Polangi

Country: Philippines

While Polangi's works mainly revolve around Filipino culture and history, you never get the sense that they aren't without any personal touch. Often minimalistic in his work, Polangi uses carefully-selected figures from Filipiniana books and archives to create his art. His collages reflect his own personal love of his roots, each piece being a tribute, showcasing a sense of celebration in each of his artworks. His latest projects include "The Alphabet of Nick Joaquin", a series on the late National Artist in Literature's life, exploring its different facets through the alphabet. Aside from this, he also enjoys reading and collecting various local titles.

"Lumilikha ako dahil gusto kong magkuwento, gusto kong maglahad, gusto kong makita kung paano ba humahalili ang sining sa ating mga kuwentong bayan, kasaysayan, kultura, mga lokal na paniniwala. I do believe that by emphasizing these certain points, mas magiging malawak ang sining, mas grounded at inklusibo."

Translation: I create because I want to tell stories, I want to narrate, I want to see how art becomes a lens for truth for our own folk stories, history, culture, and local beliefs. I do believe that by emphasizing these certain points, art reaches a lot more people, becoming more grounded and inclusive.

— Polangi, on why he does collage

You can find Polangi on Instagram as @polangii.