Cover Lou Lim
Lou Lim
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From compelling canvases to surreal installations, these emerging Filipina visual artists are fuelling change through the power of creation
In contemporary art’s ever-changing scene, a new wave of talent is redefining norms and captivating viewers with their bold expressions and unique styles.
Among these emerging artists are 10 young Filipinas whose works resonate with passion, innovation, and profound observation of the human experience. Each artist brings their viewpoint front and centre through vibrant canvases to thought-provoking installations, pushing boundaries and igniting change.
Learn about the creations and experiences of these more than up-and-coming visionaries making waves in today’s art scene.
1. Tyang Karyel
With her playful yet introspective approach, Tyang Karyel immerses audiences in surreal realms where imagination knows no bounds. Using various mediums such as resin, wood, and acrylic, She creates vibrant and bustling works that embody the frenetic energy of Filipino pop culture and everyday life while exploring themes of nostalgia, chaos, and trauma in a consumerist society.
Tyang Karyel’s art brings viewers to worlds where the ordinary meets the exceptional, innocence coexists with evil, and individual narratives mix with collective experiences. Through her work, she challenges perceptions, elicits emotions, and starts conversations that impact the modern art landscape.
2. Faye Abantao
Above Faye Abantao (I Want to Try Running, Just a Little Bit More)
Faye Abantao (I Want to Try Running, Just a Little Bit More)
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Renowned for using paper as her primary medium, Faye Abantao leads her audience through her folded, woven, and torn memories to unveil societal, political, and occasionally personal reflections. She displays a deep connection to storytelling through profiles and portraits, capturing the essence of culture and human experience.
Beyond these, Abantao looks into environmental struggles head-on with her eye-opening installations, challenging viewers to question the status quo and envision a more sustainable world.
3. Yeo Kaa
Yeo Kaa’s works are defined by candy-coloured illustrations featuring a wide-eyed girl with a signature bob, evoking a playful, dreamlike world reminiscent of children’s books and animation. But beneath the vibrant, innocent-looking facade lies a darker reality, with imagery depicting mutilated bodies, crime scenes, and the complexities of human nature.
With boldness, rawness, and unapologetic honesty, Yeo Kaa’s works intertwine her sentiments, struggles, and anxieties with current events and everyday life. Thus, her art is a powerful commentary on society, identity, and the female experience.
4. Anna Orlina
Anna Orlina blends traditional techniques with modern flair in her glass sculptures, producing pieces that radiate grace, elegance, and timeless sophistication. Her father, pioneering Philippine glass sculptor Ramon Orlina, undoubtedly influenced her.
Her opalescent pieces burst with vibrant colours and playful energy, displaying her love for experimenting with light. Through her mastery of form and texture, she creates a mesmerising interplay of light and shadow that inspires contemplation about the beauty around the viewer. Anna stands ready to push the boundaries of the craft to new heights.
5. Ayka Go
Through a combination of nostalgic childhood recollections and existential musings, Ayka Go explores personal memories while maximising the seemingly limitless expressive potential of the plain blank paper.
She is raised with moments of making paper boats with her father on rainy days, so her affinity with paper runs deep. With expert finesse, she highlights the tactile characteristics of paper—its creases, tears, folds, and shadows—painting them onto canvas with playful fluidity that seamlessly blends the two different mediums.
6. Lou Lim
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Renowned for her artworks that connect objects and visual imagery, Lou Lim masterfully navigates texture and feel amidst various mediums, particularly painting and sculpture, to find fresh ways to look at familiar things.
Through exploring the idea and significance of surfaces in storytelling, Lim brings into her work the relationship between the physical and the spiritual, the tangible and the enduring.
7. Anna Bautista
In her paintings, Anna Bautista passionately and ingeniously explores the intersections of time, culture, and philosophy. She reveals the intricate links between how these elements are interconnected and constantly respond to each other.
Her pieces, blending elements of impressionism with vibrant colours, often offer a visually striking commentary on the takeover of consumerism and pop culture in modern-day society.
Read also: Anna Bautista’s unique take on the concept of time
8. Ciane Xavier
Ciane Xavier’s sculptures and jewellery pieces take a techno-optimistic approach to provoke contemplation on pop culture, female experience, and human expression. She draws inspiration from globalised trends while examining the complexities and nuances of the modern world.
Through specialised three-dimensional printing techniques, Xavier brings her creative creations to life, encouraging viewers to interact with her works on a personal level. With each piece, she sparks conversations on individual power and vulnerability yet allows room for interpretation.
Read also: Have a look at Ciane Xavier’s one-of-a-kind exhibit at Vinyl on Vinyl
9. Nice Buenaventura
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Nice Buenaventura navigates the delicate balance between ethics and aesthetics through her diverse artistic methods, including drawing, painting, installation, and citizen-ethnography, often inspired by her experiences and perspectives as a visual artist and educator.
She uses a mix of digital and analogue media to maximise the impact of visual narrative. By incorporating her own feelings of tension and frustration regarding societal, cultural, and environmental issues into her creative process, her works become catalysts for social awareness and activism.
10. Aze Ong
Traditional fibre techniques like knitting, crocheting, and embroidery are reimagined in Aze Ong’s works to create immersive installations that invite touch and interaction, elicit open interpretation, and encourage debate on various topics, ranging from self-healing to cultural appropriation.
Ong draws inspiration from her personal experiences living among the indigenous Talaandig tribe in Mindanao. Her installations reflect her path towards enlightenment while attempting to revive the value of fibre in modern Philippine culture.
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