The Artist Within

In celebration of its 100th issue, Art+ Magazine announces the release early next year of a commemorative book featuring 100 of the country’s most influential and inspiring artists. This landmark publication reflects the richness, diversity, and dynamism of the Philippine contemporary art scene, and affirms Art+ Magazine’s continuing mission to document, inspire, and elevate Philippine art both locally and internationally.

In this issue, we turn our focus to selected artists and their works. A conversation with Jel Suarez reveals a practice that extends far beyond conventional notions of becoming a full-time artist. Regardless of accolades, she continues to shape a life in the arts on her own terms.

Cham Cristobal’s work blends playful imagination with a quiet melancholy. Her paintings often feature solitary figures set among still objects, evoking moments of introspection and subtle emotional tension.

Louie Cordero’s Brain Rot draws from bleak imaginings of a technology-saturated future. What distinguishes his approach is the use of kitsch and comic art, whose garish excess mirrors both the aesthetics of horror and the low-quality content that dominates contemporary digital spaces.

Also featured is the Philippine Pavilion exhibition by Mark Salvatus, curated by Carlos Quijon, Jr., which returns to the Philippines following its presentation at the 60th Venice Biennale. For Sa kabila ng tabing lamang sa panahong ito, Salvatus turns to the local history of his hometown, Lucban, foregrounding stories often absent from national narratives.

In our Art of Living section, we feature Filipino chef Nouel Catis, the original creator of Dubai chocolate, alongside celebrated Dubai-based Filipino fashion designer Furne One Amato. We also visit FR MGMT, the new café lounge and bar in Makati, while columnist Pepper Teehankee takes us to Terra Madre, the largest sustainable gastronomy event in the Asia-Pacific—rounding out a section that celebrates creativity, culture, and contemporary living.