight the separated, visceral physicality of the manananggal, but also to showcase the emotional and societal alienation of women who reject the public’s expectations of them. 

“This recognition is a well-deserved honor for an exceptionally thoughtful and talented young artist,” said Mrs. Ritter, Art Teacher at Harborfields High School. “ Sam’s work explores Filipino mythology and superstitions through a powerful and personal lens, using a rich combination of mixed and digital media to reflect the diversity of the Philippines’ precolonial beliefs. Her sustained investigation not only illustrates iconic mythological figures, but also serves as a meaningful exploration of cultural identity and heritage. I’m incredibly proud to see her creativity and voice celebrated at this prestigious annual exhibition.”

Samantha was honored at an awards ceremony alongside other young artist honorees  on April 5. The exhibit runs through May 25.  Click here for more information about the museum and this year’s exhibit.