RAKI: Filipino Artist Merges Pop Art with 80s-90s Nostalgia

RAKI, a Filipino artist and architect from Laguna, Philippines, has developed a distinctive style blending Japanese and South Korean visual culture from the 1980s and 1990s. His work includes illustrations, decorative rugs, canvas paintings, skateboards, and posters, all characterized by soft lines, full colors, and dreamy subjects. RAKI's characters, often stylized female figures with dreamy expressions, evoke a suspended time between melancholy and sweetness. He has participated in group exhibitions at independent galleries such as The Grey Space and Secret Fresh Gallery, and pop-up events like the one at Moon Cafe. His practice moves between illustration, interior design, and urban visual culture, creating a hybrid that aligns with current trends. RAKI transforms nostalgia into a fresh, contemporary language, accessible and never banal. His Instagram presence regularly showcases his works, which resonate with those who grew up with anime, faded posters, and lo-fi melodies.