Martha Atienza's Ecological Art Confronts Climate Crisis in the Philippines
Martha Atienza, a Dutch-Filipino artist, focuses on environmental decline and cultural transformations on Bantayan Island through her films and installations. Her showcase, 'Equation of State,' at Silverlens in Manila, highlighted the Philippine Congress's decision to revoke the island's Wilderness designation in November 2019. In 2017, her film 'Our Islands 11°16'58.4"N 123°45'07.0"E' earned the Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel. Works such as 'Gilubong Ang Akong Pusod Sa Dagat' (2011) expose perilous fishing methods. The 'Anito' series (2011-15, 2017) captures evolving festival traditions. Atienza points to Typhoon Yolanda (2013) and the 2016 El Niño as significant factors in local struggles, scrutinizing policies from Presidents Ferdinand Marcos to Rodrigo Duterte for their economic implications on environmental issues.
Key facts
- Martha Atienza is a Dutch-Filipino artist based in Madridejos, Bantayan Island.
- Her exhibition 'Equation of State' was held at Silverlens, Manila.
- She won the Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel in 2017 for 'Our Islands 11°16'58.4"N 123°45'07.0"E'.
- Bantayan Island's Wilderness status was revoked by the Philippine Congress in November 2019.
- Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013 caused approximately $14 billion in damage to the Philippines.
- A 2002 study found only 7% of the Philippines' original precolonial forest cover remains.
- Atienza's film 'Gilubong Ang Akong Pusod Sa Dagat' collaborates with locals and Overseas Filipino Workers in Rotterdam.
- The 'Anito' series documents the Ati-Atihan festival and its changes over time.
Entities
Artists
- Martha Atienza
- Manny Pacquiao
- Rohani
- Elias Victor
- Mario Forrosuelo
Institutions
- Silverlens
- Art Basel
- Baloise Art Prize
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources
- Conservation International
- University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies
- Foundation for the Philippine Environment
- Time magazine
- CNN
- BBC
- Philippine Congress
Locations
- Philippines
- Manila
- Madridejos
- Bantayan Island
- Visayan Sea
- Rotterdam
- Netherlands
- Southeast Asia
- Manila Bay
- Boracay