Armed with an eye for color and a love for brightness and fun, these seven young artists express themselves through art that’s bold, beautiful, and eye-catching.
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If you were to visualize this generation’s energy, it’s definitely going to look like something from the artists below. Bold designs and vivid colors fill up every inch of these artists’ work, making a statement with every line, texture, and shape. Their art is vibrant and maximalist, able to make you feel warm, excited, and optimistic, and make your eyes jump from one corner of the image to anotheras you try to take every detail in.
“The common Filipino is a maximalist,” art professor FM De Leon Jr. said. “Filling up every available space with forms and things. It springs from an expressive exuberance deeply rooted in emotional sensitivity and the strong urge to connect.” These Gen Z artists exemplify these traits as they create art to express themselves and to share their craft and themselves with the world. And they do it in a manner that’s bright, unique, and tailored to their interests and personal style. Check out these artists and their work below!
SID GONZALES (SIDSSPACE.ART)
Sid’s Mural Art (Instagram/sidsspace.art)
Sid Gonzales of sidsspace.art is an illustrator with a love for the way children’s books can vividly express a story. “I use pictures that I create to speak for me,” he says. “To tell my daydreams, my fears, my stories, and the ideas that I simply can’t keep to myself, hoping it connects to other people too.” He describes his art style as loose, whimsical, and friendly. They exude a colorful warmth that’s busy and fun to look at.
MIGUEL MARTILLANO (PHOTOART BY MM)
INSTAGRAM/photoartbymm
The art of twenty-three-year old illustrator Miguel Martillano of Photo Art by MM features bright colors contrasted with deep jewel tones, gradients, and adorable cartoonish subjects. He enjoys experimenting with colors, typography, and dreamy colors. He shares that his art matches his personality “as a foodie, an animation/cartoon fanatic, and someone who loves to play with colors.”
KOALANOV
INSTAGRAM / koalanov
Ivee Pendo, or Koalanov, creates art influenced by anime and manga that’s instantly eye-catching. Her work is detailed, contemporary, and often unusual. Her use of unique effects and techniques bring something fresh to the artwork, filling it with different colors, tactile textures, and an enigmatic energy.
CHINNY BASINANG
Instagram/ChinnyBasinang
Chinny Basinang’s vivid art almost burns through print and screen, making your eyes go from one point to another. A heat almost palpably emanates from their work, driven by their use of “psychedelic patterns and saturated hues.” Chinny’s posters aren’t just visually pleasing—they also express the fire Chinny has for their advocacies.
HABUNNYART
Instagram/Habunnyart
Habunny creates art primarily to creatively express their thoughts, interests, and inspirations, drawing from local culture and psyche. He also wants to make people happy and appreciative of the nuance of being Filipino with his art and his persona, “Habunny.” Recently, Japanese design and illustration has been a source of inspiration for him. “I like researching different ideas I can mix and match that show up in my art. Some of these are the time period, influential artists’ styles I like, and similar visual aesthetics and ephemeras.”
CYRILL ACUÑA (AWKWARDBUTABLE)
Ukay-ukay (X/awkwardbutable)
“I express my emotions and all the things I love and care through my illustrations.” Cyrill Acuña’s artwork is inspired by old encyclopedia illustrations, children’s books, and 90’s-era cartoons. “The textures and the kitschy-ness grab my attention,” he says. Exuding a vintage vibe but with very modern elements, his artwork highlights mundane Filipino life and superficial imagery.
THEIRFIELDNOTES
“I make art to document everything I see and love.” Graphic designer Althea or theirfieldnotes take inspiration from “everyday things that we often overlook such as product packagings we see in sari-sari stores, trinkets, and signages.” Turning the mundane into visual representations of love and joy, they share their perspective of the world with people ready to appreciate it.
Continue Reading: How This Gen Z Artist Captures What It Means to Be Filipino Through Painting
