Claude Tayag Leads a Walking Sketch Tour with the Filipino Community
Organized by SIGE! with the participation of the Philippine Embassy in Austria, the intimate tour gathered select members of the Vienna-based Filipino community for a day of observation, movement, and shared creativity. Through Claude Tayag’s guiding eye and the collaborative spirit of SIGE! and the Philippine Embassy, the streets of Vienna became a canvas for the Filipino community.
The journey began in one of Vienna’s most iconic cultural crossroads. The Naturhistorisches Museum Wien
and the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien.
Framed by grand façades, manicured gardens, and the steady rhythm of city life, participants paused to take in the scale and symmetry of the surroundings. Under Tayag’s guidance, sketchbooks opened and watercolor palettes came alive, capturing not just architecture but the mood of the moment. How light shifting across stone, people passing by, and the quiet excitement of drawing together in a foreign yet welcoming city.
“Lakbay at Guhit,” which translates to journey and sketch, is rooted in the idea that drawing is both a way of seeing and a way of being present.
As the group walked and sketched, Tayag encouraged participants to trust their lines, embrace imperfection, and allow the city to reveal itself naturally. For many, the experience was less about technical mastery and more about slowing down and connecting.
The group sought warmth and respite at Brasserie Palmenhaus Wien, a glass-and-iron landmark nestled in the Burggarten.
Despite the chill in the air, spirits were high as participants gathered over coffee, cake, and ice cream, sharing sketches, stories, and laughter. The café stop became an extension of the tour—an informal critique session and a celebration of small joys, proving that art-making thrives as much in conversation as it does on paper.
To close the day, the Philippine Embassy in Austria hosted a reserved dinner for Claude Tayag and all the participants.
The meal served as a fitting finale, honoring not only Tayag’s presence and generosity but also the sense of community fostered throughout the day. Conversations flowed easily, bridging art, travel, identity, and the shared experience of being Filipino in Vienna.
“Lakbay at Guhit” in Vienna was more than a walking sketch tour but a cultural encounter, a reminder that art can be a bridge between places and people.