Chaotically Trending! How MoCAF Meets Pop Culture
In a world driven by the algorithm, these artists disrupt the scroll with stories that stick.
Words Mian Centeno
Photos courtesy of Xavier Yu
July 12, 2025
In an era where connection is at the front of a screen, popular culture is no longer just entertainment–it's a lens, a visually spoken language, and in the hands of these artists, a powerful tool of reflection.
From technology and religion to internet icons and consumer trends, CHANO, CHN0, and Gabo Manalastas showcased their distinctly bold visual noise of modern life and transformed them into art that questions, critiques, and connects.
CHANO: False Idols and Flashy Truths
If pop culture is today's religion, CHANO is the pope of satire. Known for his unapologetically blasphemous art, he provocatively blends sacred imagery with consumerist symbols, challenging what and who we choose to worship.
At MoCAF 2025, his featured piece, CHAOS: FALSE IDOL, chaotically shouts a sharp social commentary on people's worship. Surrounded by symbols of mass hysteria and fanaticism, his idol is not meant to be revered–it's designed to question. From the exaggerated poses to the surreal accessories, every detail oozes color, irony, and sarcasm.
CHANO doesn't shy away from controversy; he enjoys it. For him, chaos is the point. "Any positive or negative emotions toward my art are acceptable to me, because that's the plan," he shares.
Yet beneath the chaos lies sincerity. CHANO's work doesn't simply mock–it reflects the absurdity of modern priorities. In an age where likes and views are currency and clout is king, he invites viewers to enjoy, but also to look beyond the lines.
CHN0: Digitally Rendered Reality
In contrast to CHANO's maximalist art, CHN0's work invites a sense of stillness. His “box-type” characters built a distinct reputation for balancing digital precision with emotional nuance, but for his MoCAF showcase, ‘Shelter,’ the artist is shifting gears.
CHN0 smartly incorporates serious tones into his work, touching a uniquely pleasant version of pop culture. He views pop culture as a diverse and broad genre with an untamed force. “Pop culture has a huge impact on the art scene–it's the language of this generation,” he shares. “For many emerging artists, it's what they see and relate to the most.”
His exhibit reflects the way technology and emotion intersect in everyday life–its digital process, traditional form, and heart as its core. While CHN0 often uses 3D techniques to build his works, it's the emotional resonance that truly breathes life to them.
Everyday Folk, Elevated
Gabo Manalastas celebrates life through his pieces, spotlighting the daily lives of Filipinos and their culture, then infusing them with surrealist twists, most notably depicting human figures with animal heads.
Whether it's how people commute, how they work, or how they rest, his subjects are never anonymous–they carry the quiet resilience and warmth of lived Filipino experience.
“I want people to see the beauty in our traditions and culture, and I hope we never let it fade,” Gabo Manalastas shares. He captures not only what is seen, but also what is felt, in the rhythm of the everyday.
Together, CHANO, CHN0, and Gabo Manalastas embody the wild brilliance of pop culture art. From satire and symbolism to memory and meaning, their work demonstrates how art can remix what's trending and the timeless, provoking thought, building connections, and reshaping our perception of the world around us. In a world driven by the algorithm, these artists disrupt the scroll with stories that stick.
