Though this school is still in the planning stage, Cobonpue does what he can to further his trade to younger generations. He gives lectures worldwide and mentors apprentices while teaching in design schools. He also works closely with some of the world’s leading industrial designers, paving the way for the future of design in the Philippines. “We’ve been mentoring entrepreneurs on improving their designs, not only in aesthetics but in production and quality as well,” he shares. “We ‘hold their hands’ along the way until they can be on their own. During the course of several years, many designers have learnt, trained, and enriched their skills in our design studio. And now, they have their own design business. I hope to mentor more of these designers. It makes me happy to see them grow and succeed.”

All this is impressive because Cobonpue has also been busy learning new tricks of the trade. He’s been continuously earning accolades through design innovations and techniques. During the tenth Philippine Tatler Ball held in 2011, Cobonpue was awarded the Most Creative Force. Years later, he’s continued to prove himself with a Designer of the Year award in the first edition of Maison et Objet Asia in 2014, an Ani ng Dangal recognition for international achievement in visual arts from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2015, and an impressive Gawad sa Sining awardee in 2022.

In July 2023, the designer unveiled his latest collection, The Loop & Barnacle Mirrors, in collaboration with Metrobank. In November 2023, Cobonpue was one of the honourees at Legends 2023, a scholarship benefit of his alma mater, Pratt Institute. He was also recognised at the 2023 Tatler Ball with the Impact Award. “Every person has a unique story to share with the world,” Cobonpue says modestly. “We all have to find it. We do that by looking deep within us, learning as much as possible from other disciplines, studying different cultures and perfecting our craft. It can take years of hardwork filled with failures, but when you find your place in the world, a lifetime may not even be enough to tell your story.”

A renowned local artist, Ronald Ventura is best known for his dynamic style. Marrying realism with elements of cartoonery and graffiti, Ventura culls from history, superstition and pop culture. He is best known for his work, Grayhound, which sold for US$1 million at the Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings auction in Hong Kong in 2011. Over a decade later, in 2023, Ventura continues to mount shows, this time exploring the philosophy of mobility in museums such as Ayala Museum and Salcedo Auctions. He has also dabbled in mixed media and sculpture as a form of social commentary.

Whimsical and imaginative, Andres Barrioquinto’s work champions ornate details and symbolisms. His unique style is recognisable through his colourful modern take on the traditional ukiyo-e technique. Having pursued a formal art education at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Barrioquinto is keenly aware of combining traditional and contemporary elements. After showcasing his creations worldwide, Barrioquinto has created a comprehensive monograph of his life and work published by Rizzoli New York. It contains impressive write-ups from critics, compiled and edited by Demetrio Paparoni.

Lav Diaz’s movies are notoriously lengthy. Despite this, moviegoers are still often spellbound by his storytelling. Narratives that focus on Filipino life are given the centre stage, told through the lens of slow cinema. Known for his features, such as Elegy to the Visitor from the Revolution and Batang West Side, Diaz evokes a nostalgia that stirs the heart. In 2023, he released Essential Truths of the Lake, starring John Lloyd Cruz. The movie, which premiered in Locarno, Switzerland, revolves around the idea of justice, featuring an investigator haunted by an unsolved case of a woman who disappeared years ago. Diaz’s When the Waves Are Gone also won the Special Jury Prize at India’s 53rd International Film Festival (IFF).

No one knows the importance of supporting Filipino artists better than Isa Lorenzo. Exactly 20 years ago, Lorenzo founded Silverlens as a photo gallery, with partner Rachel Rillo joining as co-director in 2007. Since then, Silverlens Gallery has become one of the country’s most recognisable art institutions, participating in international art fairs. It shows and represents award-winning creatives from all around the region. In September 2022, Silverlens Gallery branched out to New York City, signifying an exciting era for underrepresented Asian artists. Lorenzo has also served on the board of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines and advises many prominent private collections.

As one of the pillars of Silverlens Gallery, Rachel Rillo makes it her mission to promote inspirational talent. A photographer and a gallerist, Rillo received her education abroad before returning to Manila to showcase her talent. After the grand opening of Silverlens Gallery in Chelsea, New York, Rillo focused on a new project: the Lubi Art Residency, which features artists who will produce carbon-neutral installations and sustainable artworks. In promoting others, Rillo seems to have set aside her photography; fortunately, her work has been immortalised in a book titled Rachel Rillo 2009-2012, published by Silverlens.

Making art accessible is Trickie Lopa’s mission. In 2006, she founded Art in the Park with Lisa Ongpin-Periquet and Dindin Araneta. Decades later, it’s become a staple on the community calendar, along with Art Fair Philippines, founded again by the three in 2013. From its nascent start to its current status as a cultural shindig, Art in the Park and Art Fair Philippines have drawn thousands of people to view various artists and avenues for art appreciation. When Art Fair Philippines was disrupted by the 2020 pandemic, Lopa and her tenacious team of organisers once again rebuilt the idea of the art, taking Art Fair and Art in the Park from physical spaces into the digital world. In 2023, just in time for its 10th anniversary, Art Fair Philippines resumed in-person activities at The Link.

Coming from a family of deeply involved artists, Lisa Periquet is no stranger to the local creative scene. Inspired by her great-grandfather Alfonso Ongpin, an art collector, Periquet co-founded one of the country’s most significant annual art events. Alongside Trickie Lopa and Dindin Araneta, she made waves with Art Fair Philippines and continues supporting artists regardless of their standing. Periquet also holds a degree in art history from the University of Virginia and formerly worked at the Phillips auction house in London.

A well-known designer, Anthony Nazareno is best known for his expressive and tactile use of texture and materiality. After earning a degree from the California College of the Arts in 1991, Nazareno began his career in San Francisco under the mentorship of architect Jim Jennings. Since returning to the Philippines, he has incorporated the many lessons he learnt from his decades-long career into his projects. In 2023, The Banaba Residence, a renovation project by then Nazareno+Guerrero Design Consultancy (now Nazareno Architecture + Design), was awarded the “Best Living Space” at the Tatler Home Design Awards. The category acknowledges intuitive design in the home’s most used spaces, where we live, dine, converse, entertain and seek refuge.

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