Cover A still from ‘Our Islands’ by Martha Atienza (Photo: Times Square Arts)
A still from ‘Our Islands’ by Martha Atienza (Photo: Times Square Arts)
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For three minutes every night in July, Martha Atienza’s ‘Our Islands’ lights up New York Times Square
Times Square Arts, the largest public platform for contemporary performance and visual arts, will be featuring Filipino artist Martha Atienza’s Our Islands 11°16’58.4”N 123°45’07.0”E at the Midnight Moment Summer Season this July. As the world’s largest and longest-running digital art exhibition, Midnight Moment is an essential part of New York’s artistic scene—exhibiting artworks across over 95 electronic billboards in Times Square every night from 11.57pm to midnight.
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Above Martha Atienza' Our Islands (Photo: National Museum of the Philippines)
Martha Atienza' Our Islands (Photo: National Museum of the Philippines)
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Our Islands 11°16’58.4”N 123°45’07.0”E shows a procession of men in bastardised costumes of figures important to the Filipino people. From Roman centurions and the Santo Niño to Manny Pacquiao and a nurse escorting a man holding a sign saying ‘Yolanda Survivor’, Atienza’s cast of characters can be seen lumbering on the seabed. Her choice of setting not only presents a critical take on Filipino culture but also brings up the threat of climate collapse to which Southeast Asia is increasingly exposed. “Our Islands is created as a reminder of the state of our planet. Facing these realities, we also deal with the loss and rediscovery of our own culture,” reads a plaque at the Pintô Art Museum.
Above Martha Atienza (Photo: Silverlens)
Martha Atienza (Photo: Silverlens)
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Atienza’s practice uses installation and video to document and question issues about the Philippines’ environment, community, and development. Living in Bantayan Island, she takes on ecological and sociological concerns as she examines the relationship between local traditions, human subjectivity, and the natural world. She was twice awarded the Ateneo Art Awards in 2012 and 2016 and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Thirteen Artists Award in 2015. Atienza has also participated in biennials and triennials such as the 2nd Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in 2024, the 17th Istanbul Biennal in 2022, the Bangkok Art Biennale in 2020 and many more. In addition to her art practice, she is the president and co-founder of GOODLand, a platform under her Art Lab that tackles social, economic, and environmental issues in her home island.
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About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
