Filipino art embraces its New York moment

FULL COLOR. Installation view, 'SALON,' Silverlens New York, 2026. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO As several New York galleries start showcasing Philippine art, the spaces have also turned into convening places for Filipinos New York has always been the center of the art world. And somewhere on the west side of Manhattan, it is starting to look Filipino. From international art fairs to blue-chip galleries, I have spent the last five years building a career inside the New York art world. My background in art history and arts administration prepared me well for an industry built around Western narratives. What it could not prepare me for was what it would feel like to finally see Filipino creatives rising within it. Nicole Bitanga at The Armory Show, New York, 2025. Today, Enzo Camacho (b. 1985, Manila), in collaboration with Ami Lien (b. 1987, Dallas, Texas), has work on the walls of the Whitney Biennial 2026, one of the most prestigious exhibitions in American art, on view through August 23, 2026. Their work is devotional, political, and deeply rooted in Filipino material culture. In Sacred Heart (baby kamote) (2024) and For a Just War Against America (2026), their titles alone are a direct nod to the Filipino diaspora. Tina Kim Gallery, one of New York’s most celebrated Asian diasporic art galleries, recently presented a solo show by the estate of Pacita Abad (1946-2004), the Filipina-American artist whose kaleidoscopic trapunto paintings spent decades on the margins of the Western canon before institutions finally caught up. Installation view, ‘Pacita Abad: Door to Life, ‘Tina Kim Gallery, New York. Silverlens, the Manila-founded gallery, brought Filipino artists to both New York and Venice, with Pio Abad (b. 1983, Manila) shown at the Giardini’s Central Pavilion, and Marigold Santos and Michael Joo at the Arsenale Corderie for the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia (2026). Recently, Silverlens presented Kawayan de Guia’s debut New York solo show, Excavations from the Land of the Not So Plenty. The Baguio-based Filipino artist’s assemblage paintings bring centuries of Philippine colonial history into direct confrontation with the present. Kawayan de Guia, ‘God Save the Queen of Banana Catsup,’ 2026. Silverlens New York. For Katey Acquaro, director of Silverlens New York, the gallery has become more than a commercial space. “It has become a convening place for Filipinos,” she says. Filipino artists are having their moment and it is my hope that it stays. The gallery’s current exhibition, SALON, is an expansive group show presenting Filipino artists Pow Martinez, Gregory Halili, Bernardo Pacquing, Patricia Perez Eustaquio, Wawi Navarroza, and James Clar, coinciding with a solo feature of Mexican artist Carmen Argote. The programming reflects the melting pot that is Filipino culture itself, and signals the gallery’s expanding vision for what Southeast Asian art can hold. Installation view, ‘SALON,’ Silverlens New York, 2026. What excites me most about this moment is not only Filipino recognition, but what it makes possible for those who come next. Part of what drives me in the arts is the belief that Filipinos already inside these spaces have the opportunity to cultivate the careers of the next generation of culture-makers. Acquaro reflects, “None of it happens without the artists, the public, and that grassroots industry support.” Filipino creativity has always been exceptional and never needed international validation to know that. But we can use its platforms to make sure our culture and history is preserved. As Acquaro adds, “New York is the center of the industry. Putting it on that stage means people will discover the work and ideally also discover a community.” Filipino art is having its New York moment, and it is about time this moment belongs to us. – Rappler.com Nicole Bitanga is a fine arts professional and writer based in New York City. She holds an MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University (’26) and a BA in Art History with minors in Studio Art and French Studies from New York University (’23). How does this make you feel? Loading